Diving in Lembeh Straits?

[Liang]

Hi everyone,

Any advise on how to dive in Lembeh Straits?? I have enquired on the rates to dive and stay in Kungkungan Bay Resort. I was shock when I got to know how much they are charging, it is definitely only for the rich and famous and not for a UW photography enthusiasts like me who is still waiting for my pay slip at the end of each month.

Regards
Yew Liang

 

[Reefwalker]

Dear Liang
Try diving with "Murex Dive Resort and Liveaboard" they do day trips from their resort in Manado to lembeh Strait. I have visited twice and travelled over the peninsula by car to Bitung (the city/harbour in Lembeh Strait) then got on a boat to visit the very same dive sites that Kunkungan Resort visit. They provide a dive guide who lives in the area and is just as good at finding critters for photography. An added bonus is diving at Murex Resort either at Bunaken Island area or out the front of the resort which is avery easy shore (or night) dive and with plenty of critters. We have seen 75% of what is at Lembeh in front of our room at Murex and in much better visibility. See their website at www.murexdive.com or e-mail info@murexdive.com
Regards
Jeff

 

[Tony]

Liang,

Email me separately if u want to go to manado/ lembeh area. Can put you in touch w/ almost all the operators there.

Cheers

Tony
www.silent-symphony.com

 

[Liang]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the advise and reply.

Liang

 

[Erwin Kodiat]

Hi Liang, how are you?
On my last trip to North Sulawesi, I used Eco-divers, hence stay at Tasik Ria Resort which is situated western to Manado. The trip to Lembeh take me to Bitung first by riding a bus for 2.5 hours then followed by a wooden boat riding for 10 minutes to the dive site.
If you are not a photographer, I will suggest you only to dive Bunaken for 1 day, so you do not have to stay there. You can stay at any resort within Manado area (Eco-divers or Murex). Then you still can dive Bunaken and surrounding.
Read our complete Bunaken 2003 trip report

 

[Noodlefish]

We were staying at the Santika Hotel, diving with the Thalassa Dive Centre. We were only there for ten days, and didn't manage to get over to the Straits - although we did dive the the Northern Islands (including Bangka - where we saw some pigmy seahorses).

Thalassa offered an overland service to Lembeh - which sounds similar to Tasik Ria's service, as well as a boat service if the weather/currents were good. There was a small extra charge for diving in the Northern Islands and Lembeh, but not enough to put you off... we also bumped into a few divers who'd been on a liverboard out there - but I have no idea about the cost.

I can thoroughly recommend Santika. The staff were excellent and the facilities were great. The boats and guides were superb. I've just been to the Thalassa website (http://www.thalassa.net/) and they appear to have some good low season diving deals...

I hope you get to the Straits (and get the pictures you want!).

 

[UWTimes]

Keep in mind that the Bunaken resorts are quite some distance from the Lembeh diving sites.

There is a new (and more reasonably priced) Lembeh resort that I've yet to hear any reports about... http://www.lembehresort.com The place is built right across the strait from KBR.

Has anyone been there?

 

[Zept]

I have been to Lembeh Resort. Small and friendly, very nice rooms. Many of the staff previously worked at KBR. My buddy and I were the only divers present for an entire week, so we had the whole dive team (five guys) running round after us. I've never had such great service! Saw all sorts of cool things... pretty much everything you might wish to see in the Lembeh Strait.

Lembeh Resort is a bit cheaper than KBR but still pretty pricey relative to other diving destinations in SE Asia.


Zept