Discover the hidden side of the legendary Lembeh Strait. Beyond its world-famous muck diving lies a fascinating underwater landscape filled with unique marine life, coral reefs, and exciting dive sites waiting to be explored. Join our Lembeh exploration and experience the incredible biodiversity of North Sulawesi with the team at Bastianos Froggies Lembeh Dive Resort — where every dive reveals something extraordinary beneath the surface.

Bastianos is proud to announce the winners of the 1st Annual 2025 Bastianos Underwater Photo Competition. Congratulations to Wide Lens winner “Flying High” by Andi Fäh and Macro Lens winner “In A Nutshell” by Cécile Héry, whose images beautifully capture the underwater world’s diversity and wonder. Thank you to all participants for making this inaugural event a success!

Well done to our December winners! You’ve wrapped up the final month of the 2025 competition in style. All monthly winners from throughout the year will now move on to the final voting stage, where we’ll decide the best photos of 2025. Stay tuned — exciting moments ahead!

At 17, Barney crafted his inaugural underwater housing for a Canon AE1, a gift from his parents. Since then, he has spent over a decade traveling full-time, relentlessly pursuing remarkable photos and rare wildlife. His work has graced numerous publications, beyond his own books.

It’s official, we have the winners! Congratulations and enjoy the moment to the final round early next year for a chance to win exciting prizes

The Lembeh Strait is world-famous for its weird, wonderful, and wildly colorful marine life — but few critters stir up as much excitement as the Rhinopias. Often referred to as the “Holy Grail” of underwater photography, these elusive scorpionfish draw divers and photographers alike — a rare sight that can turn a quiet muck-dive site into a frenzy of bubbles and strobes

Even as a tiny juvenile measuring just 2–3 mm, the Painted Frogfish (Antennarius pictus) comes fully equipped with a built-in “fishing rod” (illicium) and suction-mouth mechanism, making it a highly effective ambush predator of small fish and shrimps.

It’s official, we have the winners! Congratulations and enjoy the moment to the final round early next year for a chance to win exciting prizes

The Xenia Shrimp (Alcyonohippolyte commensalis) is perfectly adapted to its environment. Found exclusively among colonies of Xenia soft corals, its coloration blends so well that it’s nearly invisible — only becoming noticeable when the coral polyps retract.