Travel
One of countless beautiful reef scenes found off Bangka Island
We are just 30 minutes into our dive and my hubby and dive buddy Pete signals to me the numbers FOUR and ZERO. “What? You only have 40 bar left?” I proclaim. “No,” he signals, “40 turtles!”
We are diving in the Bunaken Marine Park, situated off the northern tip of Sulawesi in Indonesia. This is the first destination on our three-stop dive journey with Murex Resorts’ and Lembeh Resort’s “Passport to Paradise.” Bunaken is renowned for its crystalline waters, pretty coral gardens, and ridiculous number of green sea turtles.
First up, it’s drop-offs, drift dives and turtles at Bunaken. Then, Technicolor reefs at Bangka Island. And the finale: the weirdly wonderful critters of the Lembeh Strait. Three different underwater worlds in one stress-free diving adventure. The best bit? You hardly have to touch your dive gear, and your guide escorts you for the entire journey.
The author cruises the wall alongside one of Bunaken’s resident turtles
A pretty thorny seahorse, a common resident on Lembeh’s black sands, shot against a silvery bokeh backdrop
First Stop: Murex Manado – Breezy Wall Diving and Turtles Galore
It is just a short and easy transfer from Manado’s Sam Ratulangi International Airport to Murex Manado. Nestled by a black pebble beach in a quiet corner of the Manado coast, the vibe here is chill. Although the resort is currently undergoing redevelopment—with new luxe bungalows and a fantastic new open-air restaurant and lounge area soon to be completed—its shady tropical gardens, comfy bungalows, and big volcano views quickly set the tone for our trip, and we immediately feel like family.
From the resort, it is only a short boat ride to the famed Bunaken Marine Park. It has been three years since we have dived here, and yes, we do remember the turtles—how could we not? But 40 of them on one dive? That’s next level! Previously confined to a few special dive sites, the green sea turtle population here in the Bunaken marine protected area certainly seems to be thriving, and these charming reptiles can now be found on most dive sites.
Not having found an appropriate place to land, this young green sea turtle appears somewhat uncomfortable as it awkwardly clings to a coral bush
While Bunaken’s walls are famous, many pretty scenes unfold in their shallows
As we drift along the deep wall at “Muka Kampung,” they glide on in. Like planes landing at a busy airport, they descend onto their favorite chill-out spots, coral ledges, which make the perfect landing pads. Some turtles are snugly wedged in on the wall like a series of bunk beds, all stacked at different depths—a bit like a turtle capsule hotel!
The larger green turtles are seasoned regulars, while the smaller ones wait their turn; or choose all manner of seemingly uncomfortable places to rest. It’s all a very chilled ritual: Glide on in, land, do that important “wiggle,” take a short nap, and then do it all over again—after a breath at the surface, of course. To be honest, half the fun was watching the turtles manoeuvring for the best parking spot. A great way to start our trip!
The water is a luxuriously warm 84°F (29°C), the visibility is excellent, and the coral cover is exceptionally healthy. But diving here isn’t just about the turtles. If you look closely, you will also find leaf scorpionfish, orangutan crabs, and nudibranchs in all shapes and colors.
The gorgeous view from Murex Manado Resort
A Trip for Photographers and Videographers
For underwater shooters, the “Passport to Paradise” will not only provide a bounty of incredible photo opportunities but will also help fine-tune your techniques. Our guide Fandy, an accomplished photographer in his own right, gave us tips on how best to photograph particular subjects. He knew which critters would shy away from the camera and even helped us point our snoots. At the end of our dives, we were presented a diving slate full of the names of everything we saw and photographed—scientific names and all! Our guide also came with us for our entire journey, moving with us as we traveled to each resort. This made our trip even more special.
Second Stop: Murex Bangka – Island Vibes and Colossal Coral Cover
Now, this is where things get really clever. To get to Bangka, there is no heading back to Manado or repacking; you just hop on the dive boat and dive your way from one resort to the next, arriving at Murex Bangka literally with the tank on your back!
