Lembeh Resort

We are so lucky to have found the Lembeh Resort as our virtual second home in Indonesia. Our first visit was in 2017. We have just returned from our 8th wonderful time there and we have already booked our 9th, 10th, and 11th visits at the Lembeh Resort among people whose warmth and hospitality are like a loving family. Of course, behind the friendliness is a high degree of professionalism and expertise. And it also helps that this resort is home to the finest land-based dive operation we have ever seen: Critters-at-Lembeh (Critters@Lembeh). Diving is the main attraction here. Lembeh Strait is on every serious diver's bucket list for good reason. Many people come to see their first Blue-ring Octopus or Wonderpus or Mimic Octopus, and we have seen these and many others multiple times. But we have learned that is best to approach each dive as a new adventure to see what presents itself to a patient observer. The guides here are not just leaders--they are eagle-eyed spotters, naturalists, marine biologists, taxonomists, and photography coaches. At the end of each dive, you will be presented with a list of about 20-30 names of the creatures you have seen, most with their Latin names! Our photo collections provide hours of enjoyment reviewing shots of nudibranchs, fish, octopuses, corals, worms, tunicates, and crustaceans. The dive crew and photo staff all cooperate to take excellent care of all the guests. Gitti, Julz, Pettri, and Glen in the dive shop, Ross, the photo pro along with Fandy, Opo K, and Sandro leading the photo team and also guiding, all of the dive guides and tank technicians (too many to name, but all fantastic), the boat crews including Jonly, Ifer, Tommy, Yongki, Rafel, Rein, and especially Momo work hard and cheerfully together to make your diving easy and fun. If you are not diving, there are several fascinating day trips available. We once went to Tangkoko National Park and had a blast with Snou from the front desk along with us. Videos of this excursion and dive videos are available on our YouTube channel (Fugawe Travel International). It is not easy to get to Lembeh, but the Resort takes good care of their guests as soon as they exit the Manado Airport. Your escort holds a sign with your name and once you connect, you're given a cold towel and ice-cold water in a keepsake aluminum bottle. After a smooth 45-minute drive and a 10-minute boat ride to the resort, guests are escorted to their rooms where their bags have already been delivered. There are orientations to the resort and the dive operation, but I cannot give details since my wife and I have been there so many times that we skip these formalities. But we see new guests participating with amazement in their faces and we remember what that was like our first time there. The garden areas are beautifully manicured to look balanced in a natural way. The walkways are routinely maintained for safety. The buildings are perched like precious gems in a jungle. The food is amaz

The best place to stay in Lembeh. This is my third trip to Lembeh, and I have stayed at a different hotel each time. Lembeh Resort is by far the best and when we go back to Lembeh, we will be staying there again. Fantastic diving crews, not just the dive guides (ours was excellent) but the rest of the boat crews had a passion for making sure we saw everything Lembeh strait had to offer. Every meal was delicious and the rooms were clean and comfortable. Everyone at Lembeh Resort looked after us, adding personal touches on several occasions. After five days of diving it was sad to leave. We will miss everyone and hope to get back soon.