Lembeh Exploration

Jan 19

Exploring Lembeh’s Wild Side: Beyond the Muck

When people think of the Lembeh Strait, they think of muck diving—searching for the weird, the wonderful, and the tiny. Often, our guests visit our world-class reefs at Bunaken or the vibrant soft corals of Bangka as part of our Coral Triangle Dive Safari, leaving Lembeh strictly for the macro critters.

But what if I told you Lembeh has a secret?

While the Strait is famous for its black sand, there are also incredible, vibrant coral reefs and the chance for pelagic encounters just around the corner. The only catch? Most of these sites are tucked away on the remote, lesser-explored East Side of Lembeh.

A Mission of Discovery

During our short maintenance closure in December, the Bastianos Froggies Lembeh team saw the perfect opportunity to go exploring. We wanted to find a way to make these “blue water” sites more accessible to our guests.

Usually, we visit the East Side by boat, but this time we decided to tackle it by land. Having lived at the resort for most of the last year, I’ll admit I had been a bit “stuck” in our home bubble. Aside from visiting the nearby village of Mawali, I hadn’t seen much of the island I call home. I was ready for an adventure.

Jungles, Villages, and Hidden Bays

Our journey started in Mawali, winding through lush, jungle-covered hills toward the north. On the map, it looked easy. In reality? We suddenly found ourselves on hills high above the water! My excitement during the planning phase might have overlooked the verticality of Lembeh’s terrain.

Eventually, we reached a quiet seaside village, where we were greeted by a swarm of smiling local schoolchildren. This was our first scouting point.

We hiked along the beach to test the waters. While the shallow corals were beautiful, the tide was too low to snorkel effectively. However, looking out past the swell, the deep blue water looked incredibly promising. It’s a spot we’ll definitely be returning to by boat to see what lies in the depths.

Our next stop was a village to the south, nestled in a steep valley. The plan was to snorkel the bay and chat with local fishermen about reef health.

Due to stronger winds and swell that day, it wasn’t really possible to enter the water, so we focused on speaking with local fishermen about potential dive locations instead. I also sent my drone along the shoreline to get a better idea of the area’s topography.

Even without getting our fins wet, it was clear that the East Side holds exciting potential—now it’s just a matter of finding the best way to share it with you.

What This Means for You

We are hoping to make the East Side of Lembeh a regular part of our diving map. Currently, reaching these sites requires a long boat ride and an additional fuel surcharge. Our goal is to find more efficient, affordable ways to get you there.

What can you expect on the East Side?