What are the "MUST DO" sites in Bunaken/Lembeh

[Mooseman1007]

Hey everyone,
Im booked in for 4 days diving in Bunaken with Thalassa Divers (20th-23rd March) then 5 days at KBR (25th-29th March) and wanted your opinions on the dives I cant miss whilst Im there Also thought I would see if anyone else off the board is going at the same time as we met up with an SB member on our last trip out to Bali in 2010 and had a great laugh. Anyways suggestions of those sites we cannot miss and what to expect on them would be great
Cant wait
Mooseman1007

 

[kathydee]

Humm, not so sure how to spell it, but try Satchikko's in Bunakan during current for a spectacular shark dive

 

[Luko]

Sahaung 2, it's located off Bangka island, one hour boatride from Lembeh.
Lembeh dive operators sometimes propose a day safari to Bangka area and it is really worth it. Personnaly, I take Sahaung 2 as one of the best soft coral and fish density sites I have ever dived in 15 years/500+ dives.

 

[highdesert]

Night dive favorites ...

Bunaken: Timur I & II

Lembeh: Nudi Falls

Daytime ...

Bunaken: Pangalingan ... if current is running!

PS - kathydee ... it's Sachiko's, and I agree!

 

[AlanWald]

Do as many night dives as you can at Lembeh. It's great fun and you never know what you are going to see, Did a night dive and saw a crab spawning.

 

[Mooseman1007]

Hey
Definately fancy plenty of night dives in Lembeh, but I suppose at KBR that will be easy, even if its just on their house reef/jetty. Im thinking that i should try keep the macro for Lembeh unless there is a site over on Bunaken side that you cant miss...eg ive heard Poopoh being nicknamed as bethlehem (better than lembeh!). So bunaken for the reef and lembeh for the muck!
I hadnt really thought of going up to gangaa/bankka purely for the extra expense, but if its really that good I will look into it, though the question is lose a day (of 5) diving in Lembeh, or a day from the 4days at Bunaken ?
Either way.....cant wait
Mooseman​

 

[Luko]

I hadnt really thought of going up to gangaa/bankka purely for the extra expense, but if its really that good I will look into it, though the question is lose a day (of 5) diving in Lembeh, or a day from the 4days at Bunaken ?

Well, if you ask me I would have recommended to stay 4 days in Bangka, 5 days in Lembeh and just skip Bunaken. Bangka hosts more colorful teeming with fish coral sites than Bunaken, viewed behind my divemask.

Normally only Lembeh & Manado based operators do Bangka on daytrip, I am not aware of Bunaken operators diving Bangka.
If ever you do a daytrip ask to dive Sahaung as a first dive (30m deep) it's a truly wonderful coral dive which looks like the pics below :









...and also ask for Paradise reef, which is a Pulisan area dive, in front of Bangka island, it's 3 or 4 biosystems in one spot, algae, coral reef, manmade pier and even volcanic hotsprings.

 

[Mooseman1007]

WOW !!!
will definately keep that in mind. We are going to be based on the mainland with thalassa divers so I'll look to see if they run a trip up if the cost isn't too prohibitive. Suggestions in manado/bunaken would be good though as we've already booked hotels etc.
Mooseman

 

[Sorrows]

Dang, Luko, those shots are fabulous! We'll be in Lembeh for 2 weeks next Christmas--I hope the weather is good enough that they run the special tour. It totally looks worth the extra cost!

Btw, the front view of the frogfish--very interesting!