Lembeh and Bangka or Bunaken?

[sbeers]

Me and the wife are planning a trip to Manado, likely in October (the best month?) for diving Lembeh Strait (planning on Lembeh Resort, but open to others). We want to also get some reef diving in somewhere close, Bangka and Buanken are the closest candidates. We are both AOW, we love macro, hard and soft corals and creatures. Pelagics are a plus, but not high priority. We are not wreck fans at all, and can dive in some current, but have little drift or heavy current experience, though open to this. We have 2 weeks, no more, and are coming from northeast US. So given travel time (2 days each way?), we are looking for 5 days diving in Lembeh and 4- 5 days of reefs (are there any good reef dives in Lembeh? we could stay there the whole time). Is Bangka or Bunaken better for reefs? Any particular area? Do we have to fly through Singapore? Are there recommended travel agents we should book the flights with? This is our first trip to the Pacific. Thanks!

 

[decimal86]

Me and the wife are planning a trip to Manado, likely in October (the best month?) for diving Lembeh Strait (planning on Lembeh Resort, but open to others). We want to also get some reef diving in somewhere close, Bangka and Buanken are the closest candidates. We are both AOW, we love macro, hard and soft corals and creatures. Pelagics are a plus, but not high priority. We are not wreck fans at all, and can dive in some current, but have little drift or heavy current experience, though open to this. We have 2 weeks, no more, and are coming from northeast US. So given travel time (2 days each way?), we are looking for 5 days diving in Lembeh and 4- 5 days of reefs (are there any good reef dives in Lembeh? we could stay there the whole time). Is Bangka or Bunaken better for reefs? Any particular area? Do we have to fly through Singapore? Are there recommended travel agents we should book the flights with? This is our first trip to the Pacific.
Thanks!

if i may

let me start from bottom up, no you do not have to start from Singapore. if you can get yourselves to JKT, it would give you better air connections.

i have not been to Bangka..so no comment...i do my own air-travel bookings all the time.

but, BUT it seems you have more or less nailed your diving hols right on the head! Manado is the gateway to Bunaken and Lembeh, Bunaken is a 25 min boatride away and Lembeh is a 2 hours taxi ride away..

Manado is a photographer's dream. plenty of macro to shoot. Bunaken is all corals and drift dives.

and Lembeh, well, Lembeh is a dream..come true!! all the critters that you have seen in a mag featuring weird and wonderful marine life are found here in Lembeh.

you could stay in Manado and do a day-trip to Lembeh if you want? they will provide a car with a DM to show you around Lembeh but you would miss out on the highlight of Lembeh!!! night-dive!

my fav dive spot ever! no currents. no wrecks. just kodak moments. Lembeh resort eh? if you decide to stay at Lembeh, then dont forget to do a couple of night dives..NICE! enjoy yr trip...

 

[highdesert]

Here's a thought. Check this out ...

Wallacea Liveaboard Dive Cruises Sulawesi Manado Bunaken Rajah Ampat Komodo - Cruises schedules

If you scroll to the schedule of the Paisabatu II, you'll see that they're doing a series of 9-night trips around North Sulawesi next September/October. They'll start and finish diving in Lembeh, and in between you'll dive Bunaken, Poopoh, Pulisan, and Bangka. You'll cover pretty much all of the areas at the tip of N. Sulawesi. Four dives every day and great food on a boat that takes 10 divers max. Once you get aboard the boat in Bitung (Lembeh), you're all done shuttling around until you go back to the airport. Low stress, high relaxation factor, lots of good diving.

We've been aboard the boat before, and will be again next February in Raja Ampat. I can definitely recommend it, unless you personally favor resort amenities.

 

[sbeers]

Thanks for the LOB suggestion, I forgot to mention we both get seasick really bad, so they are out of the question. Even cruise ships get us down. I will search for Jakarta flights.

 

[Wisnu]

There's several reef dive sites in Lembeh, but can't compare with Bunaken and Bangka which mainly wall / drift divingI personally will allocate at least 6 days in lembeh and 4 days bangka. Since this your first, you may consider 2-3-5 for Bunaken, bangka and Lembeh.Transfer from/to Bunaken, bangka and Lembeh is relatively easy, typicaly consume 1 or 2 dives. October is busy time for most operator there

 

[jake11]

There's several reef dive sites in Lembeh, but can't compare with Bunaken and Bangka which mainly wall / drift divingI personally will allocate at least 6 days in lembeh and 4 days bangka. Since this your first, you may consider 2-3-5 for Bunaken, bangka and Lembeh.Transfer from/to Bunaken, bangka and Lembeh is relatively easy, typicaly consume 1 or 2 dives. October is busy time for most operator there

I agree with Wisnu! We have been to all 3 locations and it would be worth it to try them all. Also.. go see the Tarsier monkeys when you are there! Awesome excursion! Have fun!

 

[TSandM]

We did five days in Bunaken and five days in Lembeh. Bunaken was massive walls, covered in color, but there was always current and sometimes it was quite strong. I got caught in both up and down-currents, although none of them were bad enough to be really dangerous. My favorite part of the dives was the top of the reef, in ten or so feet of water, where there were gardens of crinoids and corals and lots and lots of reef fish.

But Lembeh was mind-blowing. So many weird and wonderful creatures, even if the environment in which they lived was not as "pretty" as Bunaken. Even the house reef at KBR was amazing, with schools of Banggai cardinalfish, as well as frogfish and scorpionfish and all kinds of other fascinating things.

If I went back, I think I'd spend more time in Lembeh, especially as a photographer and someone who can take current but prefers to leave it alone.

 

[instructorinasia]

It is easy to do day trips from Lembeh to Bangka. The reefs in bangka are less busy and are also in great condition - lots of soft corals and some current to make it fun without being scary!! Lembeh diving is extremely different so I would consider spending more time on that side. I would not really recommend a day trip from Manado to Lembeh - it is rushed and makes for a long and busy day!

 

[whalerock]

I would recommed Eco divers. They have a small resort in Lembeh and a dive centre in Manado. So one centre can arrange everything for you. I have been diving in Lembeh with Eco divers and loved it.

 

[sbeers]

Thanks everyone for this information. We have decided to take 2 extra days and stay at Mimpi Indah on Bangka for 6 nights and Lembeh Resort for 7. Our first trip to the Pacific (we are in upstate NY), can't wait.