Your favorite Lembeh dive op???

[mjh]

So we are looking to book for 08’. Details for us: 10-12 days in the water and want to dive, dive, dive; love the muck; avid amateur photogs, prefer smaller/custom ops; understand you get what you pay for; must have hot water.

So what is your favorite op? (Shore or Live-aboard)
What about a combo of shore/live-aboard?
If you have “been there done that”, what would you repeat or change?

Thanks, all input welcome

 

[TSandM]

We did five days at Kungkungen Bay Resort in September of last year and loved it. It's the only Lembeh resort we've seen, so I can't do any comparison, but there was nothing about the experience I would have wanted to change.

The resort is lovely, built extensively of native materials. Accomodations are in native-style houses of polished wood, with stone bathrooms. The houses look out across the bay (the view is beautiful) and most of them have air conditioning. Meals are taken in the large central building, which is built out over the water. Food was superb, and a mixture of Western and Indonesian food was offered. You could get food or drink any time by asking for it, although most of us were too busy diving to take advantage of that

Most of the dive sites are no more than ten or fifteen minutes from the resort, so they run small, fast six pack boats which don't have any amenities other than towels, and that's fine. The guides were wonderful . . . They knew the sites so well, they could take you directly to the haunts of certain kinds of creatures. Dives were a multi-level profile so benign that multiple dives per day were quite possible. There is unlimited diving on the house reef during the day (up until 5, if I recall) and the house reef is not to be sneezed at! We saw Banggai cardinalfish, frogfish, ribbon eels and much more on the house reef.

32% Nitrox is offered, and they have analyzers and you analyze your own tanks before each dive. The dive op stores and cares for the gear, and they do a pretty good job, although our BP/W setups confused them a bit at first. There is an entire separate BUILDING for cameras, with shelving and a plethora of electrical outlets, both 110 and 220. Wetsuits are rinsed in big troughs and hung under shelter to dry between dives, and there is a warm water shower at the dock.

I'd go back in a minute.

 

[AlanWald]

I see no advantage in being on a liveaboard for Lembeh.

Most dives sites are a few minutes away, which makes night diving easy and highly recommended (we saw a crab spawning one night). We dove every night. I like night diving in Lembeh better than day diving. Land based is more comfortable and more flexible in choice of dive sites.

Everyone dives the same places so it really comes down to how much you want to spend and how much comfort/food variety you want.

I dove with TwoFish Divers. http://twofishdivers.com/diving-lembeh.html They have a small place, very basic but they are building now so soon it should be upgraded a bit.

The resident guide Opo (they can bring in more guides when needed from the Bunaken operation) has been guiding since 1988 and has over 9,000 dives.

Most important is the diver to guide ratio. Two Fish policy is no more than four divers per guide. Often you get your own guide. Also ask about time limits. Two Fish has no time limit.

Lembeh has a gentle breeze most of the day. I found that a fan in the room (for the still periods at night sometimes) was adequate.

 

[Taxgeek]

Just got back from KBR.

Here are the way the big three (Lembeh Resort, KBR, and Kasawari) stacked up when I analyzed it: Kasawari is smaller, nicer and significantly (50% when I checked) more expensive, Lembeh Resort is smaller and has alot of stairs to climb (Depending on which room you get), and KBR is larger and no stairs. I didn't analyze SDQ, DLL, or some of the other operations.

Having come back from KBR though, which was really nice, I think the number one most important factor (after your basics, like AC and maybe nitrox and whatever) are met of course) is the dive guide ratio. Much more important than I expected. With too many guests per guide, you end up jostling around, waiting a long time, trying to take a picture of an animal after somebody already silted the area up, getting a fin in the face or (!) on the animal you're trying to take a picture of, etc. Just too many divers in too small of an area, since you need to be pretty much on top of the guide/animal to get a good look at it or photo of it. If you get your own dive guide, it is pure luxury. They can do so much to enhance your experience underwater, especially if you're an obsessive photographer like me. They learn over time what you like and don't like - mine quit showing me 80 different frogfish and scorpionfish after about the second dive once he realized I was a shrimp and seahorse person, not a frogfish/stonefish/devilfish etc person. He can do a better job showing you the creatures without scaring them, of coaxing them gently (they're all very adroit at doing this without bothering the creature) into a good pose, of assisting you with positioning your camera/strobes etc, allowing you to stabilize off of them and their pointer stick, helping you from time to time if you have floaty feet (ahem), alerting you if your strobes act up, telling you if you are forgetting to put your closeup lense on for a very small critter, the list just goes on and on.

