Muck & Magic Trip Report
Popular underwater photographer Saeed Rashid led our Muck & Magic tour to Bunaken National Marine Park & Lembeh Strait in 2022. Here he shares highlights from the trip and what to expect on this year's adventure, which returns to Lembeh and takes in the iconic Raja Ampat on an optional extension.
Northern Sulawesi is an incredible place. It has two distinct sides - the weird world of muck diving in Lembeh Strait and the magical blue water of Bunaken National Park, which I affectionately refer to as the 'Muck and Magic' of Sulawesi.
I started my recent trip off by diving those magical blue waters of Bunaken. You first notice the abundance of fish life as you enter the water, but Bunaken is famous for turtles. Massive sleeping green turtles and smaller hawksbills, often eating the soft coral and sponges, can be found along the reef wall. I remember my first trip here many years ago and was wowed by the number of turtles we saw, and these numbers seem to increase every time I return. There are now more turtles here than anywhere else I've been lucky enough to dive.
Diving into Lembeh, the darkness is due to the black volcanic sand typical of the area. You would think that this doesn't make it sound like an attractive diving location, but it's incredible. You'll hear stories from divers returning year after year because there truly is no other place like Lembeh. This small area probably generates more competition-winning underwater images than any other location in the world.
Looking for critters is a fine art, and even though I've been many times, I rely on the amazing eyes of our dive guides, who have some of the sharpest in the business. If you aren't a photographer, my top tip is to pack a magnifying glass and take it diving with you. Lembeh also has a 15 divers per site rule meaning you're never likely to see people from other resorts underwater, so this gives you a very private experience.
This year, we're once again exploring the magical muck diving of Lembeh Strait, along with the stunning coral reef sites of northern Lembeh. For those looking for more magic, we're also offering an optional extension to Raja Ampat to experience one of the world's most biodiverse regions. I do hope you can join me.
Find out more about our Muck & Magic trip to Indonesia, or contact our team to speak to us about any of our diving holidays in Indonesia.
