North sulawesi - early December

[Dan]

I'm most probably bringing all my dive gear sans weights/tanks.

What does "sans" mean? A typo for "and"? The resorts there will provide the weights and tanks.

I doubt I'll bring my canon 5d mkii dslr, because I'd prefer to bring my dji mavic drone and travel as light as possible.

Bringing weights and tanks contradict to travel as light as possible.

I've been to Bunaken, Bangka & Lembeh in one trip. Also I've been diving in Fujairah & Musandam. Bunaken, Bangka & Lembeh are different enough, especially from UAE diving that you would certainly enjoy the new diving experience there. Lembeh Resort is also a nice resort to stay.

 

[chillyinCanada]

"Sans" means "without"

So all of his gear except tanks and weights

 

[hedonist222]

What does "sans" mean? A typo for "and"? The resorts there will provide the weights and tanks.



Bringing weights and tanks contradict to travel as light as possible.

I've been to Bunaken, Bangka & Lembeh in one trip. They are different enough, especially from UAE diving that you would certainly enjoy the new diving experience there. Lembeh Resort is also a nice resort to stay.

Sorry. Sans means except.
I'm definitely not bringing tanks and weights

How is bunaken compared to bangka?

 

[Dan]

Sorry. Sans means except.
I'm definitely not bringing tanks and weights

How is bunaken compared to bangka?

Ah, I have never seen such word. Now it makes a lot of sense.My bad. LOL.

Bunaken has nice wall. Bangka is more like Lembeh in terms of critters (muck diving) plus some corals, less featureless black sand of Lembeh and plus these guys:

The yellow variation of Bargibanti Pygmy seahorse that I haven’t seen anywhere else, but in Bangka.

Elsewhere in Indonesia, typical Bargibanti looks like this (although it’s not as fat / pregnant (?) as this one, which seemed about ready to give birth)

 

[Searcaigh]

We may have been on the same boat if you dive with divers down

Haven't dived with DD for ages, probably since Paul left. I mostly dive out of Fujairah Marina with Barracuda

 

[Luko]

How is bunaken compared to bangka?

Bunaken is mostly walls an a tad boring, I don't find Bunaken very rich in terms of coral, sometimes even barren.

While Bangka is quite varied with many bottom types from small walls with much more corals (Batu Mandi which is literally covered with like a vertical garden) or crevices (Batu Gosoh) than Bunaken, pinnacles (the wonderful Sahaung) Canyons (Batu Pendeta) or slopes covered with corals (Demak, Busa Bora, Tanjung Usi, etc.) where you'll fnd lots of giant froggies, Pontohi and severnsi pygmy seahoress (a diffent variety than the bumpy pink ones that you see everywhere like bargibanti or Denise) and then you also have rubble type of macro on the mainland side and a few black sand (Paradise) or white sand (Peter Sponge) macro sites Now if you say muck/black sand diving is not your kind of thing, then you might be slightly bored with Lembeh, even though there are some coral dives, it's clearly not the majority and the boats will take you where the other people want to go : ie. on the muckyest sites.

As the others I 'm not a fan of Bunaken, though some coral sites southwest of Manado maybe worthwhile like Popoh or Bethlehem, decent coral and I remember our boat was circled by a family of dugong while taking our lunch however no way snorkeling with hem they would just flee when you get onto the water. If you stay a few days in Murex Mando ask them one day for those sites too because Bunaken is just worth one day IMO.

That's how I see Bunaken, a bit barren, a bit boring :

That's the kind of scenery in Popoh southwest of Manado :

But Manado is also good with black sand/muck

Bangka is much more spectacular here in Sahaung

Here's a usual find in Sahaung

Here is Batu Pendeta very seldom dived because of currents :

That's Demak very close to Murex, 3 minutes by boat, turn right handside of the resort.

That's on the same bommie where you'll find lots of them, pontohi seahorse :

And a few meters away :

On the other side of Bangka strait, mainland rubble/black sand sites :

But also on the mainland side , a very nice small wall at Batu Mandi, very worthwhile diving and extra colorful just take care where you put your hands.

I won't show you Lembeh because every body has pics of Lembeh.

Meanwhile you can still browse my gallery if you wan to see what's Bangka like, taken into 6 stays, most at Murex Bangka exceptionnally at Gangga island resort.
UW Bangka 2009/15 - N/Sulawesi
.

 

[hedonist222]

Haven't dived with DD for ages, probably since Paul left. I mostly dive out of Fujairah Marina with Barracuda

Will PM you.

