Trip Report: Manado/Banka/Lembeh Indonesia

[albatross]

Awwww.... Thanks for your comments! You're too kind! Let me try to answer your questions. We did not go to the Kungkungan Bay Resort(KBR) on this trip, however, we motored past it several times. It appears that KBR has finished their new pool and I have also heard they have added air-conditioning in several, if not all, of their rooms. We stayed there last year, but I understand that they have changed their dive operation since then. I am sure there are more recent reports available, but if you want to read some year old news, you can find it here: Last years trip report KBR & Santika titled..."YOU ARE GOING HALF WAY AROUND THE WORLD TO SEE AN OCTOPUS?"

As for the second part of your question... for me, it's kind of an apples and oranges kind of thing. The first thing that comes to mind with muck diving is.. well.... down and dirty. Often low visibility, black sand, silty, etc., but with absolutely amazing critter life. Also... terribly long travel times. For me, the Caribbean brings up images of great visibility, brilliant corals, colorful sponges, pelagics etc. and much shorter travel times. Completely different diving. But to answer your question... I love the muck diving!

Thanks again!

Gulp, wow! What a report. Think I'm going to throw my Reefmaster camera away Did you vist the Kungkunghan Bay Resort? How do you like muck diving, as compared to diving in the Caribe? Great, detailed report. Thanks

(Edit - LOL Reuban must have been typing at the same time - Sorry. Thanks Reuban!)

 

[pilot fish]

Awwww.... Thanks for your comments! You're too kind! Let me try to answer your questions. We did not go to the Kungkungan Bay Resort(KBR) on this trip, however, we motored past it several times. It appears that KBR has finished their new pool and I have also heard they have added air-conditioning in several, if not all, of their rooms. We stayed there last year, but I understand that they have changed their dive operation since then. I am sure there are more recent reports available, but if you want to read some year old news, you can find it here: Last years trip report KBR & Santika titled..."YOU ARE GOING HALF WAY AROUND THE WORLD TO SEE AN OCTOPUS?"

As for the second part of your question... for me, it's kind of an apples and oranges kind of thing. The first thing that comes to mind with muck diving is.. well.... down and dirty. Often low visibility, black sand, silty, etc., but with absolutely amazing critter life. Also... terribly long travel times. For me, the Caribbean brings up images of great visibility, brilliant corals, colorful sponges, pelagics etc. and much shorter travel times. Completely different diving. But to answer your question... I love the muck diving!

Thanks again!



(Edit - LOL Reuban must have been typing at the same time - Sorry. Thanks Reuban!)

Read your great, detailed trip report on KBR. It looks like a place I like to go. your pictures are the best I[ve seen. Your descriptions are very colorful and informative. Thank you again. Travel from NY sounds like it would be daunting?

 

[reubencahn]

We stayed there last year, but I understand that they have changed their dive operation since then.
Thanks again!

Albatross,

Have you heard anything--good or bad--about the new dive operation? I'm trying to decide whether to book with KBR or Lembeh Resort and just can't make up my mind.

 

[birdchua]

Very detail :yelclap: and very nice photo :thumbs_up . Would you mind disclosing the cost of the trip?

 

[albatross]

Very detail :yelclap: and very nice photo :thumbs_up . Would you mind disclosing the cost of the trip?

Nope, not at all. The Murex Resort Manado was $35 USD per night/per person. This included your lodging, 3 meals a day, and airport transportation. The diving was additional. Most people boat dive there, but I don't know the costs. The Live-Aboard portion of the trip was arranged by one individual. He charted the boat and we each paid a portion of it. This included the live-aboard (diving, meals, etc) and one night at the Kimo Baju Resort at the end of the trip. The cost on that portion was $1470 USD and in my opinion very under-priced. The Gateway Hotel in Singapore was about $35 USD per night and the Transit Hotel was about $45 USD. We had planned on using our frequent flier miles but since the airline canceled their service to Manado, we purchased Singapore Airlines tickets at a cost of around $1000 USD per person.

So... to make a long answer longer....
Roundtrip tickets Los Angeles to Manado
Transit hotel Singapore
Airport transfer
3 days of hotel, food, and shore diving
9 night live-aboard with 9 days of diving
2 nights Kimo Baju Resort
Airport transfer
Gateway Hotel Singapore

~$5300 for two or $2650 per person

It would have been really cheap if the frequent flier miles would have worked! LOL Still... quite a bargain in my opinion! I hope that helps!

(Doesn't include tips, taxi rides, etc)

 

[albatross]

Have you heard anything--good or bad--about the new dive operation? I'm trying to decide whether to book with KBR or Lembeh Resort and just can't make up my mind.

Reuben,
I have only heard good things about the Lembeh Resort and KBR, but nothing specific about KBR's new dive operation. I have been told that the Lembeh Resort is a bit less expensive than KBR, but that could have changed too. Sorry, I don't have more information!

 

[reubencahn]

Reuben,
I have only heard good things about the Lembeh Resort and KBR, but nothing specific about KBR's new dive operation. I have been told that the Lembeh Resort is a bit less expensive than KBR, but that could have changed too. Sorry, I don't have more information!

Thanks anways. And thanks for the great reports and pictures.

 

[birdchua]

Nope, not at all. The Murex Resort Manado was $35 USD per night/per person. This included your lodging, 3 meals a day, and airport transportation. The diving was additional. Most people boat dive there, but I don't know the costs. The Live-Aboard portion of the trip was arranged by one individual. He charted the boat and we each paid a portion of it. This included the live-aboard (diving, meals, etc) and one night at the Kimo Baju Resort at the end of the trip. The cost on that portion was $1470 USD and in my opinion very under-priced. The Gateway Hotel in Singapore was about $35 USD per night and the Transit Hotel was about $45 USD. We had planned on using our frequent flier miles but since the airline canceled their service to Manado, we purchased Singapore Airlines tickets at a cost of around $1000 USD per person.

So... to make a long answer longer....
Roundtrip tickets Los Angeles to Manado
Transit hotel Singapore
Airport transfer
3 days of hotel, food, and shore diving
9 night live-aboard with 9 days of diving
2 nights Kimo Baju Resort
Airport transfer
Gateway Hotel Singapore

~$5300 for two or $2650 per person

It would have been really cheap if the frequent flier miles would have worked! LOL Still... quite a bargain in my opinion! I hope that helps!

(Doesn't include tips, taxi rides, etc)

Thank for the detail break-down.
Cheers

 

[donacheson]

Hi Everyone!

I recently returned from a dive trip to North Sulawesi, Indonesia. We spent a few days at the Murex Resort Manado, then boarded the Murex Serenade for a 9 day cruise of Banka and the Lembeh Straits. To give you an idea what is included...

"Last year, we went half way around the world to see an octopus. This year, we went back for more! The intent of this trip report is to provide travel planning information (read as "boring details that might be helpful to someone"), interspaced with some pictures to help cull the boredom (read as "a whole lot of pictures"), and to relay some of my own adventures (read as "the painful dive, the pleasurable dive, and the frightening dive") and observations. I hope you find it useful and/or enjoyable."

Indonesia-2nd Time Around - Murex Resort Manado & The Serenade Live-Aboard

Nice report! You make it tempting!

 

[albatross]

Nice report! You make it tempting!

Thanks! For what it is worth... one of the divers on the Serenade was from Maryland.