International dive trip · Indonesia
Combine Bunaken's sheer walls, Lembeh's famous muck diving and a Bangka day trip in one North Sulawesi dive holiday, based at two resorts.
Get more infoNorth Sulawesi offers two very different dive styles in one trip. Bunaken National Marine Park is known for steep walls dropping into deep blue and clear water, while the Lembeh Strait is a black sand muck-diving destination famous for odd and rare small creatures.
The journey is split between two resorts, with a day trip to Bangka Island in between, so you experience walls, critters and soft-coral pinnacles without changing countries or flying again. It suits divers who love both big-reef scenery and macro photography.
The dive plan covers six dives in Bunaken, five in Lembeh and two on a Bangka day trip, including a sunset or night dive for mandarinfish. Bunaken is about walls and open water, Lembeh is slow, close-up work over sand and debris, and Bangka mixes pinnacles, slopes and soft corals.
Bunaken visibility is often in the 30 to 40 metre range, while Lembeh is far murkier at roughly 5 to 15 metres, which is normal for muck diving. Water stays warm at around 28 to 30 degrees C, and air temperatures are hot and humid.
Each stay follows a comfortable routine of morning and afternoon boat dives, meals at the resort and free time at the pool. Lembeh days are often about patience and a good guide spotting tiny subjects.
Accommodation is in air-conditioned bungalows at a resort on Manado Bay, with a pool and restaurant, followed by sea-view bungalows with a pool and restaurant on the Lembeh side. Villas for families or groups are also available at the first resort.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided daily, along with drinking water, tea and coffee, and Wi-Fi is available at the resorts.
You fly into Manado, where local transfers connect all legs. Long-haul flights are usually routed via a regional hub, and we can arrange this. Dive insurance, certification and logbook are needed, and the nearest recompression chamber is in Manado.
| Destination | Indonesia |
| Trip style | Lodge-based diving |
| Trip length | 9 nights in total, split between Bunaken (6 nights) and Lembeh (3 nights), with 13 dives planned; private departures may be possible. |
| Best season | The source material does not state a best season, and conditions are warm all year. Divers often prefer the drier months, roughly spring to autumn in the northern hemisphere, but confirm with us for your chosen month. |
| Certification level | Open Water minimum; Advanced Open Water is helpful for Bunaken walls and drifts. Bring your certification card, logbook and dive insurance. |
Pricing, dates and what is included are confirmed per departure. Send us your questions and we will come back to you.
Visibility is lower than at Bunaken, usually 5 to 15 metres, but that is typical for muck diving. The reward is the abundance of rare and unusual small marine life.
The plan covers 13 dives in total: six at Bunaken, five at Lembeh and two on a day trip to Bangka. Confirm any extras with us.
Most travellers fly to Manado with a connection via a regional hub. We can advise on routing and handle the bookings.