43 replies to this topic

[chinacat46]

Hey now,

Has anybody done any diving or research on the Lembeh Strait and/or Bunaken Marine Park. I'm thinking of diving there next year and any info would be appreciated.

aTdHvAaNnKcSe,
Chuck

[Travelnsj]

Chuck,

Talk to ScubaStory/Trudy...she has ben there a couple of times and going again.

[chinacat46]

Thnx Scott. The trip is starting to come together. I'm gonna do a 11day/10 night liveaboard diving the incredible Raja Ampat Islands. Then on the flight back I'm gonna get off in Manado and head over to Bunaken and do about 10 dives there and then head over to the Lembeh Strait and either do land based at either KBR or the Lembeh Resort or do a week on the N. Sulawesi Aggressor which departs from Lembeh Strait and does much of it's diving around there. Looks like about 3 and half weeks. I'm planning to leave around Feb and get back Mar . My boss hasn't said no but he hasn't said yes either.

[blacktar]

I'm jealous! I've heard that Raja Ampat is incredible. The biodiversity is supposed to be the best in the world. Have a blast.
Patrick

[secretsea18]

Thnx Scott. The trip is starting to come together. I'm gonna do a 11day/10 night liveaboard diving the incredible Raja Ampat Islands. Then on the flight back I'm gonna get off in Manado and head over to Bunaken and do about 10 dives there and then head over to the Lembeh Strait and either do land based at either KBR or the Lembeh Resort or do a week on the N. Sulawesi Aggressor which departs from Lembeh Strait and does much of it's diving around there. Looks like about 3 and half weeks. I'm planning to leave around Feb and get back Mar . My boss hasn't said no but he hasn't said yes either.

Hi,
Have done a similar type of trip in 2004. Two weeks liveaboard from Kupang to Sorong. Fantastic.

Then a week in KBR. I highly recommend KBR if you enjoy muck diving and interesting critters. Accommodations are a wonderful as listed on website, and divemasters were really great. This really rounded out the trip, as Raja Ampat is extremely fishy, but not so much into muck. KBR is the original muck capital. I wished my trip never ended. You should have a great time.

Best Fishes,
Robin

[lonnie]

Hey now,

Has anybody done any diving or research on the Lembeh Strait and/or Bunaken Marine Park. I'm thinking of diving there next year and any info would be appreciated.

aTdHvAaNnKcSe,
Chuck

I was just there in May. Spent a week at Kungkungan Bay Resort and a week on the N. Sulawesi Aggressor. Lembeh Strait is muck diving. Black sand bottom, very little coral but some of the strangest critters you will ever see. It takes a little while to get used to this kind of diving, but once you start noticing animals that are masters of disguise, that are right in front of you it's great. Better have good buoyancy control to do this kind of diving because once you hit the bottom, bye bye vis. Bunaken is more of your typical reef coral kind of thing. I'd go back again, even though getting there is quite an ordeal.

[secretsea18]

I'd go back again, even though getting there is quite an ordeal.

I second that. I would go back in a heartbeat, I would pack up and move there forever type of heartbeat.

For more information look at Kunkungan Bay Resort website or even Lembeh resort website. You will get the idea.


Regarding buoyancy control, it is mandatory in Lembeh Straits. One misplaced fin tap on the bottom, or even a fin kick will ruin the vis for quite a long time. But the critters and weird fish are so wonderful once you see them.

Have fun, I'm going back in June/July on a Northern Lembeh exploratory trip with Adventure Komodo. Can't wait.

Have a wonderful trip,
Robin

[chinacat46]

Thnx for the all the info. The trip is booked. 10 day on Adventure Komodo out of Sorong then 6 days at Lembeh Resort followed by 4 days at Tasik Ria. Leave Feb 8 and return Mar 4. This will be my third trip to Indonesia. Went to Wakatobi the first time and 11 day liveaboard to Komodo(Komodo Dancer) area the 2nd trip. To me Indonesia has some of the best diving in the world.

[secretsea18]

Thnx for the all the info. The trip is booked. 10 day on Adventure Komodo out of Sorong then 6 days at Lembeh Resort followed by 4 days at Tasik Ria. Leave Feb 8 and return Mar 4. This will be my third trip to Indonesia. Went to Wakatobi the first time and 11 day liveaboard to Komodo(Komodo Dancer) area the 2nd trip. To me Indonesia has some of the best diving in the world.

You will love the Adventure Komodo. That was the boat I took Kupang to Sorong itinerary. I loved it. The food is wonderful, with free wine, etc. I recommend using the Nitrox. Have you dived with Larry Smith before?

I am booked for AK for June 26-Jul 9 itinerary from Lembeh northwards. Unfortunately can't add days onto either end for KBR and Lembeh straits.

You will have a wonderful trip. I would be happy to answer any specific questions about the boat/trip, etc. You can PM me or email.

The boat is very photographer friendly and crew is wonderful.

Robin

[chinacat46]

I've never dove with Larry Smith before. I've met him and talked with him but the diving will have to wait till Feb. Also met the owner of the Adventure Komodo as well. As for using Nitrox I was planning on it. If they have it I use it. I like to maximize my bottom time and reduce my chance for DCS. At the Lembeh Resort nitrox is included in the price. Won't be spending much time in Sorong but was curious about the place did you spend any time there?

