pelan-pelan
Contributor
Just got back. If you want personalised diving, fantastic views, spacious well-equipped cottages (lots of hot water) and food at top class level
www.lumbalumbadiving.com
We have been diving with Roel and Juud and their team for some years now and every time we have had a brilliant holiday. They have been operating in the area for over 10 years. Lumbalumba (means dolphin) is set in beautful gardens which have matured since the pictures on the web-site. The views are incredible. And outstanding good value for money. Lumbalumba will pick you up from the airport.
Expect no more than 12 on the boat, expect max 4 per dive guide if you are all 4 together in a group, otherwise diving 1 or 2 or 3 to a guide. Dives on Bunaken and also the muck and critter sites of Manado-side (pygmy seahorse, flamboyant cuttlefish and 2 hairy frogfishes all in one dive in last 2 days).
Whilst we were there they had groups from Europe - many of them were returners. Can't speak highly enough of the operation. Total relaxed experience. Gear is all labelled for you, put on the boat for you, all you have to do is walk down the drive from breakfast on the verandah to the boat. Guides listen to what kind of dive you want. They know their sites, coral, fish and critters. The boat is well organised and they are vigilant and safety conscious. Drift diving - no problem. Food on the boat - you choose from the menu the day before and your lunch is ready for you when you come up from your first dive. Always water, tea, coffee, fruit. Crew always ask what you would like. Roel and Juud speak perfect english and their dive crew all speak very good english, dutch, german - whatever you want!
It is also suitable for families (youngsters should be old enough to snorkel). The crew are great with the kids and the snorkelling is spell-binding.
On your last day off-gassing you could snorkel or alternatively as you are on the mainland, you could take a trip into the highlands - and they can organise that for you too. Or grab a massage in their new spa room.
Diving was good. Much has been posted here about Manado and Bunaken diving. Most of our dives were across on Bunaken. Some included the famous currents but we also had some very good dives with little current and time to see all the leaf fishes, scorpion fishes etc. Shoals of fish up and down the wall. Big silver batfishes (spadefishes), jacks, tuna, Napoleon wrasse, white tip sharks, nurse sharks, large turtles and huge array of reef fish. We saw comets on several dives. The critters at PohPoh and Circus Critter included Sea Moths, orang utan crabs etc. Then there were the dolphins playing in the bow waves (lie in the bow net with your face only a few feet from them), and pilot whales came round the boat about a week ago.
With only 2 or 3 divers per guide we all got the diving we wanted. There were a number of photographers and they were able to take their time, while other dive guides took their divers at a more continuous pace. The dive guides communicate well if groups "meet" underwater, indicating what they have found and where it is. Relaxed lunch intervals - no scrum for food, your meal is all set for you. Sunbathe on the roof or foredeck, play chess with the crew, sleep, snorkel, swim, read the fish books, chat, and the youngsters got complex "tattoos" (biro!) from dive-guide/artist Frankie.
Whilst we were there, there were some non-divers in the party and they either came out on the boat and snorkelled, sun-bathed, read books (the boat is spacious and stable) or they stayed in the resort relaxing, had a tour of the gardens or took a trip out.
The food was top class. Juud grows quite a lot of the fruit in the garden and dishes are all freshly prepared, including home-made ice cream. The atmosphere was very friendly and everyone chatted together. The setting on the verandah seems to encourage this and we all "settled in" quickly. And Revel knows how to serve cold beer - not just the chilled beer but also a chilled glass!
So - all we had to do was enjoy the diving - and being able to enjoy all the wonders of the sea owes a lot to the support from the dive team, the dining room team, the housekeeping team and a beautiful setting. No wonder they get so many return guests.
www.lumbalumbadiving.com
We have been diving with Roel and Juud and their team for some years now and every time we have had a brilliant holiday. They have been operating in the area for over 10 years. Lumbalumba (means dolphin) is set in beautful gardens which have matured since the pictures on the web-site. The views are incredible. And outstanding good value for money. Lumbalumba will pick you up from the airport.
Expect no more than 12 on the boat, expect max 4 per dive guide if you are all 4 together in a group, otherwise diving 1 or 2 or 3 to a guide. Dives on Bunaken and also the muck and critter sites of Manado-side (pygmy seahorse, flamboyant cuttlefish and 2 hairy frogfishes all in one dive in last 2 days).
Whilst we were there they had groups from Europe - many of them were returners. Can't speak highly enough of the operation. Total relaxed experience. Gear is all labelled for you, put on the boat for you, all you have to do is walk down the drive from breakfast on the verandah to the boat. Guides listen to what kind of dive you want. They know their sites, coral, fish and critters. The boat is well organised and they are vigilant and safety conscious. Drift diving - no problem. Food on the boat - you choose from the menu the day before and your lunch is ready for you when you come up from your first dive. Always water, tea, coffee, fruit. Crew always ask what you would like. Roel and Juud speak perfect english and their dive crew all speak very good english, dutch, german - whatever you want!
It is also suitable for families (youngsters should be old enough to snorkel). The crew are great with the kids and the snorkelling is spell-binding.
On your last day off-gassing you could snorkel or alternatively as you are on the mainland, you could take a trip into the highlands - and they can organise that for you too. Or grab a massage in their new spa room.
Diving was good. Much has been posted here about Manado and Bunaken diving. Most of our dives were across on Bunaken. Some included the famous currents but we also had some very good dives with little current and time to see all the leaf fishes, scorpion fishes etc. Shoals of fish up and down the wall. Big silver batfishes (spadefishes), jacks, tuna, Napoleon wrasse, white tip sharks, nurse sharks, large turtles and huge array of reef fish. We saw comets on several dives. The critters at PohPoh and Circus Critter included Sea Moths, orang utan crabs etc. Then there were the dolphins playing in the bow waves (lie in the bow net with your face only a few feet from them), and pilot whales came round the boat about a week ago.
With only 2 or 3 divers per guide we all got the diving we wanted. There were a number of photographers and they were able to take their time, while other dive guides took their divers at a more continuous pace. The dive guides communicate well if groups "meet" underwater, indicating what they have found and where it is. Relaxed lunch intervals - no scrum for food, your meal is all set for you. Sunbathe on the roof or foredeck, play chess with the crew, sleep, snorkel, swim, read the fish books, chat, and the youngsters got complex "tattoos" (biro!) from dive-guide/artist Frankie.
Whilst we were there, there were some non-divers in the party and they either came out on the boat and snorkelled, sun-bathed, read books (the boat is spacious and stable) or they stayed in the resort relaxing, had a tour of the gardens or took a trip out.
The food was top class. Juud grows quite a lot of the fruit in the garden and dishes are all freshly prepared, including home-made ice cream. The atmosphere was very friendly and everyone chatted together. The setting on the verandah seems to encourage this and we all "settled in" quickly. And Revel knows how to serve cold beer - not just the chilled beer but also a chilled glass!
So - all we had to do was enjoy the diving - and being able to enjoy all the wonders of the sea owes a lot to the support from the dive team, the dining room team, the housekeeping team and a beautiful setting. No wonder they get so many return guests.