KBR has a theoretical policy these days of no more than 4 to 1, with generally two dive guides to a boat. If you're not a photog, that may be fine. But for an obsessed amature photog, I realized that no more than 2 to 1 is acceptable, and even then only if the other person is not a photog or is a casual photog. KBR was very accomodating with the dive guide - over 4 days diving, I had only one unacceptable dive (1 other serious photog and 1 non-photog). The other dives were all 2 to 1 (with me plus a non-photog) and 1 to 1. That happened just by happenstance, logistics, the makeup of the groups who wanted to dive together, etc.

You can make arrangements for 2 to 1 or 1 to 1 for an extra fee at these places - if you are a serious photographer, I would spend the extra money ($80 per day at KBR for 3 dives) for a 1 to 1 ratio, rather than spending the money on a resort with cushier rooms.

May was a good season - resort not too full (KBR had between 8 and 12 guests the days I was there, out of a possible 36 or so), weather just right (hot and sunny, but not tooooo hot), critters out in force.

Also, the location of the resort might be important to you if you like short boat rides and less hurried surface intervals. KBR, Lembeh Resort and Kasawari are located pretty centrally. Divers Lodge Lembeh is way down on the southern tip of Lembeh Island, perhaps (I've never been there) requiring multi tank dives or long boat rides.

I would dive at KBR again, but if LR or Kasawari gave me a better guide ratio at a reasonable cost, I'd go there instead.

As Lynn said though, the diving and camera facilities at KBR were excellent. If you go, get the multi room cottages, and ask for the ones between the dining hall and the dive shop. Best location to minimize walking time.

To react to Alan's post, I'd say that I definitely needed the a/c at KBR. There was a breeze, but it was only nice if you were out on the dock, in the briefing huts, and on the balcony of the restaurant. Too hot in the room without a/c, even at night.

As far as time limits, KBR was enforcing a 60 minute dive limit. I was using up my air in that amount of time though, so it didn't bother me much. YMMV.

Hope that helps! Lembeh was great.
Taxgeek

 

[DontLieToMe]

I have stayed at KBR many times. They have pluses and minuses - like just about everything. Limits on dive times seem to vary. 60 minutes for many of us is way to short - most of the other resorts do not put on such a limit. The diver ratio at Lembeh resort is 3:1 - at KBR 4:1. At KBR I have seen them put 8 divers + guides in a single boat even when the resort is empty and they could have split the divers over multiple boats.

KBR has a good membrane Nitrox system that does consistent 32% fills. Lembeh Resort is a manual blending system - put in some air - then put in some oxygen - then some more air...

I like to be able to look up what I have seen after a dive. Kaswari and Lembeh and many other resorts have a good collection of books for this purpose. KBR has the worst set I have ever seen - torn, missing pages, and just a few copies - it is sad to see they are not willing to invest small change for such a valuable resource.

Bottom line - I like KBR but they are not trying as hard as they should given the competition in the Lembeh area. If you have access you might read a recent review of KBR in the Undercurrent dive report - it was probably the most negative review of an operation I have seen in a long time. I hope the owners of KBR read it and take some action - they have great guides, a great location, and unlimited opportunity.

 

[AlanWald]

For Fish ID, I recommend Reef Fish Identification - Tropical Pacific by Gerald Allen, Roger Steene , Paul Humann , Ned DeLoach. Some of the photos seem to be from Lembeh. It is very comprehensive.

