Lembeh Strait Dive Sites

1. AW Shucks – Next to a pearl farm, this site has a verdant mix of coral and sponge growth in the shallows with a sand slope below along with a large section of weed / rubble. The shallows offer such finds as leaf scorpionfish, cuttlefish and a good nudibranch selection, with the sand slope often hosting popular critters such as hairy frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, sea horses, ghost pipefish, sea moths and sand octopus such as mimic and wonderpus species.
2. Hairball – This is the most famous of the muck sites and deservedly so. The sand slope here can be exceptionally productive. The position on a point means that the mix of currents brings more nutrients than on most other nearby sites. In the cooler summer season, the shallows can be covered with cotton candy-like algae, drawing “hairy” critters such as hairy frogfish, ambon scorpionfish and filamented ghost pipefish which blend right in. Other inhabitants such as cockatoo waspfish and seahorses can also get “hairy” as the algae grows on them.
3. Hairball Too! – Right around the corner but usually not as rich as Hairball, this is very popular as an alternative when Hairball is overcrowded. This is another sand slope, good for octopus, sea horses and the like. A few coral bommies in the shallows often harbor frogfish.
4. Hairball 3 – The sand slope continues into more sheltered waters directly in front of the resort. There are coral and orange rope sponge gardens occupying sections of the slope, which translates to variety. So besides some schooling fish, moray eels, leaf scorpionfish and other coral inhabitants, divers may spot hairy frogfish, sand octopus or other muck critters.
5. TK 1 – This is a sheltered site right in front of the resort and the entire area offers a wide variety of critters in shallow, easy conditions. There are low coral patches below 12 meters and small bommies in the shallows separated by a sand slope. There are usually giant frogfish in residence on the coral patches. Stargazers are often encountered, even in the daytime. It is a productive octopus-hunting area and is also the best place in the strait to see a variety of waspfish and the malevolent Inimicus devilfish in various color patterns.
6. TK2 – This is a continuation of the same terrain and critters as TK1. Some of the dive sites in Lembeh can be hot one month and seem empty the next, but on these two sites there is always happy hunting with plenty to see. This is prime Rhinopias frondosa territory as well, with yellow, brown and purple specimens in residence for months at a time in recent years.
7. TK3 – This is a featureless gradual sand slope that is probably the best location in the strait for the sought-after mimic octopus as well hosting a wide variety of other octopus species including the fabled bluering. I have had two experiences at TK3 where we found eleven octopus from five different species on a single jump! This is also the best site for the rare ambon scorpionfish, which is the closest relative to the famous Rhinopias. The area can seem empty, but though there isn’t the density of critters of neighboring sites, it remains a favorite of many.
8. Retak Larry (Larry’s Crack) – Another sand site, but with a small stand of healthy coral in the shallows. This popular site along with Hairball and the TK 1 / 2 area has good variety and numbers and is especially popular for frogfish, cockatoo flounders, sea horses, the filamented ghost pipefish (in season) and the irregular explosive breeding assemblages of the Gymnodoris ceylonica nudibranch as well as various slug species, not reported from other sites in the strait.
9. Slow Poke – A seldom-dived site between the more popular Retak Larry and Magic Crack, this gentle sand slope has some rubble, which can be productive and a single bommie that at times boasts numerous ornate ghost pipefish. For those who move slowly and are observant, sea horses, devilfish, mimic octopus and other gems can be seen here.  
10. Magic Crack – A continuance of the gentle sand slope, the highlight of this dive is a coral and rubble patch stretching from 12 – 27 meters and is the best place in Lembeh to find thorny seahorses; I have seen up to seven in a dive. There is a busy cleaning station, a strong nudibranch representation, ribbon eels, ghost pipefish and this is also a good spot for wonderpus. In the shallows towards the bay is sand, but as an alternative for the safety stop there is a healthy hard coral garden to the side, stretching southward out of the bay.
