Sulawesi - 3 weeks

[CF L]

The Nomads website says their accommodation has cold shower, which for me would be a deal breaker.

I liked the food at Murex Bangka when I was there last year, food was simple but tasty, had many options, varied and plentiful; evening dinner was served buffet style because the resort was nearly full. Food at Lembeh Resort was more fancy, evening meal was table service and we had to place our order at lunchtime. Just different styles.

 

[boletus1973]

. May I ask what your issues with the food were? I am quite leaning on Murex now, but your comment raised an alarm (food does matter! )

If food is really very important the best food on bangka is at coraleye…

 

[boletus1973]

You can't go by me because I would stay at Bangka for 3 weeks.

I like all of the dive sites but Sahaung is my favorite and I could dive it backwards and forwards and up and down, without becoming bored of it.

Ahahah in 2015 i stayed in bangka one month with only one no dive day!
I totally agree on sahaung.. I can dive that site every F day!

 

[Jay_Remi]

If food is really very important the best food on bangka is at coraleye…

I would hope so, as they are quite expensive.

 

[rmorgan]

We visited Murex last May. The food service was cafeteria-style, a mix of Indonesian and western dishes. We don’t recall having any complaints.

 

[boletus1973]

I would hope so, as they are quite expensive.

I agree they are quite expensive.. especially for the new beautiful villas but the food was already at the top when they were on the cheap side… after 2015.. now they merged with siladen resort and everything become more on the luxury side.. almost out of our budget
We come back the next August for a few days.. the good old times we stay there a month had ended..

 

[pelan-pelan]

We were in Lumbalumba Resort (Manado-side) in March/April this year, then a few days in NAD.

Cannot recommend Lumbalumba highly enough. The dive guide to guest ration is 1 to 2 max. They can provide qualified instruction in their deep pool. They go across to the Bunaken sites ie walls, but also to the sand and muck sites on the Manado-side which are quickly accessible. They listen to requests. This is best of both worlds. The sand and muck sites have excellent variety, second only to Lembeh. Added benefit is the journey across to Bunaken which provides dolphin, pilot whales, melon-headed whales etc. Dive guides - many have been with them for over 10 years and are very knowledgeable and dive the way you ask them to. Full day on boat, lunch included, toilet on boat, tea, coffee, water etc. Up to three dives per day, also night dives. The dive gear is properly serviced and good quality.

Accommodation is in spacious clean cottages around orchid/botanical gardens with swimming pool. Everything works - eg air con, fan is quiet, hot water, safety deposit, fridge, water dispenser, kettle, your own patio with fan and hammock. Food is adapted to guests' needs, Indonesian/Dutch fusion, fresh ingredients, freshly cooked.

We then drove across the peninsular to NAD, picked up on their tender and taken across to Lembeh Island. Again good quality accommodation, good quality food. Dive guide ratio 1 to 2, toilet on boat, back in for lunch. Would think 4 full days would be appropriate. Everything is well-organised.

We are return guests to both of these dive resorts. We would return again. For both of these, the descriptions on the websites are accurate. Both are owner managed, and English is fully understood, arrangements were reliable and properly confirmed. And the staff in both places deserve the highest praise.

And apart from that - the diving is spectacular for reef fish, crevice and sand dwellers, although not if you require the huge pelagics. White tip and black tip reef sharks, eagle rays, etc do frequent the reefs. But be realistic, if it has been raining, the vis reduces.

 

[amgscuba]

Siladen was fabulous - was there in Feb 2025. 8 nights felt like not enough - the Superbowl took my first morning and got me through jet lag - Go Birds. If you like walls, you will really really love. Cray colors and massive fish schools with easy drifts. The resort is relaxing, beautiful, chill, great food, wonderful people, terrific dive staff. Also spent 6 nights @ Coral Eye. Enjoyed Batu Gosoh dive site. Overall better experience - diving included - for me was at Siladen.

 

[Jay_Remi]

We were in Lumbalumba Resort (Manado-side) in March/April this year, then a few days in NAD.

Cannot recommend Lumbalumba highly enough. The dive guide to guest ration is 1 to 2 max. They can provide qualified instruction in their deep pool. They go across to the Bunaken sites ie walls, but also to the sand and muck sites on the Manado-side which are quickly accessible. They listen to requests. This is best of both worlds. The sand and muck sites have excellent variety, second only to Lembeh. Added benefit is the journey across to Bunaken which provides dolphin, pilot whales, melon-headed whales etc. Dive guides - many have been with them for over 10 years and are very knowledgeable and dive the way you ask them to. Full day on boat, lunch included, toilet on boat, tea, coffee, water etc. Up to three dives per day, also night dives. The dive gear is properly serviced and good quality.

Accommodation is in spacious clean cottages around orchid/botanical gardens with swimming pool. Everything works - eg air con, fan is quiet, hot water, safety deposit, fridge, water dispenser, kettle, your own patio with fan and hammock. Food is adapted to guests' needs, Indonesian/Dutch fusion, fresh ingredients, freshly cooked.

We then drove across the peninsular to NAD, picked up on their tender and taken across to Lembeh Island. Again good quality accommodation, good quality food. Dive guide ratio 1 to 2, toilet on boat, back in for lunch. Would think 4 full days would be appropriate. Everything is well-organised.

We are return guests to both of these dive resorts. We would return again. For both of these, the descriptions on the websites are accurate. Both are owner managed, and English is fully understood, arrangements were reliable and properly confirmed. And the staff in both places deserve the highest praise.

And apart from that - the diving is spectacular for reef fish, crevice and sand dwellers, although not if you require the huge pelagics. White tip and black tip reef sharks, eagle rays, etc do frequent the reefs. But be realistic, if it has been raining, the vis reduces.

Thank you, will definitely keep that resort in mind should we have some time available for diving in that area.