Lembeh...meh...

[billt4sf]

If you come to Lembeh, you better be in love with your camera. Just diving "regular", you don't see much.

All those crazy critters you see -- 90% of them are small -- meaning, tiny. Like a few inches AT MOST. Most of the interesting things I have seen here are on on my computer screen. In Bali we were told "this is muck diving" but there is plenty of coral and color to see that can be seen unaided. In Lembeh, pretty much that is not the case.

Yes, it is true that these things exist no where else in the world. THAT is cool. (And WHY IS THAT, BTW?) But seriously, unless you're SERIOUSLY into photography, there's not much to see. Not zero, but not much.

YMMV.

- Bill

 

[WetPup]

I'm wondering how this can actually be news to anyone?

Did you honestly not realise this beforehand? It's not exactly a secret...lol

 

[billt4sf]

No, we didn't.

 

[Wingy]

Buy a magnifying glass Bill...I'm not a photographer, I rate Lembeh second to Milne Bay but with a magnifying glass you may have a little more fun. Never having had a camera until this year hadn't stopped me from making repeat trips to Lembeh over the years. If your assessment of Lembeh is that it's not to your liking forget Ambon. Cross it completely off your list.

Edited because my iPad spells like a 5 year old on redbull

 

[billt4sf]

What about Anilao? Is it as muck-macro as Lembeh?

 

[WetPup]

Yes. A little more colourful perhaps, but very much macro diving.

 

[Luko]

Buy a magnifying glass Bill...
...
If your assessment of Lembeh is that it's not to your liking forget Ambon. Cross it completely off your list.

1 is a great idea.
I don't totally agree with assumption 2, Ambon is also nice for coral on the south side and Lease islands.
I find the critters less supermacro than Lemben and Tulamben as well, they're in the viewable range in Ambon and there's the unique Psychedelic Frogfish.

Anyway I think you would have been better off staying in Bangka and doing a daytrip to Lembeh than the other way around.

What about Anilao? Is it as muck-macro as Lembeh?

Not so much : it's not mostly black sand like Lembeh, while it's true it's mostly macro oriented, there are more corals and also typical blue water fish school dives such as Beatrice or even Twin Rocks.
While it's sandy and flat, Anilao pier is for me the best night dive in the world, macro but so many things, it smokes any nightdive in Lembeh

 

[dirtfarmer]

Not much to see?
Oh gawd...you might have chosen better language like, I wasn't interested in watching all those cool macro critters.
There is loads to see and watch, it's just small to tiny.
How could you have not known Lembeh was mostly muck? It's all over this board.
It does have color too, just not amazing endless reefscapes.
I've dove with lots of non photographers in Lembeh and they were fascinated with all the cool creatures. Take your time watch a Flamboyant Cuttle fish hunting, fascinating to me. Or watch a Coconut Octopus wander around with whatever he is using as his or her home. Or watch a Ghost pipe fish hunting, it's really cool to see all the tiny creatures they hunt.
Anilao has muck and reefs but many divers focus on macro there also. And Ambon has coral dives but loads of photographers looking for critters also, so you might get stuck on some fantastic muck sites by your resort so I'd check with them about the balance they choose.

 

[Cali_diver]

Sorry you were disappointed... I have always been with people who were not photographers and luckily they always had a blast watching and finding all the critters of Lembeh.

 

[billt4sf]

Ahh...well..stupid me....nothing changes....but there is no nicer resort to watch the Giants do away with the Mets....and hopefully the Cubs...

- Bill & Emily