Bangka is your typical picture postcard island. Above: powdery white sand, palm trees and jungle-clad hills. Below: colossal coral cover on every available surface. Diving here is a sensory overload. You will find kaleidoscopic soft corals teeming with life, along with pelagics, critters, and if you’re lucky, resident dugongs.
A scorpionfish hides in plain sight at Bangka Island
Stunning reef scenes like this unfold across Bangka’s “Sahaung” dive site
At dive sites like “Sahaung,” the currents that whirl and eddy around the seascape create flawless conditions for a profusion of soft corals to explode. Soft coral polyps spare no effort capturing teeny morsels of planktonic food from the rich waters, while armies of cheerfully colored Anthias boogie in the current. While the currents can, at times, be overly energetic, don’t fear them, as they bring more action and life.
There is also plenty for macro lovers to see—think pygmy seahorses, Bargibanti and Pontohi. Bangka also serves up some even more precious finds: You may be lucky to find the tiny tiger butterfly (Cyercre nigra). Dressed up in its ruffled ballgown, its plumage (cerata) dances back and forth at the mercy of the current, offering a sneak peek at both sides of its elaborate costume—on top, tiger stripes; below, leopard spots in reverse. Only one thing could be more special: the holy grail of nudibranchs, the ghost nudi (Melibe colemani). If you’ve never seen one, just imagine a snotty piece of string!
At less than half a centimeter in length, this tiger butterfly sea slug only revealed its delicate beauty after we captured it on camera
Two anemonefish accompanied—if you look closely—by their shrimp friends
Our accommodation here is a luxurious oceanfront cottage high up on the hill overlooking the sea. These new cottages have only recently been completed and set the standard for what is to come. Like Murex Manado, the resort is about to undergo its final renovations, with the remaining beachfront accommodations to be fully rebuilt. Here, the existing rustic-chic beach cottages are going to get a major overhaul and will soon be replaced to rival even their most recently built luxe oceanfront and hillside cottages.
As photographers, we can’t forget to mention the resort’s very spacious camera room, complete with ample lighting and more power plugs than we could ever need. The huge open-air dining room overlooking the white sandy beach is a great place to relax and chat about the day’s diving experiences.
Murex Bangka is nestled in a jungle-cloaked gem
Serious About the Planet and the People
No-Trash Triangle Initiative
Murex Resorts works closely with the No-Trash Triangle Initiative (NTTI) and other resorts on the island of Bangka to collect and sort all trash generated at the resort. The trash is sorted and whatever can be recycled is separated and sent off to a recycling center in Surabaya. All the non-recyclable plastic waste is sent once a month to Jakarta for co-processing, avoiding tons of plastic waste being sent to landfill.
The Lembeh Foundation
Founded by Lembeh Resort, the Lembeh Foundation promotes sustainability, awareness and education to communities on Lembeh Island. The foundation’s “Trash Bank,” located in the neighbouring village of Pintu Kota Kecil, encourages local people to collect plastic waste from their homes and surrounding beaches in exchange for a cash amount per kilo of plastic collected. This reduces the amount of waste in the region and provides a source of income to local families. Local people also partake in a series of Lembeh Foundation workshops, learning to up-cycle plastic waste into gift items that are then sold through the resort’s gift shop and local markets—everything from shopping bags and pouches to key chains and wallets.
One of the Lembeh Foundation’s key projects is educating children in the local villages through the their learning center. Run by Lembeh Resort staff and championed by the resort’s “Green Guru,” Helen Pananggung, the program supports children through education by teaching them to respect and care for all aspects of the environment. The program has now anointed five young people aged between 15–23 years as “Eco Warriors,” their role being to help inspire behavioral change amongst the members of their community. Weekly English lessons have also been incredibly popular with local people and in particular children, who are eagerly turning up for English classes from all over Lembeh Island.
Third Stop: Lembeh Resort – Black Magic
It’s the final act of our North Sulawesi dive trilogy, and we know the drill by now: We grab our gear and dive our way across to Lembeh Resort! And this is where things start to get weird.
