Lembeh Resort, Lembeh Strait

Diving at Lembeh Resort

Critters at Lembeh Resort operates from the resort’s waterfront dive centre, with three scheduled boat dives departing at approximately 08:00, 10:45 and 14:30. Boats normally return to the resort after each dive. Normal dive groups are limited to four divers per guide, while private guides and private boats can be arranged. The centre offers rental equipment, DIN and INT tanks, PADI courses, larger 15-litre cylinders and 32% nitrox at an additional charge. Day or night house-reef dives are possible with a guide or independently with a buddy. Specialist mandarinfish, night, bonfire and blackwater dives can also be arranged. The camera room and photo centre provide extensive preparation space, professional advice, workshops and technical support for underwater photographers. 

More than 70 sites lie within easy reach, covering volcanic sand, rubble slopes, coral reefs, walls and more. Hairball is among the strait’s best-known black-sand muck sites, while Nudi Falls combines a wall, sand slope and soft-coral habitat within a seven-minute boat ride. Depending on conditions, divers may encounter frogfish, pygmy seahorses, ghost pipefish, rhinopias, flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ringed octopuses, wonderpus, nudibranchs and an extensive range of crustaceans. The resort can also arrange longer day trips to areas including northern and eastern Lembeh, Bangka Island, Bunaken and Buyat Bay. 

Diving in Lembeh Strait

Lembeh Strait is best known for muck diving and macro photography, with dive guides searching apparently barren volcanic sand, rubble and debris for camouflaged marine life. Signature critters include frogfish, unusual octopuses, seahorses, pipefish, nudibranchs, cuttlefish, shrimp, crabs and juvenile fish.

But the destination offers more variety than its muck-diving reputation suggests. Coral reefs, walls, small pinnacles, wrecks and mixed sites provide colourful alternatives, while night, mandarinfish, bonfire and blackwater dives reveal different species and behaviours. Conditions are generally suitable throughout the year, although visibility, rainfall, water temperature and the abundance of individual species vary seasonally.

Lembeh Resort’s central position and short boat journeys make it a strong choice for divers who want to explore the strait intensively while retaining comfortable accommodation, full-board dining and high-level photography support.

Learn more about the diving in Lembeh Strait on the ZuBlu site here.

ZuBlu’s dive travel experts will help you create the ideal package at Lembeh Resort, including your preferred room type, diving, excursions, equipment rental, transfers and any special requests. Share your travel dates, group size, diving experience and budget, and we’ll recommend the best options for your trip.

We’ll also help with practical travel planning, including flight routes, arrival timings and resort transfers, making sure your itinerary works as smoothly as possible from start to finish.

Once you’ve finalised your plans, your travel expert will put a complimentary hold on your preferred room and send a final quote that includes accommodation, meals, diving, transfers, rental equipment or excursions. This quote will also show any extras paid in advance or at the resort - there are no hidden fees - as well as a payment schedule and cancellation terms and conditions.

Your booking is confirmed once the required deposit, or full payment when necessary, has been received.

After confirmation, your dedicated guest concierge will take over and assist with flight routes, transfers, any personal information required by the resort, and questions about your reservation. They are there to make the entire process as straightforward as possible.

Getting There

The nearest airport is Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado (MDC). Domestic connections operate from major Indonesian hubs including Jakarta, Bali and Makassar, as well as from diving gateways such as Sorong and Ambon. International services include direct flights from Singapore on Scoot.

Lembeh Resort provides private airport pickups 24 hours a day. The journey takes approximately one hour by air-conditioned vehicle from the airport to the resort’s private jetty near Bitung, followed by a boat ride of around ten minutes to Lembeh Island. Guests are met outside the arrivals hall and escorted throughout the transfer, so there is no need to use a public ferry.

Other Activities

Guests can book guided wildlife trips to Tangkoko National Park in search of spectral tarsiers, black crested macaques and endemic birds. Minahasan Highlands tours may include Mahawu Volcano, Lake Tondano, geothermal areas, traditional markets, villages and waterfalls.

Other options include jungle walks and village visits on Lembeh Island, morning market tours, cooking classes, mangrove cruises and sunset cruises. Back at the resort, guests can relax by the pool, explore the tropical gardens or book massages, facials, body treatments and reflexology at the spa. 

Good to Know

• WiFi: Complimentary WiFi is available in all accommodation and resort guest areas.
• Mobile coverage: 4G is available but the signal strength can vary around Lembeh Island and should not be relied upon.
• Electricity: 24-hour electricity is provided throughout the resort.
• Plug type: Indonesia commonly uses two-pin Type C and Type F sockets; bringing a universal adaptor is recommended.
• Payments at the resort: Payments at the resort can be made using credit cards or cash.
• Currency: Indonesian rupiah (IDR) is the local currency.
• Time zone: Central Indonesia Time, WITA (UTC+8).
• Language: English and Indonesian are widely used by the resort team.
• Nitrox: nitrox is available at an additional charge.
• Dietary requirements: Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free and allergy-aware meals can be prepared with advance notice.
• Access: Some cottages can only be accessed by steps or hillside paths; request an easily accessible room when booking.