11. Magic Rock – This used to be merely a single bommie with exceptional critter numbers, keeping guests glued on this one rock for an entire dive. But El Nino brought warming which killed or drove off the life on that coral head, which never recovered. Now divers head out over a sand plain, gently sloping to a fantastic wall which goes from 21 – 50 meters in depth. The sand is usually not very productive (though waspfish, frogfish and wonderpus are occasionally encountered), but in the shallows there is an exceptional hard coral garden from the coast down to 10 meters in depth, which offers fine snorkeling, sheltered from the SE winds (June – Sept.), but subject to swell at times during the rainy season (Nov. – April).
12. Nudi Retreat – The most heavily-dived site in the strait, this is a lovely coral amphitheater in the shallows, turning into a sand slope with encrusted boulders down below with two walls stretching out to either side sporting healthy soft coral growth right up to only 2 meters in depth. The prime attractions here are pygmy sea horses and pegasus sea moths along with the attractive underwater scenery and general variety. Coral cat sharks are often seen here on night dives.
13. Makawide – Excellent coral growth in the shallows spilling down a wall towards the main channel of the strait. On the silty slope below the wall rise a few rocky pinnacles, from 26 up to 15 meters, covered in a rich array of life. This is an excellent site for pygmy seahorses and nudibranchs, with very good snorkeling opportunities, though it is subject to strong currents, being more exposed than Nudi Retreat.
14. Jari-Jari - A continuation of the more popular Jahir, this is a wide expanse of shallow sand littered with sponges and small bommies with a steep sand slope leading down to an excellent cleaning station occupying a single large rock down at 26 meters. Though not as crowded with critters in comparison with Jahir, there are still interesting finds to be had here, such as stonefish, various frogfish and interesting pipefish.
15. Jahir – The most popular muck site along with Hairball, this is just another sand and gravel slope with some rope sponge growth and a few coral outcrops in the shallows. Highlights here are frogfish species (esp. the fabled hairy frogfish – Antennarius striatus), various cephalopods (incl. flamboyant cuttlefish, wonderpus and mimic octopus), and a wide variety of venomous fish species. Excellent for night dives
16. Air Prang – The name literally means “War Water”, referring to the jetty offering fresh water from an uphill aquifer, installed by the Japanese during WW2. This is an expansive shallow sand slope, more popular for night diving, especially when strong rising tides limit the possible options elsewhere in the middle section of the strait. Good for octopus species and recently popular for three Rhinopias found in the rubble sections on the northern end of the site, but the barren terrain and low density of critters mean that it sees far fewer divers compared to the muck sites to its north. One highlight is the bobbit worm, commonly seen on night dives.
17. Serena North – There is superb coral growth in this area, but a lower density of critters on show translates to few divers knowing about this site.
18. Serena West – Also seldom-dived, but there are huge barrel sponges hosting siagiani crabs on this coral and rubble slope as well as numerous mandarinfish in the finger corals in the shallows. There can be a decent variety of critters – frogfish, pipefish, gobies, crustaceans, etc…, but the visibility and coral growth are not as good as on display further up the strait.
19. Critter Hunt – There’s a rubble slope, some healthy coral growth and a wall to dive here. No distinct highlights other than banggai cardinal fish, but like the name suggests, a wide variety of critters can be spotted – pipefish, eels, cuttlefish, crustaceans, devilfish, etc…and from time to time, bluering octopus and Rhinopias make appearances.
20. Nudi Falls – One of the three most-dived sites (along with Nudi Retreat & Hairball), a colorful sheer wall with a rock pile below, then a sand slope, leveling out into the main channel of rubble sprouting a forest of large soft corals. Scenically this site is unlike any other in the strait. There are a plethora of attractions here:  sightings of rare Rhinopias eschmeyeri, harlequin shrimp and boxer crab happen regularly. Robust ghost pipefish, wonderpus and other muck critters are found on the sand slope. Frogfish, pygmy seahorses, ornate ghost pipefish, juvenile batfish, comet fish, flame file shells and peacock mantis shrimp are commonly sighted near, in or on the wall along with, of course, nudibranchs. This is usually the most nudibranch-rich site in the strait and along with Jahir, it is the most popular night-diving destination.
