Just returned from 2 weeks diving in North Sulawesi - 1 week at KBR, 1 week at Tasik Ria. Short trip report below!
Flights:
I flew from Perth to Manado via Singapore. Convenient flight timing, and Singapore Airlines/SilkAir are great. A 30kg baggage allowance in economy, which is more than enough for dive gear and some clothes. As usual, the flight leaving Singapore to Manado was late - I don't think it's ever been on time a single time I've flown it. Not excessively late though. Was also late leaving Manado on the way home, which made my connection in Singapore a bit tight, but at least I wasn't sprinting through the terminal. Just meant no dawdling around the shops, and worst of all, I didn't even have time for Starbucks!
Lembeh - KBR:
This place has changed a lot since I last visited at the end of 2012. Kaj and Barb have moved on, and apparently are now in Ambon. It shows. The new dive manager seemed a lot more aloof and hands off. In general, the place seemed much more unwelcoming. I can't put my finger on exactly what it was, whether it was the staff, or the fact that there was only me and one other diver at the resort that killed the atmosphere. Either way, the place was dead, and you could feel it. As usual, the food was fantastic!
The diving at Lembeh was great, as it was last time. Because KBR was so dead, me and the other diver effectively had our own private dive guides while we were there. Was nice, because I was taking photos, and the other person wasn't. Not sure if it was just the luck of the draw, or if something else is going on, but I seem to recall that my last trip 18 months ago was far more prolific in terms of the critters than this trip. Didn't see anywhere near as much this time, although it was still good fun.
Photos from Lembeh, June 2014
Bunaken - Tasik Ria:
First time diving at Bunaken. Last time I came to North Sulawesi for diving, I spent the entire time in Lembeh. I wanted to see some other stuff this time and not get mucked out. The resort itself is nice, with comfortable rooms. Food was mostly buffet style, which isn't my preferred option as someone who has some severe food allergies, although what they had was fine. The spa was nice - gave amazing massages! The resort wasn't anywhere near as empty as KBR, with the number of divers varying between 6 and 12 on any given day, and more guests around the resort who weren't diving.
The diving itself was done at both Bunaken and on the Tasik Ria house reef just off the resort. The diving at Bunaken was about a 1.5 hour boat ride away, drift diving along walls with varying degrees of current. Usually not too strong, although one dive we got caught in a washing machine - I ended up with a nasty headache for about the next 18 hours. Going from 13m to 28m repeatedly in a very short period of time isn't healthy! That aside, the dive sites were nice and colourful. Lots of fish and turtles. Visibility ranged between 10-20m, although there was often a lot of crap in the water affecting photography. Such is life. Diving on the Tasik Ria house reef means macro on a sandy bottom. After having been in Lembeh for a week, it was hard not to make comparisons. They don't compare. There are critters on the house reef, but it's nothing like Lembeh, so try to take it for what it is.
Photos from Bunaken, June 2014
Overall, I had fun on this trip. It was nice to do both the muck diving and the wall diving for a contrast and for something a bit different. I think that if I return, I'll probably do a similar type schedule. Split the time down the middle so I don't get bored with it.
Flights:
I flew from Perth to Manado via Singapore. Convenient flight timing, and Singapore Airlines/SilkAir are great. A 30kg baggage allowance in economy, which is more than enough for dive gear and some clothes. As usual, the flight leaving Singapore to Manado was late - I don't think it's ever been on time a single time I've flown it. Not excessively late though. Was also late leaving Manado on the way home, which made my connection in Singapore a bit tight, but at least I wasn't sprinting through the terminal. Just meant no dawdling around the shops, and worst of all, I didn't even have time for Starbucks!
Lembeh - KBR:
This place has changed a lot since I last visited at the end of 2012. Kaj and Barb have moved on, and apparently are now in Ambon. It shows. The new dive manager seemed a lot more aloof and hands off. In general, the place seemed much more unwelcoming. I can't put my finger on exactly what it was, whether it was the staff, or the fact that there was only me and one other diver at the resort that killed the atmosphere. Either way, the place was dead, and you could feel it. As usual, the food was fantastic!
The diving at Lembeh was great, as it was last time. Because KBR was so dead, me and the other diver effectively had our own private dive guides while we were there. Was nice, because I was taking photos, and the other person wasn't. Not sure if it was just the luck of the draw, or if something else is going on, but I seem to recall that my last trip 18 months ago was far more prolific in terms of the critters than this trip. Didn't see anywhere near as much this time, although it was still good fun.
Photos from Lembeh, June 2014
Bunaken - Tasik Ria:
First time diving at Bunaken. Last time I came to North Sulawesi for diving, I spent the entire time in Lembeh. I wanted to see some other stuff this time and not get mucked out. The resort itself is nice, with comfortable rooms. Food was mostly buffet style, which isn't my preferred option as someone who has some severe food allergies, although what they had was fine. The spa was nice - gave amazing massages! The resort wasn't anywhere near as empty as KBR, with the number of divers varying between 6 and 12 on any given day, and more guests around the resort who weren't diving.
The diving itself was done at both Bunaken and on the Tasik Ria house reef just off the resort. The diving at Bunaken was about a 1.5 hour boat ride away, drift diving along walls with varying degrees of current. Usually not too strong, although one dive we got caught in a washing machine - I ended up with a nasty headache for about the next 18 hours. Going from 13m to 28m repeatedly in a very short period of time isn't healthy! That aside, the dive sites were nice and colourful. Lots of fish and turtles. Visibility ranged between 10-20m, although there was often a lot of crap in the water affecting photography. Such is life. Diving on the Tasik Ria house reef means macro on a sandy bottom. After having been in Lembeh for a week, it was hard not to make comparisons. They don't compare. There are critters on the house reef, but it's nothing like Lembeh, so try to take it for what it is.
Photos from Bunaken, June 2014
Overall, I had fun on this trip. It was nice to do both the muck diving and the wall diving for a contrast and for something a bit different. I think that if I return, I'll probably do a similar type schedule. Split the time down the middle so I don't get bored with it.
