I traveled to Lembeh Resort/Critters at Lembeh in May of 2013.
Travel coordination:
My travel plans to Lembeh Resort began with coordination of my trip to begin 4 days prior to the arrival of 12 additional divers. Traveling alone caused a bit of anxiety, however prior to my arrival Lembeh Resort assured me that my connections beginning in Manado would go off seamlessly and they delivered. I was greeted in Manado with a friendly face that escorted me all the way to the resort. My luggage was treated with a caring touch as they asked me which bags may contain camera gear, a blessed reassurance to any photographer. With all my luggage accounted for and tagged we were ready to go. The bus ride from Manado to Lembeh Resort was comfortable during the two-hour drive. Although tired from a long day of travel all the people from Lembeh resort had eased any travel anxiety I thought I would experience.
Accommodations:
Upon my arrival to the resort the introductions began with the resort managers Miguel and Ana who cheerfully gave me a private tour of the resort. My room, overlooking the water had a spacious king sized bed, generous bathroom, and sitting area with it’s own refrigerator stocked with drinks. A large desk provided plenty of room to set up at least two computers and battery charging stations. There were also plenty of outlets equipped with universal plug adapters. An in room safe for your money, jewelry and private belongings made me relaxed knowing my things would be secure. Since my roommate was to check in four days later, I wondered if I would have to move to another room upon her arrival. No problem, when my roommate arrived, the room was transformed to accommodate two twin sized beds and when my stay extended past her leaving, the king sized bed was back without even asking. Fresh towels were provided every morning and turn down bed service every night. When I have traveled to other resorts, simple necessities like hot water, ample water pressure, and air conditioning are always a problem. At Lembeh resort, the air conditioning was always cold enough, the water hot enough and the water pressure just perfect. A drying rack, along with sturdy hooks for hanging wetsuits were right outside on the front deck of our room. Noise heard from other guests in the adjoining room was minimally noticeable. The only noisy guests were the crickets outside lulling you to sleep after a busy day of diving.
Restaurant/Bar
Food at Lembeh resort proved to be more than imagined. Every morning we were greeted with an expansive buffet. From the guest who just wanted a quick bowl of cereal to the guest who wanted an elaborate custom made omelet, bacon, fruit, and pancakes, there was something for everyone. Breakfast was served from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. leaving plenty of time for the early birds as well as those who wanted to sleep in. Lunch was served after the second dive and again the buffet was open. Traditional Indonesian food such as Satay, an Indonesian meat skewer and Soto, and Indonesian soup were common lunch buffet items. However it must be said that no meal would be complete without Nasi goring. Considered Indonesia’s national dish this take on Asian fried rice is delicious and was served at every meal. At dinner, guests were offered a four-course meal consisting of an appetizer, a salad or soup, a main dish, and a dessert. Main dish items offered varieties of fish, chicken, and beef prepared in traditional American cuisine as well as Indonesian style. Guests requiring vegetarian or special diet considerations were easily accommodated. A generous selection of wine is offered from the bar and the mainstay Indonesian beer is Bintang. Coffee and tea are offered throughout the day and in the dining room there is a cookie jar that is continually stocked with cookies. The rich, buttery, crescent cookies were my favorite. I must admit, my friend and I raided the cookie jar on several occasions during our stay.
Dive Shop/Camera Room:
Dive shop managers from Critters at Lembeh, Sascha and Lauren followed the lead set by Miguel and Ana by giving me a tour of the dive shop and camera room. My dive gear was given it’s own home in a dive cubbie and my name conveniently displayed as its owner. The boat schedule was within clear view and any additional diving opportunities such as night diving or the mandarin fish dive were easily displayed. The boats were large, well equipped, and we never experienced any mechanical difficulties. Fresh fruit was supplied and plenty of water was generously encouraged. 3 dives a day was standard with two dives in the morning, a break for lunch then an afternoon dive. The house reef was always open and easily accessible right next to the dive shop. Nitrox was available and there were plenty of Nitrox analyzers to use for your own diving safety. After being assigned to your boat the dive shop crew ensured that your dive gear was loaded, unloaded and rinsed everyday and put back safely into your assigned cubbie. Designated rinse tanks for camera gear only were always filled with fresh clear water. Camera gear was treated with “kid gloves” if handled by the boat crew. The camera room was roomy, open, and airy. Although not air conditioned, large fans provided plenty of ventilation and the room never felt stuffy. Numerous camera workstations allowed ample set up for compact cameras as well advanced large camera systems. Plentiful plug strips and storage for camera gear are nice bonus features. Fresh towels were provided every day and the camera room locked every night.
Diving:
Lembeh strait, known for it’s muck diving is critter heaven. Our dive guides were professional, courteous, and above all extremely knowledgeable about critter identification and dive site topography. Each guide carried a dive slate for critter ID and I never witnessed animals being mistreated or man-handled gratuitously. I presented my “shot list” or better known as “photographer’s wish list” of animals I wanted to see and within my first two days of diving I had seen almost everything on my list. From mating Mototi octopus, pigmy sea horses, to numerous varieties of frogfish Opo S. and Opo K. worked tirelessly with their eagle eyes to find the creatures we all longed to see and photograph. With one guide for every four divers the diver to DM ratio was perfect. Most dives were approximately one hour, however, groups were allowed to dive longer or shorter as requested. And although the muck diving was stellar, as an aspiring wide-angle photographer I wondered what wide-angle opportunities would be available. I was awestruck when I experienced dive sites such as California Dreaming, Dante’s Wall, and the Mawali Wreck. Gorgeous coral reefs, schooling fish, and the architecture of the Mawali Wreck proved that Lembeh is beyond a muck diver’s destination. These dive sites allowed me to practice on working with a model, use of natural light, and close focus wide-angle subjects. Lembeh is truly a wide-angle photographers heaven as well. Water temperature was a mild 78-82 degrees and the visibility on most days was between 60-100 feet. Currents can run strong on Dante’s Wall and California Dreaming, which may be challenging for a new diver. I would recommend advanced certification before diving these sites.
Other Non-Diving Activities:
The pool and spa were always open to the non-diving guests and the on-site day spa was welcoming after a day of diving. On our down time from diving we were given several cultural experiences I will never forget. Touring the local village, experiencing an Indonesian cooking class, and listening to the local children come and sing to the guests at Lembeh Resort will stay with me for a lifetime.
Staff:
As divers often do, the last day before heading home was saying my goodbyes to the amazing staff at Lembeh Resort and Critters at Lembeh. By the end of my two-week stay they had made me feel a part of their family. They were always smiling, attentive, and caring people. I never felt that any question or problem I had was an inconvenience to them at all. At checkout, my bill was clear, easy to understand, and there were no unexpected additional charges. Separate envelopes were provided for Lembeh Resort and Critters at Lembeh. Tipping was encouraged however individual staff members did not accept tips.
Overall experience:
My overall experience at Lembeh Resort and Critters at Lembeh was exceptional. I can’t wait to return and experience the amazing marine life that is offered in this unique place.