21. Police Pier 1 & 2 – Like Nudi Falls, photographers keep complaining that the biggest danger on these sites is running out of film. This is a rubble slope with small coral outcroppings, leveling out into a sand flat with rope sponge gardens. Banggai cardinal fish, barramundi, orange Antennarius picta frogfish, various nudibranch species and overall variety are the attractions here. This is also a truly excellent night dive spot. The scenery isn’t pristine: there’s plenty of trash in the water, but it has always been that way owing to the traffic at the Water Police jetty that the site is named after.
22. Pantai Kecil – Next to the Police Pier site is a small beach, thus the name. This is a rubble / sand slope with many coral bommies and is similar to Police Pier in critters found.
23. Napo Bronsel – a broad seamount forming a shallow plateau just offshore of the village of Tanduk Rusa (Deer Antler), this site has damage and garbage owing to being in front of an inhabited stretch of coastline. Still, there is a vibrant cleaning station and some good critter-hunting to be had, with various octopus, cuttlefish and frogfish species being frequently on display.
24. Rina Wreck – An upright fishing boat wreck only just over a decade underwater, it is not very overgrown yet, but offers an attractive dive. The drawbacks are that it is hard to find and being almost mid-channel, is subjected to strong currents.
25. Bimoli Wreck – This is a Japanese WW2 wreck lying in front of what is now the Bimoli cooking oil factory. It was at anchor carrying munitions when it was blown up by torpedoes launched by an attacking US submarine (the USS Swordfish), causing the munitions to blow the aft end completely apart, which now is a pile of plating on the deep end of the wreck, a testimonial to the power of the explosion. The ship lies leaning to one side with the bottom at 32 meters and the highest point on the wreck about 12 meters in depth. Schools of large barracuda can be seen at times as well as potato cod in the hold, white-tip sharks dozing beneath and passing eagle rays. The sponge gardens below the bow and to the starboard side present excellent nudibranch and other critter possibilities. Visibility here is usually much better than at wrecks further up the strait, though wavy conditions can limit diving here during the height of the June-September SE winds. Local hookah divers sawing scrap metal off the wreck have caused further deterioration, which is an ongoing concern.
26.  Madidir – A southern muck site, this is a shallow (2-3 m.) sand flat leading to a slope down to 20+ meters, all sand, which can be silty. A bit different from muck sites within the strait, it is hit-and-miss here, but there can be an exceptional variety of venomous fish, pipefish and juveniles, with oddities such as alternative species of sea moths, frogfish and lionfish compared to those found on other Lembeh muck sites.
27. Goby A’Crab – Another site offering excellent coral growth in the shallows, with a sand slope below. A good mix of muck and coral species, this is a site which always gets glowing reviews from divers.
28. Kapal Baru – Recently sunk - thus the name - “Kapal Baru” (New Boat) is a fishing boat that caught fire and was towed away from the harbor into a shallow bay to sink when the flames could not be extinguished. Lying on its side in less than 15 meters of water, it often offers ghost pipefish and other interesting finds though it isn’t as fruitful as Kapal Indah, which lies close by.
29. Kapal Indah  – “Beautiful Boat” (Kapal Indah) is an upright fishing boat that sits in a shallow (max. 26 meters) bay out of the main current stream. There is an encrusted net hanging over the stern which along with black coral bushes around the hull make this a scenic wreck dive. Critters often seen are pygmy sea horses, tozeuma shrimp, nudibranchs, ornate ghost pipefish and frogfish. Following time on the wreck, divers can move up a coral / rubble slope for engaging critter hunting among the bommies surrounding the mooring buoy.
30. Pulau Abadi – A coral slope, this site has surprisingly good coral and fish life. It is an excellent spot for locating pygmy seahorses and xeno crabs.
31. Mawali Wreck – The most popular wreck in the strait, this huge WW2 Japanese freighter lies on her side, offering a coral-encrusted oasis. This is an outstanding nudibranch / flatworm dive, with huge scorpionfish and lionfish guaranteed. It also offers a high probability for encountering cuttlefish, ghost pipefish and mantis shrimps.
32. Pintu Kota (Seagrass) – a degraded coral / rubble slope with much halimeda algae, it isn’t scenic and usually suffers from low visibility, but this site is good for the seldom-seen halimeda ghost pipefish. It is also notable for other pipefish species, nudibranchs and frogfish.  
