Manado, North Sulawesi

[AlMitch]

Just got back from Lembeh. 4 days with NAD. It was my first muck diving trip and I LOVED it!! If you are a photographer you'll be hooked. Its like one long treasure hunt. Where else can you see a hairy frogfish, coconut octopus carrying its own home around, flamboyant cuttlefish, ambon scorpionfish, pipefish...... all on one dive!! One day there will only give you a very tiny taste of it. There are so many spots in the straight.

BUT I suppose each to there own!

 

[TSandM]

When we were there, we did five days in Bunaken, and five in Lembeh. I enjoyed both, but were I to go back, I would spend my time in Lembeh.

Tips for Bunaken: Currents vary, but can be quite strong. Watch for up and downcurrents. Don't discount the shallows at the end of the dive -- for me, they were often the prettiest part, having an unbelievable profusion of fish and gorgeous corals and crinoids.

The walls have dramatic structure and are very colorful, but a lot of the interesting life is well camouflaged and often very small. It's worth staying close to the guide, because they will spot tiny things you will never see. Ours used reef sticks to stabilize themselves, and then we held onto the guides; when they first described this procedure, I thought it was for "lesser" divers, but in the current, it really is hard to be still enough to take a decent picture if you don't do it.

The dive boats hang out during surface interval, and locals with various goods to sell come on board. T-shirts in 2006 ran $5. I was very embarrassed to hear my fellow passengers BARGAINING that price down. I bought a T-shirt and a sarong and the quality of the silk-screening was very good.

I enjoyed Bunaken, but it got very repetitive. I found the scavenger hunt that is Lembeh to be much more fun.

 

[CajunDiva]

Hey AlMitch! Glad to hear you enjoyed the muck diving at Lembeh We also had a GRAND time. We stayed at Two Fish Divers for 10 nights and dove the area for 9 days...all I can say is WOW :banana: Following Lembeh, we transferred to Two Fish at Bunaken for another week. The currents were ripping, but we enjoyed some great diving there as well.

In the end, I would have to agree with TSandM...while I enjoyed the diving at Bunaken, Lembeh is the ultimate for me.

We just flew back into Houston last night and I still can't even figure out what day it is, but I'll get a trip report together ASAP. By the way, thanks for the great tips on Singapore...we had a grand time at Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Promenade. I really LOVED Singapore!

 

[AlMitch]

Hey CajunDiva
Glad I could help out, Singapore is a great city. Next time spend a few days here.
Looking forward to your report.
I have just organised all my photo's so I have no excuses left to writing up mine, I just need to do it!

 

[NCBabs]

Lembeh is great and they do have some walls but mostly muck diving, Bunaken has great walls

here is a 3 min video of Sulawesi i did

Video Gallery

 

[ScubaBB]

Great video

 

[Midget]

February I'll know if I can share your opinion.

Look forward to your report You will enjoy the friendliness of N. Sulawesi people.

If wildlife is your thing, Tangkoko Park is a great way to spend an afternoon off-gassing.

 

[ScubaBB]

I will offgas when I sleep :cool2: