Bunaken Vs Lembeh or both?

[pelan-pelan]

Some answers. If you want to take a fortnight and dive some in Bunaken and some in Lembeh, the best plan is to stay Manado-side and then go across and stay in Lembeh (or vice versa). From Manado you can go across the bay to Bunaken. It takes a while but you stay on the boat for lunch, surface interval and snorkelling and then dive again. Some operations then do another dive when you get back to Manado. You don't miss out on diving and you can sunbathe on deck or read/sleep in the cabin. Then from Manado it is only a short drive across the peninsula to Lembeh. If you start out early, you can be there for the morning dives. You're not flying so you've not got any worries about no-fly hours and you can just put your damp kit in the back of the van.

If you actually stay on Bunaken, then you have a much longer journey to get to where you are staying in Lembeh, involving a ferry as well as a drive. The same is true if you go to Bangka. So transfer time is something that needs to be checked out.

Both Lembeh and Manado involve only a short drive from/to the airport.

About the weather in November. It can be variable. My suggestion would be to choose where you are staying and then email them to ask which they think you should choose first. If you are staying Manado-side, if the weather is difficult then you could try some of the dives on that side eg Poh-Poh. I have a feeling that Lembeh can also be subject to wind and current. Another point - if the weather is that bad, then there are inland trips that you can take from Manado or Lembeh, so you won't be stuck for something to do.

 

[graypippa]

Hello
We have visited North Sulawesi twice and on both occasions stayed at these two great resorts. Both have very well run diving, the guides are excellent and have vast experience in both areas. Loved it so much going back next year. Living Colours gets booked up early as it is so popular, great atmosphere, good accommodation, yummy food very well run dive school. Cannot recommend them both more highly.
The most comfortable route is via Singapore with Singapore Airlines and then Silk Air to Manado. They are the only carrier on this route.
We booked this year with Air Asia from Stansted to Kuala Lumpur and then on to Manado but in January they axed flying the route! We then had to fly to Singapore stay over night before flying to Manado with Silk air the next day a more expensive option than flying all the way with Singapore Airlines!
I do believe it is possible to fly to Denpassa(Bali) then on to Makassa from there you can fly to Manado.

 

[AlanWald]

If you want to dive both Bunaken and Lembeh, whether your dive op is the same company at both places or not, things can be coordinated. e.g. Dive Bunaken first, most resorts usually have a boat going to the mainland every morning either for supplies or to pick up new divers and a van going to the airport and you can arrange to have the Lembeh based resort pick you up at the airport because they will be picking up new divers too and take you back to Lembeh and you still have time to do an afternoon and/or evening dive.