[secretsea18]

I've never dove with Larry Smith before. I've met him and talked with him but the diving will have to wait till Feb. Also met the owner of the Adventure Komodo as well. As for using Nitrox I was planning on it. If they have it I use it. I like to maximize my bottom time and reduce my chance for DCS. At the Lembeh Resort nitrox is included in the price. Won't be spending much time in Sorong but was curious about the place did you spend any time there?

I know both Larry and Steve (owner) fairly well. Will you be at DEMA? I will be there and could introduce you.

We were not recommended to debark off the boat in Sorong. It seems to have a bit of an unsavory environment there. In fact they posted a guard (first time in a two week trip) to watch the boat during our port time in Sorong. Don't expect to get off the boat there. After my prior visits to PNG, when the locals say, "don't go to that area, don't get off the boat" I listen to them.

You will have a great trip. Email me if you have any specific questions or concerns. Just make sure you have an entire empty page in your passport for your Indonesia visa.....

Talk later,
Robin

[Travelnsj]

Ok....Chuck & Robin cannot stay out of this conversation.....After my trip to Bali and Timor a month ago....I have seen the Light!....Although Palau is still number 1 (barely).....I loved the diving and still cannot believe some of the great things I saw....and my overall favorite trip I have been on.

Thus....at this time I am passing on Malapascua in the Philippines next September and moving it to 2008....Wakatobi will take its place! and December/January will be Irian Jaya, staying at the Sorido Resort and the going to Lembeh Strait probably staying at the Kungkungan bay resort....Robin if you can give me any heads on either one of those areas I would appreciate it...Ahhh...I need a Dive Buddy????

Edited by Travelnsj, 02 November 2006 - 03:45 PM.

[chinacat46]

Scott,



Checkout Lembeh Resort instead of KBR. I was gonna do KBR but one of the divemasters at one of my LDS who has been going to KBR for years said they now use Lembeh instead. She said it's newer and nicer but the real reason was all the good divemasters from KBR are now at Lembeh. I'm sure either way though you will have a good time.





Robin,



I won't be at DEMA this year already used to much vacation time this year and am saving for my 3.5 week trip in Feb/March. Thnx for the tip on Sorong. I guess I'll just pass thru the airport there.

[secretsea18]

Thus....at this time I am passing on Malapascua in the Philippines next September and moving it to 2008....Wakatobi will take its place! and December/January will be Irian Jaya, staying at the Sorido Resort and the going to Lembeh Strait probably staying at the Kungkungan bay resort....Robin if you can give me any heads on either one of those areas I would appreciate it...Ahhh...I need a Dive Buddy????

I stayed at KBR. I only can comment about that. I loved KBR. The divemasters there are wonderful. They went out of their way and did special dives, extra dives on their SPARE time with me. A couple I met on my liveaboard the two weeks prior to my KBR stay were at Lembeh Resort. They came over to visit me at KBR. They thought my room was really nice and bigger than theirs. They got food poisoning on the day we were to go to Tamkoko to see the tarsiers and could not go. They liked that KBR was NOT on a hillside. They said that it was a pain to walk up so many steps just to get to their room. These were their comments to me when they visited two days into our respective landbased stays. Yes sounds a bit complainy but I did not have any complaints at all about KBR. I loved it. It exceeded my expectations and they were very high.

Most of the guests at KBR are photographers/videographers, and the camera room was enormous with large camera work stations. Food was good, and you could order anything you wanted off the menu. For night dives, they would take your order pre-dive, and only a few minutes after arriving back at the resort, your dinner would be ready for you.

As I said, there are lots of excellent dive guides in the Lembeh region now. They show each other everything, and between the two places, plus Kasawari Resort the diving in all three would be superb. Look at the websites of each place and pick on that basis.

In addition to the diving, a KBR tradition stood out. As I sadly boarded the car to the airport, about 20 of the workers, including waitresses, divemasters, housekeepers and kitchen staff came out to the driveway and sang a farewell song to me. A special moment for me.

You will have a great time regardless of your choice, and you will get knowledgable diveguides at each resort.

Have fun,
Robin


PS forgot to mention... Larry Smith selected the site for KBR and was the initial dive guru there. He pioneered the area and just mentioning his name to the guides will get them challenged to find special things for you!!

Also have been to Wakatobi 2X in the past. It is a beautiful coral reef. I understand that they have developed additional sites that include more diverse topography, including their version of a muck dive. Personally, I prefer my place in the Philippines to Wakatobi, for the diving. That is because I love to find critters and weird fishies in the muck zones, and, the at least when I went, there were no Muck dives at Wakatobi. The bungalows at Wakatobi are extremely nice, and I understand they have improved the food with Balinese chefs and improved produce. I am sure you will enjoy yourself at Wakatobi. September/October is prime season there.

Edited by secretsea18, 02 November 2006 - 05:45 PM.

[Travelnsj]

Robin,

Have you been to Irian Jaya and the Sorido Resort?....If so please share some info.

Wakatobi, how do you compare to Malapascua?....I am not a big Muck diver but I really enjoyed the small stuff like Spanish Dancers, 30' sea anemones, 3' worms etc...I saw in Timor....I am to put my deposit down on Wakatobi in a couple of weeks and can still switch to the Philippines....would love to see the Threshers.

Edited by Travelnsj, 02 November 2006 - 07:54 PM.