The currents that flow through the Lembeh Strait bring nutrient-dense water to its black sandy slopes, which support an abundance of microscopic food and create a breeding ground for peculiar benthic creatures to thrive. Because the strait forms a narrow channel between the island of Lembeh and North Sulawesi (near the busy port of Bitung at its southern end), the prevailing current thrusts stray debris through from the Molucca Sea towards the Celebes Sea, thereby settling in the strait and providing a place for critters to call home.
The black sandy slopes are awash with the most unusual marine species on our planet. A variety of different octopus species, hairy frogfish, snake eels, and flamboyant cuttlefish—the list is endless. You’ll also find delicate and pretty soft corals standing solo and home to many critters, including numerous species of tiny crabs, nudibranchs, and shrimps.
While the Lembeh Strait is famous for muck diving, it also offers many vibrant coral dive sites with colorful reefs and sea fans harboring a huge array of reef fish, including various species of pygmy seahorse. With more than 70 sites to choose from, there’s certainly something for every diver.
A Lembeh hairy frogfish rocking the “I woke up like this” look
A blacksaddle snake eel with a magnificent anemone shrimp, lit using a blue colored filter
A tiny yellow pygmy goby seems to cling onto a leaf for dear life
Perched on a lush verdant hillside with a front row view of the strait, Lembeh Resort is our home for the final leg of our stay. If you have ever been here, you will know it has a kind of understated luxury about it—the grounds wild yet immaculate, the staff warm and friendly, and the villas beautiful with local touches. At the dive center, our gear is magically handled for us by the dive team, and we are greeted like old friends.
Lembeh Resort is an exceptional place for underwater photography. The calm conditions and specialized guide support make it ideal for honing your skills. The resort has first-rate facilities for shooters, including a dedicated camera room with charging stations and rinse tanks. It is also home to the first Backscatter Authorized Photo Center, which can carry out repairs, provide spare parts, offer gear for hire (including cameras, housings, lenses, and strobes), and even 3D print camera parts. A broken, lost or forgotten piece won’t keep your camera out of the water here. If you are new to underwater photography or want to up your game, there are also numerous photography and videography courses on offer, from entry level to advanced photography and video production.
And what’s the perfect way to unwind after a thrilling day of critter hunting and macro photography? You can now indulge at the resort’s newly unveiled luxury spa, which opened in February 2025. Nestled amidst lush tropical gardens, this serene sanctuary has already become a guest favorite—we can definitely vouch for it!
Lembeh Resort is perched on a lush hillside with a front row view of the Lembeh Strait
Passport to Paradise Indeed
While each of these locations is definitely worth visiting in their own right, together they offer a trip trifecta that is hard to beat: In a single vacation, you’ll drift along stunning steep walls, boogie with the Anthias, and observe creatures that look like they’re visiting from another planet. Each location offers a unique vibe and dive style.
But what really makes this three-stop dive journey so special is not just the variety of underwater experiences, but how seamlessly everything comes together. All logistics are taken care of: Your gear is transferred for you and you don’t lose any diving days. Three dive areas. Three resorts. And more than likely three thousand photos!
A diver explores a labyrinth of healthy hard coral cover at Bunaken
There are currently 12- and 15-day all-inclusive “Passport to Paradise” itineraries available, taking in stays at Murex Manado, Murex Bangka and Lembeh Resort. While the preferred route begins in Manado and ends in Lembeh, the trip can be undertaken in reverse, subject to accommodation availability. For more information and bookings, visit Murex Resorts or Lembeh Resort.
About the Authors: Based in Melbourne, Australia, Anita Verde and Peter Marshall have a passion for the planet’s wild places, and through their images and narratives hope to inspire better appreciation and protection of the natural world. When not underwater, you’ll find them on a mountain somewhere. To see more of their work, please visit their website, www.summitstoseasphotography.com.
RELATED CONTENT
Featured Photographer
