In the Bunaken / Lembeh area what makes the diving so good, is not just what is there and easy access, but the local dive guides who can find stuff that you will never find on your own (like pygmy seahorses, stone fish etc) . As a photographer having a guide will enhance your dive a lot. Ask the dive operation what their policy is on diver to guide ratio (many have low rations like three to four divers per guide, often one or two to one others have one guide for eight divers, which is really just "leading") and what there time limit on each dive (some say, whatever is safe and others will have a one hour limit, most all tanks in that region are Aluminum 80 with yoke, NOT DIN)
I am sure everyone who has been there will confirm the value of a good guide . One of my guides, Opo of Two Fish divers Lembeh Island operation has over 9,000 (nine thousand) logged dives in the region and has been living at Lembeh for the past two years after about 10 years on Bunaken. Maruff of Two Fish divers has been diving for 20 years at Bunaken.
If you look at the total cost you may find that staying at an expensive place that may have a good house reef for shore based muck diving (this would usually be the mainland just outside Manado, as the Bunaken Island and Siladen Island locations are all wall diving in front of the resort) versus a more inexpensive place in Lembeh/Bunaken Islands that takes you boat diving to the muck sites (the boats will come pick you up, no long swim backs), you may find that all boat diving is just fine and fits your budget.
Since you have never been outside of the US/Mexico and I suggest both Bunaken and Lembeh areas. It less than two hours bu road (plus boat ride) between to the two areas. There are several resorts that have locations in both places or can arrange transfers to another dive operation. My dive guide from Bunaken goes with me when I switch to Lembeh Island.
Its a long flight (door to door 36-50 hours from the US) so you should stay as long as you can, bring plenty of film or memory cards. Bring a small light for day time use. Do as many night dives in Lembeh as you can. Great fun. You will see new stuff on every single dive. From Pygmy seahorses to if you are very fortunate , a baby Whale shark (one was sighted off Bunaken Island earlier this year, very rare) Check the Singapore airline web site. I got a great fare back in March of $1123 from LAX to Manado roundtrip (Singapore Airlines to Singapore via Narita, Tokyo, then over night in Singapore, and Silk Air, a Singapore Airline short haul subsidiary, the next morning. )
AVOID flying via Jakarta if you can.
Also the non-stop leg from LAX to Singapore on Singapore Airlines is much more expensive than the one stop (Tokyo) plus you will appreciate getting out of the plane for an hour to stretch your legs in Tokyo. You leave Singapore at the same time for Manado no matter which flight you take from LAX. I prefer the one stop because it gives me more time on the ground at Singapore Airport at night to sleep. They do have small transit hotel rooms in the terminal upstairs that rent rooms in four hour blocks.
It's great fun, very nice people and I think the Manado area (not counting the flight cost) is one of the best overall values in diving anywhere when you look at all aspects (full range of accommodations, easy access via air and to the dive sites via very short boat rides (5 to 20 minutes) excellent guided diving for no additional cost, but do tip the dive guides and staff they often have a box so that tips can be shared with the whole staff.