I don't see the point of limited dive times in Lembeh. I can understand limitations in a non-resort situation when making three dives in Southern California at Catalina Island from a big day boat. The boat has to move to the next dive site. There are lots of divers to get on and off the boat. People have regular lives to get back to etc.

There is also some much to see in the shallows at the bottom at Lembeh (and in Bunaken on top of the reef, lots of big fish sometimes) that we often spend the last 20 minutes at 15 feet (5 m) right under or near the boat.

I have also seen some dive operations in Lembeh with a single boatman on the boat. It is much safer to have two crew members.

 

[Yellowtail Damselfish]

Just back from Lembeh Resort and I'd return in a heartbeat. The air-conditioned cottages are very spacious with open-air bathrooms and large verandahs, all with views overlooking the Strait. Yes, there are stairs: the cottages are built on the hillside and the stairs allow for both views and privacy. I heard no one complain about them.

We had one professional and two serious amateur photographers in the group and all seemed pleased with the photo facilities, which are very much as those described for KBR--also in a separate building. The rinse tanks, gear cubbies, and outdoor shower are also as described for KBR.

We were a group of seven (who had just come from 10 days on The Voyager in Rajah Ampat) and were asked if we wanted one boat or two. We opted for one and were assigned three dive guides. We had three guides whether or not all seven of us were diving. The guides, all critter spotters extraordinaire, got to know each of our quirks and catered to them. Although during the briefing we were told that dives were to be limited to 60 minutes, that quickly became a joke among us. It was rare that anyone was back on the boat before an hour and 15 minutes and an hour 30 was not unheard of. After a couple of days the briefing board just put a question mark in the space for dive time. No one was ever reprimanded for staying down too long.

Our professional photographer dove with two different set-ups and the dive operation (which, by the way, is owned separately from the resort) assigned him a dive sherpa--someone to carry his second camera for him. It was probably just coincidence that they had a dive master in training at the time we were there, but it's an indication of how very accommodating they can be.

Meals were buffet style (eggs, omelets, and pancakes made to order at breakfast) and always excellent. Lots of fruit and vegetables and enough variety to satisfy all diets without any special ordering.

Friends from The Voyager were staying at Divers Lodge Lembeh and we went to visit one afternoon. This is a much more rustic operation and is geared to serious photographers. There are far more stairs than at Lembeh Resort, no air con, basic Indonesian meals. The advantage for those who prefer it is that you set your own agenda: two tanks, three tanks, go where you want, stay as long as you want, guide to diver ratio of 2:1 or 1:1, and the price is considerably less than Lembeh Resort or KBR. Definitely not for everyone, but our Voyager friends wouldn't consider staying anywhere else.

I, on the other hand, wouldn't consider staying anywhere other than Lembeh Resort. From the care of the grounds to the comfort of the rooms and the warmth and enthusiasm of both house and dive staff, I found it top notch all the way.

 

[awall54308]

When I do go back, I want to spend the entire time at KBR. The critters were spectacular!!! I also went to Tasik Ria and loved it there, but the Lembeh Straight is unlike anything I have ever seen.

 

[mjh]

Thanks for all the great info. Diver to Guide ratio is really turning out to be a big issue. When you think about it a bunch of people trying to get the perfect shot of a frog fish would be a big issue. We don't mind stairs or such. The big issues are the above, if possible smaller op and still thinking of a week in Lembeh and maybe a week on a live aboard that covers the north or down south like Wakotobi (sp?).

More input would be great.

 

[TSandM]

I was just talking to my husband, and both of us remember that, although the dive times at KBR were supposed to be 60 minutes, we were never rushed out of the water. In fact, looking at my husband's dive log, he came up with 500 psi on every dive, and times varied from 54 to 73 minutes.

We had a 4:1 ratio, but there really wasn't a problem with being "mobbed" at any particular animal. People spread out and dove, and the guides watched us generally, and looked for things to point out. My husband says he only once had any problems with getting precisely the pictures he wanted, and that was at the giant clams, and I suspect that was because there simply wasn't much else to look at where they were.

As I said before, that's the only place I've been, but some of the issues being brought up just weren't problems for us.