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Sunshine Itinerary

Trip Sangihe Islands and Lembeh Strait (MDC) 8N

9 days / 8 nights

About Sunshine

  • Stylish Indonesian phinisi crafted by traditional Sulawesi boat builders
  • Adventurous cruises that venture well off the tourist trail, with just eight divers
  • Unique options for expedition-style trips lasting ten to 14-days at sea
  • Outstanding personalised service with a nearly 1:1 crew to guest ratio

KLM Sunshine liveaboard is a cosy phinisi crafted in hardwood by the world-renowned master boat-builders in Sulawesi. This vessel offers some of Indonesia’s most adventurous liveaboard safaris in the best diving areas around Sulawesi and beyond, visiting remote regions such as Halmahera, the Togian and Sangihe Islands, and Bangka - plus expeditions into frontier diving destinations that only a handful of intrepid guests have seen before. KLM Sunshine accommodates a maximum of eight divers and provides plenty of personalised service from the highly experienced team. Expect genuinely special experiences both above and below the water.

Learn more about Sunshine

Itinerary details

Length of trip 9 days / 8 nights
Number of dives Up to 24
Experience Open Water - Minimum 50 dives
Insurance Required

Highlights

  • Circular trip to the rarely dived Sangihe Islands and Lembeh Strait
  • Dive the islands of Biaro, Tagulandang, Siau and Mahengetang
  • Enjoy the muck and critter dives of the rarely visited Sangihe Islands
  • See the healthy colourful soft coral of Biaro Island
  • Feel the underwater rumble of a highly active volcano on Siau Island 
  • Explore an underwater volcano rising from a depth of 500m in Banua Wuhu
  • Log dives in Lembeh—the world’s best muck diving destination
  • Night dives included
Day 1:
Check-in, welcome drink, lunch, briefing, and also cabin allocation. 3 dives on the first day.

Days 2-7:
Sangihe's best feature is its natural seclusion and untamed nature. Calderas rise up from sandy beaches, and at night, red-hot lava spews from the Siau volcano. You can even dive on an underwater volcano or on a lava flow. Cool. Ruang Lava Flow is a massive swath of black lava that flows down the mountain into the sea, where it becomes a beautiful coral reef.

Mahengetang Volcano is a site not to be missed. It may be your only chance to dive into a real underwater volcano. The vent, just below the surface, is desolate and strewn with huge boulders. Hundreds of tiny bubbles race to the surface as gases escape from deep inside the volcano. Everything is covered with yellow "dust" (sulfurous deposits). Look closely though and you'll see tiny sea stars, algae, small worms, and sprouting corals—a new coral reef in the making. The other side of the volcano has already been successfully colonized, with the once barren seascape now a lovely coral reef.

The southernmost island in the group is a plateau with patch reefs, pinnacles, and lots of soft coral cover called Biaro Island. Groups of sweetlips, snappers, and bumphead parrotfish complete the scene.

Black sandy bottom and the famous Critter Diving in Lembeh, but also coral dive sites, such as Lion Head, Punteng Batu, Batu Kapal, and Angel's Window. For those who like to do night dives in Lembeh or early morning dives in spots like Batu Punteng or Angels Window, this tour is definitely interesting. We can take our guests to the less popular dive spots south of Lembeh, e.g., the wrecks. If the weather allows it, we come back following the outside coastline of Lembeh Island.

Day 8:
1-morning dive on the last day. Return to the Sahaung port. 

Day 9:
After breakfast and check-out, we start preparing for disembarkation in Sahaung. We say goodbye to our guests and wish them farewell!

Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics and local regulations.

Transfer details

Departure

08:00am

Bitung

Manado International Airport: MDC

Return

12:00pm

Bitung

Manado International Airport: MDC

Current availability and prices: https://www.zubludiving.com/itineraries/sunshine/itn-2405300700581-trip-sangihe-islands-and-lembeh-strait-mdc-8n