Diving Indonesia: A Magic Muck Dive Experience
It felt so good to be back in Sulawesi, Indonesia, for this year’s Muck & Magic underwater photography workshop in Indonesia. This corner of the country is really starting to feel like a second home.
We kicked off our two-week adventure in the weird and wonderful Lembeh Strait, staying, naturally, at Dive into Lembeh. With a fully kitted-out camera room and guides who know every nook and cranny of the seabed, this little resort delivers everything we could want as underwater photographers.
Squid, by Roger Selwyn
The strait’s calm waters gave us the perfect gentle start, but things ramped up quickly. Octopus were out in force, mimics, wonderpus, coconut and blue-rings, all making an appearance within the first few dives. Then came the real showstopper. Our guide spotted the holy grail: a hairy octopus. In all my years of diving, I’ve only ever seen three. This one didn’t just appear, it posed, calmly allowing everyone on our boat to get their shot.
Coconut octopus, by Saeed Rashid
It’s always a bit awkward breaking the news to the other group when they’ve missed something that special. But I needn’t have worried. The very next day, it reappeared, this time for them. And yes, I was lucky enough to be on that dive too.
Hairy octopus, by Saeed Rashid
Teaching was in full swing: three dives a day, formal talks, and plenty of one-to-one sessions. It sounds intense, and it is, but I always make sure there’s space to unwind. Whether it’s relaxing by the pool or soaking in a private onsen, it’s part of what makes the whole experience so enjoyable.
Eventually, our time in Lembeh came to an end, but the trip was far from over. Next stop: Coral Eye on Bangka Island.
Mantis shrimp, by Chris Frost
We transferred by boat, squeezing in a couple of dives along the way, truly the best way to travel between resorts. Set on a beautiful white sand beach, Coral Eye is barefoot luxury at its finest. Every detail was taken care of, often before we even realised we needed it.
Yellow pygmy gobies, by Hayley Frost
The highlight of the diving around Bangka is its incredibly healthy reefs, bursting with vibrant soft corals. And they didn’t disappoint. The world-famous Sahaung site, in particular, delivered in spades, walls covered in giant barrel sponges and glowing orange soft corals. A scene none of us will forget any time soon.
Scorpionfish, by Tony Coombes
Another area high on our list was the mangroves, incredibly shallow, these dark, moody areas are often overlooked, but vital habitats for juvenile fish. They might not be on everyone’s radar, but in my opinion, they’re every bit as fascinating as the reefs. And they delivered. In fact, some guests loved them so much they were checking the visibility in the local mangroves every morning.
Our end of the workshop slideshow showed how much the guests loved some of these unique habitats, as they were heavily featured.
Mangroves, by Saeed Rashid
If you’re looking for diving at its very best, you should really consider North Sulawesi - it’s amazing biodiversity will blow your mind. You won’t be surprised to hear that I will definitely be going back very soon.
Note: Images featured in this blog were taken during our 2025 Muck & Magic Indonesia underwater photography workshop, by Saeed Rashid and our clients Chris Frost, Hayley Frost, Roger Selwyn & Tony Coombes.
If you'd like to join Saeed Rashid on his next underwater photography trip, be sure to check out his Muck & Magic Philippines group tour! Contact our expert team for further information.
