Wisnu
Contributor
A six nights trip to Bangka island including one day trip to Lembeh.
Unlike our previous trips, kids were busy with their own; so for this time only both of us.
We stayed at Nomad Diver Bangka, a new small budget resort owned and managed by young British couple; Sophie and Simon. We came before the resort officially opened on 1st April. Being new to Indonesian diving operation, not a perfect operation but they listened our suggestion and were trying their best to accommodate our request. Theres lot of improvement on very short days.
Currently they have 4 bungalows, typical Minahasan wooden house with large bath room; cold shower (could be hot after your second dive) and western toilet. They use electric gen set to power the resort for 2 hours in the morning and from 16:00 22:00. So make sure you bring enough battery and charger for your cameras. The resort is located on the small lagoon with private white sand beach backing onto mangrove forest; with lovely hammock for relax after diving or reading a book, get sweat with flying discs or enjoy board games. Quite happy as an Indonesian to beat a British guy in scrabble game. Im pretty sure it was not intended to make me happy.
During low tide, you have to walk 50 80 m to the boat. So, before arrive to the resort check with them so can prepare your booties in case of low tide.
Nomad by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
Diving,
Our favourite dive sites is Sahaung 5 minutes boat from the resort, Batu Gosoh and house reef next to Murex resort - a coral boomie with zillion of glassfishes and a resident bearded scorpion fish.
Glassfish3 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
We dove sahaung and Batu gosoh twice. Sahaung consists of a series of underwater pinnacles, few of them break into the surface; continuously sloping bottom with several shelves and abundance soft corals of red, orange, purple and green. Practically not much current when we dived there, easy diving, meant no big fish, no sharks.
Batu gosoh also consist of several pinnacles plus nice mini walls drop to 40m.
Bangka Seascape 6 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
Batu gosoh2 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
Bangka Seascape 4 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
Frogfish and diver by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
We did a night diving as well, at the house reef near mimpi Indah resort. To our disappointment, almost nothing, very quiet, the only highlight is a huge lobster - probably 2 - 3 kg.
Although we can see Lembeh island from the resort; still took 1.5 hours to reach Nudi retreat when did the day trip to Lembeh. We stopped at Black Sand Dive resort for outstanding 3 course lunch very tasty and delicious food. Think to stay there on our next trip to Lembeh. Our dive guide is not a bad guide but for Lembeh we need more than just a good dive guide. We need an eagle eyes critter's hunter unfortunately he is not in this category.
Forgfish Lembeh by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
And here for more pictures
Bangka 2013 - a set on Flickr
Unlike our previous trips, kids were busy with their own; so for this time only both of us.
We stayed at Nomad Diver Bangka, a new small budget resort owned and managed by young British couple; Sophie and Simon. We came before the resort officially opened on 1st April. Being new to Indonesian diving operation, not a perfect operation but they listened our suggestion and were trying their best to accommodate our request. Theres lot of improvement on very short days.
Currently they have 4 bungalows, typical Minahasan wooden house with large bath room; cold shower (could be hot after your second dive) and western toilet. They use electric gen set to power the resort for 2 hours in the morning and from 16:00 22:00. So make sure you bring enough battery and charger for your cameras. The resort is located on the small lagoon with private white sand beach backing onto mangrove forest; with lovely hammock for relax after diving or reading a book, get sweat with flying discs or enjoy board games. Quite happy as an Indonesian to beat a British guy in scrabble game. Im pretty sure it was not intended to make me happy.
During low tide, you have to walk 50 80 m to the boat. So, before arrive to the resort check with them so can prepare your booties in case of low tide.
Nomad by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
Diving,
Our favourite dive sites is Sahaung 5 minutes boat from the resort, Batu Gosoh and house reef next to Murex resort - a coral boomie with zillion of glassfishes and a resident bearded scorpion fish.
Glassfish3 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
We dove sahaung and Batu gosoh twice. Sahaung consists of a series of underwater pinnacles, few of them break into the surface; continuously sloping bottom with several shelves and abundance soft corals of red, orange, purple and green. Practically not much current when we dived there, easy diving, meant no big fish, no sharks.
Batu gosoh also consist of several pinnacles plus nice mini walls drop to 40m.
Bangka Seascape 6 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
Batu gosoh2 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
Bangka Seascape 4 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
Frogfish and diver by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
We did a night diving as well, at the house reef near mimpi Indah resort. To our disappointment, almost nothing, very quiet, the only highlight is a huge lobster - probably 2 - 3 kg.
Although we can see Lembeh island from the resort; still took 1.5 hours to reach Nudi retreat when did the day trip to Lembeh. We stopped at Black Sand Dive resort for outstanding 3 course lunch very tasty and delicious food. Think to stay there on our next trip to Lembeh. Our dive guide is not a bad guide but for Lembeh we need more than just a good dive guide. We need an eagle eyes critter's hunter unfortunately he is not in this category.
Forgfish Lembeh by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr
And here for more pictures
Bangka 2013 - a set on Flickr
