SDQ in Lembeh Strait, Indonesia

[shiri]

Hi,
Does anybody heard about this place?
Any recommendations? Or anything else to comment?

Thanks,

 

[Vie]

I stayed at SDQ Lembeh (there is another SDQ facility on Bunaken) for three days in August 2002 and have not been back since so I have no idea what the place is like now. Back then it was a quiet, comfortable, bare bone (five clean, unremarkable bungalows with cold water/limited electricity/basic food) operation. There was only one dive leader, Paulus Naumung—he was a good guide underwater and quite pleasant above it.

SDQ is located almost directly opposite the luxurious Kungkungan Bay Resort so occasionally we would look wistfully in that direction—anyway, the diving was great and the stay was cheap and pleasant so no complaints.

 

[Melee]

Hi,
Does anybody heard about this place?
Any recommendations? Or anything else to comment?

Thanks,

Hi,

Stayed there for about four days in late-May, early June of this year. Johan, Stefan, and Rudy are great divemasters, and the resort staff are wonderful. The food, was especially good. You will not be disappointed if you go!

Mel

 

[bearteacher.tw]

Hope we will enjoy the divings with SDQ! Some questions:

1. We are also interested in night dives with SDQ. Is the night dive sites near SDQ? What can I expect to? Is it worth?

2. Does SDQ also arrange tours to dive near Bangka Islands? Will we fell bored if we dive there 6 days totaly? I don't know if there are so many small things to see.

3. Besides, we will dive there on this late of November. Will the weather and diving conditions be ok at that time?

Thanks!!

 

[Valentino]

Hi,

I have dived with SDQ for 14 day's, both at Bunaken and Lembeh. All I can say is that if you are into diving and do not mind less luxury (what is luxury?), then SDQ is just the place. Less crowded, purely focussed on diving. I amnot sure which SDQ location you would like to go, Lembeh or Bunaken.

Answers to your questions:

1. Night dives can be given on a daily basis. All dive sites are within 5 to 10 minutes boat ride. The night dives are obviously different from day dives and life seems to be more abundant at night. I found the nightdives very worthwhile.

2. At this moment SDQ does not arrange tours to Bangka Islands. I've also been to Bangka with a liveaboard. You can either stay at a resort on Bangka or take a liveaboard. If you take a liveaboard then you are slightly more mobile and can enjoy a greater variety of dives. If however, you would like to focus on muck-diving at SDQ Lembeh (highly recommended - very personal offcourse!), then six day's would be excellent. I alway's did 2 dives a day, one morning + either one afternoon- or night dive. Obviously you will see the standard stuff every dive, but you will be amazed at how many extra things you notice every dive!

3. I can't tell, I've been diving North Sulawesi in April/May...

Hope I've been some help to you.

Regards,

Valentino

Hope we will enjoy the divings with SDQ! Some questions:

1. We are also interested in night dives with SDQ. Is the night dive sites near SDQ? What can I expect to? Is it worth?

2. Does SDQ also arrange tours to dive near Bangka Islands? Will we fell bored if we dive there 6 days totaly? I don't know if there are so many small things to see.

3. Besides, we will dive there on this late of November. Will the weather and diving conditions be ok at that time?

Thanks!!

 

[bearteacher.tw]

I amnot sure which SDQ location you would like to go, Lembeh or Bunaken.

Dear Valentino,

We will only stay in SDQ's lembeh resort and expect very much now.

Thanks for your sharing experiences.

Both of us are fan of muck-diving, so I think we will enjoy this holidays.

Plus a question: is the water in Lembeh very cold? Should I need a hood?

Thanks.

Bearteacher from Taiwan

 

[DontLieToMe]

I have been diving in Lembeh for the last two weeks with another operator and have observed divers from SDQ several times. If SDQ is a member of the Northern Sulawesi Watersport Association (NSWA) then they are not adhering to NSWA policy on glove-less diving. I observed many SDQ divers handling everything they could touch. One diver was even wearing work gloves.

 

[Indah]

For us (not NSWA member) wearing gloves is fine as long as you do not touch anything. They keep you warmer and for sure it is safer. By the way, fins are causing much more damage, specially when used by photographers. Most damage however is done by anchoring. This behaviour is only slowly changing now here in Lembeh Strait. We never saw SDQ using an anchor on a place where they should not do that. We hope that guests are willing to correct the behaviour of guides who are touching things or anchoring. And also the behaviour of other guests. It is not only the resposibility of the divecenter in our opinion.
Rob, Divers Lodge Lembeh.

 

[cjames]

We stayed at Lembeh Resort and loved it. Not sure how it compares in price, but the service, accomodations and diving would be hard to beat.

 

[pelan-pelan]

Plus a question: is the water in Lembeh very cold? Should I need a hood?

Don't know what you mean by very cold. It's colder than Manado side. 3 mm seems fine but a hood will add at least another degree or even two to the perceived water temperature. Muck diving is pelan pelan (slowly slowly) and not very deep and you may want to hang around for an hour or more. A hood will help keep you warm.

Tip - a fleece worn under a tropical skin helps keep you warm.