Top Five Reasons to Dive Lembeh Strait
The top five reasons to dive Lembeh Strait are not easy. There are so many reasons to dive there, its hard to pare it down to only five! Lembeh is one of the most famous scuba diving destinations on the planet. The wonders to be found in Lembeh are a treat for everyone including photographers and non photographers. With its unique ecosystem, the diving here is different than most popular diving destinations. What makes it such a wonderful location? Today we discuss five reasons that make Lembeh a special destination.
The Critters are Out of this World
When asked about Lembeh, knowledgeable divers will always mention the incredible number of critters to be found there. What is a critter you may ask? “Critters” is the nickname given to weird looking animals that are often found underwater. This mainly means cryptic creatures that are found only in a few special places rather than well known fish. Examples of such include frogfish, cryptic octopus, bizarre looking shrimp, and other fish that walk rather than swim. This is not a destination for diving on beautiful coral reef scenes.
A New Kind of Diving for Many
Many folks think of tropical dive trips as spending their days slowly drifting over acres of hard coral reefs. Although this may be true in many locations, there are other kinds of diving to be experienced. Lembeh is one of the originators of what is popularly known as “muck diving”. Muck diving is a term coined to describe swimming around in muddy, sandy, or otherwise barren looking environments while looking for the creatures that call it home. For those who have never experienced it, the first dive or two can seem visually underwhelming until the sharp eyed guides point out abundant hidden treasures. Many of the animals are either cryptic and hiding in plain sight or hide themselves undercover, either natural or man made.
A Guide is a Necessity in Lembeh Strait
Many people believe they are competent divers and have no need for a guide. They frequent places to beach dive or where no guides are needed and thrive in that kind of environment. However, diving in Lembeh is a different animal altogether. At first glance, many sites in the strait appear to be a barren sandy slope, however, these sites often offer the best animal encounters. The keen eyed guides who work in Lembeh have spent countless hours underwater and know the sites like no other. What may look like nothing but sand to your eyes, is a well camouflaged octopus den. Not only have they learned to spot hard to find animals, they dive the sites every day. This frequency underwater allows them to know which sites are hot and where the critters are hiding from day to day.
Diving at Your Pace
There is nothing more annoying than diving with a group of six other divers and needing to keep the pace. This is especially bothersome to photographers who love to take their time with a subject. We have all heard horror stories of passive aggressive guides who “hurry” their divers so everyone remains together. Although this may be necessary in high current areas such as Komodo or Tahiti, it’s not the norm in Lembeh. Lembeh is home to relaxed, slow paced diving with a very small group. Dive resorts such as NAD Lembeh Resort boast a 2 guests to 1 dive guide ratio in order to maximize everyone’s enjoyment. This allows divers to dive at their own pace without feeling rushed. After all, maximizing enjoyment is the main goal of any diving holiday!
Lembeh Strait – Underwater Photography Mecca
Lembeh is known as one of the top destinations in the world for underwater photographers. Photographers love the weird and wonderful wildlife that can be found here. The lack of strong currents and ample subjects in the shallows means long dives are the norm. The relaxed conditions make Lembeh a wonderful place for learning photography as well. Many photography workshops are held here year after year. The reasons for this are many, including the fact that most of the resorts cater specifically to photographers. The ease of diving, abundance of critters and calm conditions make the area a wonderful experience for learning. The best part is that many of the subjects remain still on the bottom and allow multiple photos to be taken. It’s the ideal environment for learning!
For these exact reasons Lembeh Strait is our destination every year for our annual Photo Workshop. If you are interested in learning more about underwater photography please contact us as we still have space in July 2025. With many return guests year after year we must be doing something right. Why not join us in 2025 to find out for yourself?
