Looking for tips for North Sulawesi in December 2010

[walterheck]

Hello,

I'm flying to Manado in the afternoon of the 9th of December, and Flying out on the 19th early. That leaves me with diving from the 10th till the 17th, and I'm wondering where to go? I understand Bunaken and Lembeh strait are the best places. Which dive shops are considered good?

Also, I don't want to pay a lot for accomodation. Anything over cockroach-level is fine with me. The more I save on accomodation, the more I can spend on diving. Any tips/recommendations are more then welcome

 

[highdesert]

My Bunaken recommendation ...

Diving Bunaken Island, Manado, Sulawesi, Indonesia with Bunaken Divers Sea Breeze Dive Resort

You won't hear this name as often as others on the island, but after five days with them, it's still my choice for good accommodations and food at a reasonable price. Terry (Aussie) and wife Diana (Manado native) are hands-on owner-managers who are right on top of every detail. Boat crews and dive guides are great, and lots of fun.


For Lembeh ...

Divers Lodge Lembeh Scuba Diving Resort - Lembeh Strait Sulawesi Indonesia

All about the diving, and at a good price.

 

[dirtfarmer]

Walter, I just recently returned from diving 7 days in Bunaken and 8 days in Lembeh. Fantastic. Bunaken has very nice walls, coral gardens, and some ripping drift dives. Photo ops at Bunaken are both macro and wide angle. Lembeh was fantastic, the muck diving was incredible, checked off most the critters on my list, and was pleasantly surprised with the coral sites as well. Since the dives at Lembeh are on the shallow side we had nice long 75 minute dives.Bunaken dives averaged 60/65 min.Photo ops at Lembeh are mostly macro. The guides at both Bunaken/Lembeh were excellent. I stayed with Two Fish which is the cheapest place you'll find. It is "over cockroach level" the budget rooms are comfortable, the food is decent, and the resorts are well run.
With 7 days of diving you can do both places, ( dive 2 morning dives and transfer that day). But choosing one over the other would depend on how you like muck diving. ( I like it!!!)

 

[Mucksavage]

Lembeh wins for me. I went the first time for 1 week, went to Lembeh first and cut short my time in Bunaken to go back. There are Bunaken type islands around but nothing much like Lembeh.

Two Fish in Bunaken were good but I didn't like their place in Lembeh at that time - 2007. Lembeh is isolated and quiet, nowhere to go outside your resort. As a result I have budgeted higher for return trips and have stayed in The Lembeh Resort and Kasawari. Both are good but Lembeh Resort wins.

 

[Bent C]

Two Fish in Bunaken were good but I didn't like their place in Lembeh at that time - 2007. .

Two Fish in Lembeh is very good now. It has nice bungalows and also some budget rooms that are OK. It is very well run by Gizmo and Helen, which really cares about the diving. I have been there twice this year and will return next year. It is by far the best value diving/$ I have ever encountered. And the dive guides are a bunch of really nice people with ambitions to find what you wish to see. So if you are on an "above cockroach but no pay for extra frills" budget, Two Fish Lembeh will deliver.

/Bent C

 

[lumba-lumba]

I like Lembeh very much. Stayed with Bastianos Lembeh two months ago, not so expensive. Not a luxurious resort but it has clean rooms, AC and hot water which works well, WiFi, Swimming Pool, good dive operations, and the food is great!!

 

[fuggler]

Lumba, does the wifi work in the rooms?

 

[lumba-lumba]

Fugler, yes when we were there, we had wifi connection in the room, we had room number 7.