Ah, I have never seen such word. Now it makes a lot of sense.My bad. LOL.

Bunaken has nice wall. Bangka is more like Lembeh in terms of critters (muck diving) plus some corals, less featureless black sand of Lembeh and plus these guys:


The yellow variation of Bargibanti Pygmy seahorse that I haven’t seen anywhere else, but in Bangka.

Elsewhere in Indonesia, typical Bargibanti looks like this (although it’s not as fat / pregnant (?) as this one, which seemed about ready to give birth)

Bunaken is mostly walls an a tad boring, I don't find Bunaken very rich in terms of coral, sometimes even barren.

While Bangka is quite varied with many bottom types from small walls with much more corals (Batu Mandi which is literally covered with like a vertical garden) or crevices (Batu Gosoh) than Bunaken, pinnacles (the wonderful Sahaung) Canyons (Batu Pendeta) or slopes covered with corals (Demak, Busa Bora, Tanjung Usi, etc.) where you'll fnd lots of giant froggies, Pontohi and severnsi pygmy seahoress (a diffent variety than the bumpy pink ones that you see everywhere like bargibanti or Denise) and then you also have rubble type of macro on the mainland side and a few black sand (Paradise) or white sand (Peter Sponge) macro sites Now if you say muck/black sand diving is not your kind of thing, then you might be slightly bored with Lembeh, even though there are some coral dives, it's clearly not the majority and the boats will take you where the other people want to go : ie. on the muckyest sites.

As the others I 'm not a fan of Bunaken, though some coral sites southwest of Manado maybe worthwhile like Popoh or Bethlehem, decent coral and I remember our boat was circled by a family of dugong while taking our lunch however no way snorkeling with hem they would just flee when you get onto the water. If you stay a few days in Murex Mando ask them one day for those sites too because Bunaken is just worth one day IMO.


But also on the mainland side , a very nice small wall at Batu Mandi, very worthwhile diving and extra colorful just take care where you put your hands.
View attachment 547087

I won't show you Lembeh because every body has pics of Lembeh.

Meanwhile you can still browse my gallery if you wan to see what's Bangka like, taken into 6 stays, most at Murex Bangka exceptionnally at Gangga island resort.
UW Bangka 2009/15 - N/Sulawesi
.

Dan, Luko,

Thanks, gents. Your photos are outstanding. Thanks for sharing.

Other than your feedback on this thread and other threads, I notice a lot of people preferring Bangka over Bunaken.
I am now considering changing my itinerary with Murex to directly heading to Bangka, then Lembeh.

 

[Wisnu]

I can understand if some people (specially UW photographer or regular visitor to Raja 4 and Komodo) do not favour Bunaken.
In my humble opinion (probabaly my expectation is not high), the Bunaken walls is not bad at all, actualy more spectacular and more color than typical walls in Red Sea. Indeed, the fish density is not as high as Raja 4. My fav scene is the big school of Red tooth trigger fish and butterfly fish during the morning dive. Look down for the glimps of reef sharks on deep.
I also do enjoy lazy drift diving and spending exptended safety stop at the wall edge.
So, If you never dive Bunaken and have a chance, why not, even if turtle does not realy attract you.

 

[hedonist222]

I can understand if some people (specially UW photographer or regular visitor to Raja 4 and Komodo) do not favour Bunaken.
In my humble opinion (probabaly my expectation is not high), the Bunaken walls is not bad at all, actualy more spectacular and more color than typical walls in Red Sea. Indeed, the fish density is not as high as Raja 4. My fav scene is the big school of Red tooth trigger fish and butterfly fish during the morning dive. Look down for the glimps of reef sharks on deep.
I also do enjoy lazy drift diving and spending exptended safety stop at the wall edge.
So, If you never dive Bunaken and have a chance, why not, even if turtle does not realy attract you.

Thank you for your feedback.
Makes sense.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I can understand if some people (specially UW photographer or regular visitor to Raja 4 and Komodo) do not favour Bunaken.
In my humble opinion (probabaly my expectation is not high), the Bunaken walls is not bad at all, actualy more spectacular and more color than typical walls in Red Sea. Indeed, the fish density is not as high as Raja 4. My fav scene is the big school of Red tooth trigger fish and butterfly fish during the morning dive. Look down for the glimps of reef sharks on deep.
I also do enjoy lazy drift diving and spending exptended safety stop at the wall edge.
So, If you never dive Bunaken and have a chance, why not, even if turtle does not realy attract you.

Because . . .Bangka!

OP only has 9 days.