Join underwater photographer Saeed Rashid in Indonesia on our latest laid-back adventure. Dive into the incredible marine life of two exceptional regions of North Sulawesi on a remarkable 17-day itinerary.
Returning first to Lembeh Strait - one of Saeed's favourite locations - for a week of photography and fun at Dive into Lembeh Resort, the itinerary then moves to the seldom-visited Bangka Archipelago for a second week at the sumptuous Coral Eye Resort. Uniquely, travel between these two locations is by boat, including two exploratory dives en-route to add to this adventure.
Diving highlights will include muck diving in Lembeh Strait, seeking a plethora of weird and wonderful smaller marine life, coupled with wall dives, huge volcanic boulders, pristine coral reefs and more macro photography in Bangka.
With a generous 36 dives included, great company and informal presentations from Saeed, this promises to be a spectacular adventure for marine life enthusiasts and budding photographers to hone their photography skills.
For an insight into a previous underwater photography workshop, check out Saeed Rashid's blog Diving Indonesia: A Magic Muck Dive Experience.
We're currently scheduling future departure dates, please see Saeed Rashid’s latest adventure Capturing Critters in Bangka and Lembeh, Muck & Magic Philippines, or contact us to if you'd like to receive information once future departures of this itinerary become available.
Typical Itinerary
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Day 1:
Depart the UK
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Day 2:
Arrive in Manado and transfer to Lembeh
Transfer by road to Dive into Lembeh Resort on the shores of the Lembeh Strait; a photographers’ paradise famed for its wonderful diversity of weird and wonderful marine life.
Located in Kasawari Bay, this intimate dive resort offers panoramic views of Lembeh Island and easy access to the muck dive sites of Lembeh Strait, two of which are the house reef. The owner-managed, diver-dedicated resort features three economical longhouse rooms and nine identical sea view bungalows built from locally sourced materials.
Facilities include an open-air restaurant and bar serving local and international cuisine, a swimming pool, a dedicated camera room, spa and fire pit overlooking the Lembeh Strait where you can sit comfortably and talk about the amazing critter encounters of the day.
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Days 3-8
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Enjoy two dives per day plus shore diving in the Lembeh Strait
Our itinerary includes three daily boat dives in the Lembeh Strait, with house reef diving also available. Nitrox is included.
Lembeh is an extraordinary destination for divers; dubbed the engine room of evolution. Here, one can find all kinds of magical marine life, including numerous species of seahorse, nudibranch, shrimp and crab, octopus, eel, frogfish, pipefish, cuttlefish, scorpionfish and mandarin fish. Any photographers will not be short of subjects to practice, and there is arguably no better place to develop your macro photography skills. Divers without cameras will also enjoy the treasure hunt of finding these creatures, which are often perfectly camouflaged, with the help of expert local dive guides. The northern dive sites of the Lembeh Strait are also home to some exceptional coral reef dives to provide a balance of diving styles.
Saeed will be on hand to guide you through your time, offering one to one advice and providing some informal talks tailored to the interests of those on the trip.
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Day 9:
Boat and diving transfer to the Bangka Archipelago
Your time in Lembeh comes to an end today, and you will be transferred by boat to your next location, the beautiful Coral Eye Resort in the Bangka Archipelago. En route, enjoy two exploratory dives at seldom visited sites to add to your adventure.
On arrival at Coral Eye Resort, get settled, relax and prepare for your second week of diving.
Born from a passion for marine research, the beautiful Coral Eye Resort has been developed into a vibrant hub for divers, underwater photographers and marine biologists, all united by a love for the underwater world.
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Days 10-15
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Diving in Bangka Island
Your diving adventure continues unabated in the Bangka Archipelago, with a further 16 dives. Enjoy 12 boat dives during your stay to explore the wealth and variety of this region, along with four opportunities to dive the house reef; a delight for budding underwater photographers.
The diving here is one of contrasting styles. Fringing reefs are dominated by hard corals and have very high biodiversity. Volcanic walls and pinnacles adorned in soft corals make beautiful dive sites for experienced divers, while the area also has black volcanic sand sites similar to Lembeh, and areas of mangrove forest. It's possible to see pygmy seahorse, leaf fish, frog fish, white and black tip reef sharks, nudibranchs, and dugongs in these rich waters.
Daily dives leave around 8 am on the resort's handcrafted dive boats, making two dives before returning for lunch. In addition to house reef diving, afternoon and night dives are also possible.
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Day 16:
Depart Indonesia
Your Indonesian adventure comes to an end today, and after saying goodbye, you will be transferred back to the airport by boat and by road.
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Day 17:
Arrive UK
