Lembeh, Bangka and Bunaken Packages?

[roadstoadventure]

I'm currently researching the Bastianos or Murex dive safari packages on Lembeh, Bangka and Bunaken. For any of you have dove with either of these operators or at any of these locations, what are your thoughts on Bastianos' Coral Triangle Dive Safari package vs. Murex's Passport to Paradise package?

I know there are plenty of fantastic operators in the Sulawesi area but have down selected to these three based on 1) convenience working with a single operator and 2) ability to dive during transit between resorts.

 

[hedonist222]

I dived with Murex in 2019
Manado/Bunaken, then a boat ride to Bangka, then another boat ride to Lembeh

Was nice
Unsure of how they compare to Bastianos though
The accommodations at manado were old but they have a great house reef you can dive with a buddy but unguided (just you and another guest)
Bangka island had new bungalows
I stayed with Lembeh resort - which was outstanding as a resort but had way too many divers
Boats were packed

 

[Indah]

The transfers between the several places are very smooth now, since the toll road between Manado and Bitung harbor is finished. If you leave Bunaken at 08.00 in the morning, you can easily dive during the afternoon and night in Lembeh Strait the same day. Boat transfers are depending on the weather, for example the last 4 weeks, it would have been a very bumpy boat ride from Bangka to Lembeh.

 

[Searcaigh]

Last time I did the Passport to Paradise was in 2015 and would highly recommend it.

I stayed on Bangka in 2022 just as Indonesia opened post-Covid in April, having applied for a special visa etc., and Bangka had been designated as a quarantine island which allowed me and my buddy @outofofficebrb to enjoy super luxury on an uncrowded dive resort. The new bungalows are superb, and for two days we were the only people there. Food was excellent and I had the best gado gado ever.

We stayed at NAD for our Lembeh part of the trip last year, and besides two other people the place was empty. I was very happy with the resort, food was very good, but our dive guide was insistent in going to 30m for every dive and not IMHO as good as what I have experienced with Murex.

All of the Murex sites (Manado, Bangka and Lembeh) have house reefs great for night dives.

 

[roadstoadventure]

Last time I did the Passport to Paradise was in 2015 and would highly recommend it.

I stayed on Bangka in 2022 just as Indonesia opened post-Covid in April, having applied for a special visa etc., and Bangka had been designated as a quarantine island which allowed me and my buddy @outofofficebrb to enjoy super luxury on an uncrowded dive resort. The new bungalows are superb, and for two days we were the only people there. Food was excellent and I had the best gado gado ever.

We stayed at NAD for our Lembeh part of the trip last year, and besides two other people the place was empty. I was very happy with the resort, food was very good, but our dive guide was insistent in going to 30m for every dive and not IMHO as good as what I have experienced with Murex.

All of the Murex sites (Manado, Bangka and Lembeh) have house reefs great for night dives.

That's great to hear. We're booking Passport to Paradise, so we're looking forward to the house reefs (and all the other diving)!

 

[hedonist222]

That's great to hear. We're booking Passport to Paradise, so we're looking forward to the house reefs (and all the other diving)!

The Manado house reef had Halimeda Ghost Pipefish!

 

[CF L]

I dived with Murex in 2019
Manado/Bunaken, then a boat ride to Bangka, then another boat ride to Lembeh

Was nice
Unsure of how they compare to Bastianos though
The accommodations at manado were old but they have a great house reef you can dive with a buddy but unguided (just you and another guest)
Bangka island had new bungalows
I stayed with Lembeh resort - which was outstanding as a resort but had way too many divers
Boats were packed

I've just returned from my 2nd stay at Lembeh Resort. Even though the resort was full because of a large group from the US, they had their own boats. The rest of the dive boats never had more than 7 or 8 divers so I didn't find the boats packed. The diving was run very smoothly so I didn't find the number of divers a problem.