Nad lembeh

[samui13]

We are booked to go to Nad lembeh next april/may.

Does anyone have any experience of Nomad Adventure Divers lembeh. They are a relatively new set up out there.

In particular whats the accommodation/food like? and also the house reef?

They are located in a good spot in the strait on lembeh island opposite police pier

Any advice appreciated

cheers

lou

 

[AlanWald]

Have not been to the resort. Most dive spots are only a few minutes away. Bitung Town is on a few minutes away by boat so it is easy to shop on a daily basis for fresh food.

I met one of the owners who is a European woman.
She was pregnant at the time.

Before you leave you might want to ask them if there is anything small and special that they need from wherever your home country is.

I often bring small things that my dive hosts request like downloads off the internet of Camera Manuals (they have the Internet in that area but it is very slow compared to the rest of the world) or Memory chips for cameras or something special for the baby (different baby).

Do as many night dives as you can. Pantai Parigi is a very shallow site in a cove at Lembeh Island which is a good night dive site and is not far from your resort. We saw Hexabranchus sanguineus (Spanish Dancer) nudibranch on both dives. It was a measured eight inches long. Also saw a crab spawning. The "big" stuff comes out at night to hunt!!!!

Be sure to bring a small light for daytime use.


You will have a great time.

Do not forget the international airport departure tax (different for every airport). For Manado it was 75,000 rupiah (about US $8) payable in cash at a counter after check in and before going upstairs to the departure lounge. I am not sure what the domestic tax is (e.g. if you were flying back to Jakarta or Bali, instead of direct to Singapore).

If you have not booked your flight yet, I recommend avoiding if possible Jakarta.

Silk Air from Singapore is very good and a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, so if you fly to Singapore on Singapore Air your Silk Air will be cheaper than if you purchased it separately and you will have piece of mind in knowing that essentially only one airline is handling your luggage.

For example, if you fly LAX-Singapore (via Narita, Tokyo, I do recommend the one stop so you can get out of the plane for an hour and stretch your legs rather than much more expensive nonstop from LAX, everyone ends up on the same flight to Manado anyway, so the one way really doesn't save you much time) ) PLUS you will get the PC or PIECE CONCEPT system for luggage allowance (your ticket will indicate PC if it is Piece Concept and if Weight Concept it will say 20KG, or if business or first class it could be 30KG). So if you flew LAX-SIN-MDC you would get a carry on and two pieces of checked luggage (30 KG or 70 lbs each)

This is because you have an essentially continuous flight from North American (Area 1) (US/Canada) on the same ticket (or set of tickets). If you your had a stopover (other than the time needed to connect, it would break the continuous flight requirement) Otherwise you would get the standard international weight concept 20Kg. (about 44 pounds) allowance Total (for both bags).

From Silk Air web site Note: Customers traveling to and from Area 1 (USA, Canada) on the same ticket will have the piece concept applied at all points in the itinerary.

Also on a big plane like a 747, if you order a special meal you will be served first.

If you are bringing any US dollars cash be sure the banknotes are as crisp and new as possible. Visa on Arrival is available for most countries is payable in US cash US$25 and good for 30 days. Some neighboring countries get free visa.

 

[OnTheSpot]

NAD is nice and cosy. Not very fancy but has everything you need and is good value for money compared to some of the other places around in a similar price bracket.

The pregnant European referred to was Julia from Poland who is no longer there but it retains its friendly low key nature. Expect small groups and everyone eating together and getting to know each other.

Is indeed well located (as are all the resorts in Lembeh) and they are quite flexible in their programme so you can sit about at breakfast talking about where you want to go and they may well adjust the programme if enough people are keen.

if you havent dived in Lembeh before then you are in for a treat. It is mind-blowing even for the most jaded diver!

 

[Kevster]

I am just back from 1 week in Bunaken and 1 week at Lembeh.
I stayed at NAD and i must say i was very very happy there.
The resort is small,clean,close to dive sites,well run and very good value for money compared to KBR etc.
Already planning my return.

Lembeh was amazing!! shame i flooded my camera in the 1st day

 

[YCW]

We did five days of diving with NAD two months ago. It is a nice little place (quiet with around ten rooms or so). Rooms were basic and food was just OK. But during our visit they allowed us unlimited bottom time! That worked out great for most of us who enjoyed taking underwater photos.

During our stay we got around four divers to a guide ratio. Our guide Yopi was also a great spotter. He would just hover around and find all the little creatures for us. I have dived so much and so long on all my boat dives, and really ran out of time or energy to do any shore dive. My buddy however did one shore dive and according to him it was nothing special, especially comparing to what we have seen at other dive sites.

Check out some of my Lembeh photos here Flickr: Photos from CWYe

Have fun!

 

[gabyne]

I stayed with NAD in February, Julia was pregnant by then and a bit jealous on us because she couldn't dive... Bernard is a very nice and funny young guy from South Africa, they married a few weeks after I left and got their baby boy in August.

It's a very friendly atmosphere there, you're feeling like a family member. The resort is very small, built in a nice bay - you have seahorses right in front of the jetty. Jopy, the local dive guide is at least as good as the best KBR guides, he spots everything. Also Bernard is a very good spotter and they are all very motivated to show you everything. The diving is very individual and relaxed - and very long if you're not feeling too cold.

I'd definitely go back there.

Gaby

 

[samui13]

Thanks guys I am looking forward to it even more now.

We went to KBR a few years ago and did have a great time. Although we have since read reports that its gone downhill a bit. We are not expecting total luxury but will enjoy the more family atmosphere.

Thanks again.

Lou

 

[tuffatore]

Sandra and company were gorgeous during my trip in June when they were new then. Rooms and food is ok as reflective in the prices we paid. But hey, it's still worth compared to the 2-3x more expensive resorts on the other side of the mainland.

Going again this coming December. TT's telling you how much we enjoyed ourself there

 

[stonefish35]

apart from the seahorses at the jetty, how's the house reef at NAD ? heading there in about 1 mth's time

 

[AlanWald]

Do as many Night dives as you can at Lembeh. It's great fun. And so much to see, so many surprises.


Unlike Bunaken Island where the tides go way out, the tides don't go out much at Lembeh, so it is easy to make a night dive at any hour by boat or from shore.

At night You will see false fire urchins (they move very fast) with baby Bangaii cardinal fish Pterapogon kauderni hiding among the spines.


Lots of eels (look for stargazer eels who bury themselves in the sandy body exposing only their heads) , baby cuttlefish, crabs, big pleurobranchs (relatives of the nudibranch).

At night usually hiding under a rocky ledge you will see groups of 6 to ten ring pipefish Doryhamphus dactyliophorus

I like Pantai Parigi for night dives - Depth 3m - 28m
A gentle slope just off of Lembeh Island, seahorses, devil fish and robust pipe fish, in the shallows
Saw 8 inch long (measured) Spanish dancer nudibranch Hexabranchus sanguineus and a crab pumping out eggs.

I highly recommend the Reef Fish Identification - Tropical Pacific
by Gerald Allen , Roger Steene , Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach (List US$45, but you can get it with shipping new from Amazon etc., for about US$30) Many of the photos were taken in Lembeh