33. Pintu Colada – A ridgeline of healthy coral that offers decent snorkeling and for divers a busy cleaning station and a variety of critters.
34. Pantai Parigi – Something different, this site has a healthy reef in the shallows, then a gentle white sand slope that is a good alternative to the predominantly black sand elsewhere along the strait. A superlative location for small crustaceans, especially commensal species, this slope is also popular the variety of cephalopod, frogfish, goby and mantis shrimp species usually on view.
35. Tanjung Kubur- A newer site, named “Cemetery Point”, this is another sand slope with large healthy bommies to the south and excellent coral gardens to the north. There have been Rhinopias, Pontohi pygmy seahorses and halimeda ghost pipefish seen here.
36. Tanjung Tebal – This stunning area offers huge boulders, creating canyons and shelves which stretch well out into the strait down past 50 meters in depth. Strong currents are usually found here, demanding planning for slack tide, but the currents result in the fact that bigger schooling fish are often encountered – jacks, trevally, rainbow runners, and mackerel. There are countless large sea fans in a variety of hues (even blue), a plethora of encrusting invertebrates and various critters such as pygmy seahorses and the current-loving spectacular Nembrotha purpureolineolata nudibranch, making this an extraordinary dive if timed correctly.
37. Batu Sandar – One of the very best snorkeling sites in the strait, this is a finger of coral which extends out into the strait down to 20 meters on a sand slope. Sheltered shallows have superlative coral and sponge growth and sand flats with large coral bommies.
38.  Angel’s Window – The most popular of the island-side sites, this is a twin-peaked pinnacle that comes within a meter of the surface. A large cave offers a swim-through for divers on the deep end of the pinnacle, from 24 meters down to 32 meters in depth. One side is a coral slope leveling out onto a sand flat at 15 meters and on the other side is a wall to a shelf at 8 meters, then a small plateau and another drop-off, down to 20-32 meters. This colorful site offers schooling fish, numerous pygmy seahorses (including the new, unofficially-named Hippocampus pontohi), leaf scorpionfish, reef octopus, cuttlefish, nudibranchs and much more.
39. Batu Merah – A site that offers two dives: a rich coral slope or a steep sand slope with coral bommies, there is much to see here. A cleaning station at 24 meters is a focal point, but there is a wide array of nudibranch, pipefish, crustacean and cephalopod species.
40. Pulau Putus – Inside a bay is a beautiful coral and sponge garden in sheltered conditions. The scenery itself is the highlight, though larger rays – devil and eagle are seen from time to time.
41. California Dreaming – A stunning site. This is a seamount out from the island of Pulau Putus. Twin peaks with a rubble / sand flat in between, the shallows are good for giant frogfish and wee boxer crabs and there is a busy cleaning station which offers much to see, including leaf scorpionfish. The coral slopes down on either side, but the most exposed section is a series of steps formed by boulders and sand shelves which descend into the depths, covered with a kaleidoscope of soft corals making for a memorably colorful dive. Passing mackerel and tuna are the larger fare and turtles are often encountered, though at this site the scenery overwhelms the occupants.
42. Kainah’s Treasure – This is a rocky, coral slope; one of the best places for nudibranchs in the strait.
43. Jiko Yansi - A scenic wall dive, this is a good spot for pygmy seahorses, candy crabs and other small finds.
44. Dante’s Wall – Starting on a sand / coral slope, a massive sheer rock wall starts and as you drift along it the bottom gets deeper and deeper as you near the northern tip of Lembeh Island. There are schooling reef fish and interesting finds to be discovered along this spectacular drop.
45. Batu Kapal – These are a set of pinnacles off the northern tip of Lembeh Island. This is the best big fish dive in North Sulawesi, but severe multi-directional currents prevent all but only the most experienced and hardy divers from venturing here. The density of schooling fish is staggering, with larger species such as dogtooth tuna, barracuda, big-eyed jacks, giant trevally and rainbow runners well represented. Turtles, white-tip and grey reef sharks as well as eagle rays are also common. Even silvertip and whale sharks have been spotted here by the lucky few.

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