Diving on Sulawesi
Lembeh is famously referred to as the "Muck Mecca", and claimed by many to be the best destination on the planet for exotic critter diving, macro or muck diving. It is one of every photographer's dream site where they get the opportunity to capture shy critters such as the mimic octopus, flambouyant cuttlefish, harlequin shrimps, hairy frogfish, innumerable nudibranchs, pygmy seahorse, sea robins, snake eels, and many more. It is said that no more than a few breaths go by between one bizarre and exhilarating sight and the next.
Muck is the remnants of lava and volcanic ash when it is broken and grinded into sandy grains. This muck is very high in nutrition which is one of the many reasons that give way to such a biodiversity found here in North Sulawesi. An interesting note is when you find lots of limestone, you will usually get very clean water with fantastic visibility. It is found that the northern and western parts of lembeh are limestone and visibility are generally in excess of 30 meters.
Lembeh strait is perfect for all year round diving that offers more than 40 dive sites and four Wrecks, of which two are from WWII. Currents are rarely a problem in this protected strait, and you will never dive deeper than 30m, for this reason diving with our Nitrox is worth it time and again!
Added the unique photographic scenery - imagine the colourful creatures against a natural black sand surface!
Visit the Photo Gallery!
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Discoveries
North Sulawesi is more that just diving; it's a world of wonder. The Fauna & Flora is somewhat breathtaking as it could only been seen in paradise.
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TANGKOKO DUASUDARA NATURE RESERVE
45min from the Resort is Tangkoko nature reserve where you could be hunting (only by camera of course) for Tarsier. The playing black crested macaques will risk you running out of films. Snap some giant trees into paper pieces of 4"X6" with only one finger and be "King of the Jungle"
The Tarsier is the smallest prime mate on earth, with its body length measuring only 10cm. Having its eyes bigger than its brain, these are truly fascinating bush babies.
The black crested macaques are the most endangered of the 6 macaques species found in Sulawesi. North Sulawesi being its native habitat, they are also found on the Island of Bacan in the Malucu Straits almost 350km away. The story of this movement are told by the elders to there children of how the King of Minahasa presented a pair of these macaques to the king of the Bacan region as a token of piece.
Take a trip into the history of this ancient culture. 24km from Manado in Sawangan Village you will find the Waruga Stone Graves (Sarcophagi) of the Minahasa people. These 144 stones have the carvings on them that indicate either the deceased's cause of death, their hobby, occupation or character. The pre-Christian believe of the people were that the baby was held in the mothers womb in the sitting position, and so they had to enter eternity in the sitting position.
Pinatetengan village, 50km van Manado holds the ancient table shaped stone called Watu Pinatetengan. This 4mX2m stone marks the spot where the seven chiefs of the seven Minahasan tribes held their peace talks. These discussions led to peace and unification as they battled against their enemies. The Pictographis carvings on the stone are still readable.
INTO THE HIGLANDS
Travelling south west from Bitung you can enter the Highlands for Tomohon and Tondano, enjoy the rich culture of the Minahasa people, surrounded by rice paddies and coconut plantations. Breathing the soothing cool air, you might feel up to the challenge and take a two hour hike up Mt. Mahawu, and get the bird's eye view of things to come. You might also like to consider dicovering the area around Tomohon on horseback.
Our journey can take you further south over the mountains and down by the hills to a highly sulphurous Linau lake, bubbling & steaming at the edges. Depending upon the Sun's glorious rays, you will see up to eleven different colours in this lake, ranging from blue, green, turquoise & even red on the occasion. Have lunch at Tondano Lake and experience true Minahasa cuisine the local way at one of the many restaurants resting on her banks.
For the more adrenalin seeking adventurer we have just the thing, White Water rafting down the river Nimanga. This trip will take you through some of the best kept secrets in North Sulawesi, surrounded by all natural beauty; this river runs past two waterfalls, one at Tincep Village with a hight of 70m & the other near Timbukar Village raging from 90m above. Starting at the village of Sonder, you will jump into the sizzling white water with rapids of Class III+.
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