Bunaken - Bangka - Lembeh

BUNAKEN : One of the worlds most beautiful coral environments, with an almost unbelievable variety of teeming sea life, superb visibility and spectacular scenery. Bunaken is one of the chief attractions of North Sulawesi for divers.

The Bunaken Sea National Marine Park covers a total surface area of 89,065 hectares, 97% of which is covered by sparkling clear, warm tropical water. The remaining 3% of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. Although each of these islands has a special character, it is the aquatic ecosystem that attracts most naturalists.
Examples of the many Bunaken dive sites include:

Lekuan 1,2 & 3
The 'Lekuans' are considered by some to be amongst the top dive sites of Manado. Lekuan 1 has a sandy slope at 30-40m which is often used as a hang-out for reef sharks, then leading onto a steep wall. There are outcrops of coral covered with anthias and many schooling fish including snapper, fusiliers and pyramid butterfly fish. You can regularly spot turtle here. This site gives you a chance to dive with dense populations of bigger reef fish (with numerous macro species in the shallows too).

Tanjung Paser
This is a deep wall dropping from the surface to 30m, where visibility is normally around 20m and one can see huge fans and lots of dark green hard coral covered in shoals of anthias. Many grouper move around this area - particularly striking are the red ones living in the dark green coral. Eagle rays and turtles can occasionally be seen here and the chromis-covered acropora comes nearly to the surface.

Barracuda Point
Yes- the name says it all - barracuda, and if they're there, a lot of them (sometimes 100+)! Not only barracuda but big tuna and jacks too. However they're not always around and this reef isn't the most spectacular. The wall/slope has not much to offer but dead coral and sand. It's definitely not a spot for beginners as there can be strong currents, both upwards and downward! That's why Barracuda's like it so much here! We think this site is worth the risk of one dive during your stay, on the hope of seeing a big school.

BANGKA ISLAND : Located to the North of Lembeh. Here, the underwater topography consists of pinnacles and a white sandy bottom. Interesting and unusual marine life such as the comet fish, flying gurnard etc. have found their way to these reefs. Abundant hard and soft corals cover the pinnacles ranging from as shallow as 5m to 35 meters. You will also find a variety of unusual decorator crabs roaming the reef during night dives. There can be strong currents and surge at shallower depths. Highlights include big table corals, often with sharks resting under them, an abundance of green and purple soft corals and a multitude of fish, including schools of jacks, dogtooth tuna, barracudas, midnight blue triggerfish and manta rays.

LEMBEH STRAIT : A haven for "muck" divers. The waters of The Lembeh strait are a divers dream, loaded with photographic subject of rare and bizarre nature - some of the best macro and critter-life you'll find anywhere in the world.
Sea horses, nudibranch, sand eels, mantis shrimp, pigmy sea horses, frog fish, leaf fish, ghost pipe fish, octopus are just a few of the colorful and unique undersea treasures. These are just a few part of the fish you will find in lembeh strait :) Come and join us to see all of them !
Examples of the many dive sites in Lembeh include:

Police Pier - Depth 3m - 25m
Muck dive consisting of a gradual sandy slope that runs from the shallows. The bottom is covered with patches of sponges and rubble that conceal thorny seahorses and frogfish. These creatures blend in well with their habitat so you'll need an expert dive guide to find them !

Nudi Falls - Depth 3m - 28m
Is a beautiful miniwall that gives way to a sand and rubble slope. This site is well known for it's variety of nudibranchs, comet fish and pygmy seahorses.

Hairball one - Depth 3m - 30m
A true "Muck" site that is home to some of our most unusual critters. There are no corals, only black sand, algae and an occasional patch of sponges. Some of the critters found here grow skin filaments to blend in with the algae, often seen are the frogfish, Ambon scorpion fish, snake eels, devilfish, dragonettes and even the flamboyant cuttlefish.

Mawali Wreck - Propeller 30m, Length 70m
Is a wreck named for the near-by village on Lembeh. A Japanese WWII ship that was scuttled lies on its port side in 100' of water; it's about 250' long, intact and heavily overgrown. The highlight of the dive is its many large lionfish that suspend themselves around the masts. Also seen are many kinds of nudibranchs huge scorpion fish and a banded sea snake often puts in an appearance.