North Sulawesi Dive Resorts
NAD-Lembeh Resort
Boutique family-run dive resort that is renowned for its excellent service and underwater photography facilities.
NAD-Lembeh Resort is an intimate dive resort situated in a private bay on Lembeh Island. The resort is well placed for divers wishing to take advantage of the unrivalled macro and muck diving of the Lembeh Strait.
Owners Simon, Zee and their team have spent many years building up the resort, and NAD-Lembeh is well-regarded internationally for its combination of superb diving, comfortable, good value accommodation and great food.
The Lembeh Strait region offers more than just face-to-face encounters with weird and wonderful critters. There is also wall diving, technical diving, and big fish dives – but most importantly, a lot of muck and sand habitats for you to perfect your photographic technique during your dives.
The resort’s excellent facilities and a dive guide ratio of 2:1 makes it a popular choice for both underwater photographers and discerning divers.
Hotel Services/Facilities: With just 15 rooms – a combination of beachfront rooms and seaview bungalows – NAD-Lembeh offers a cosy and personalised stay.
The resort has only a few steps, which makes the layout extremely convenient to get from your room to the restaurant, camera room, bar and floating jetty.
Guests will enjoy relaxing after dives around the small pool and jacuzzi in the garden area, with rattan furniture and comfortable cushions. Adjacent to the pool area are some kayaks, free for guests to use for an afternoon paddle around the bay.
NAD-Lembeh is focused towards underwater photographers and its large, newly renovated camera room is the centre piece of the resort. The room offers 30 individual and spacious well-equipped workstations, as well as plenty of seating and areas for sharing your photos with other divers.
The resort offers liveaboard-level convenience. Short boat rides whisk you to the many amazing muck and coral reef sites, while there is the added attraction of a spectacular house reef.
Food, Beverage & Entertainment Facilities: The open air restaurant is comfortably spacious and most meals are served buffet style, rolling through various Asian dishes and also catering for international tastes with European fayre and ‘fast food’ options as well. Generally, as it is a dive resort, seafood and fish are not on the menu unless guests specifically request it.
There is a Bar (opened in 2017) which is equipped with a modern projector and multiple TVs, making this the perfect space to edit your pictures or to watch presentations. Enjoy the beautiful sunset overlooking the Lembeh Strait together with a cold beer, a glass of wine, or delicious cocktail, sharing your memories of the day’s diving adventures.
Transfers: NAD-Lembeh Resort is situated around a one hour journey from Manado’s airport – Sam Ratulangi Airport (MDC) – by road and boat.
NAD-Lembeh Resort features 10 Beachfront Rooms and 5 Seaview Bungalows, each with an extra room/office space attached.
All rooms feature ocean view, air-conditioning, private bathroom with shower and hot water, and Wi-Fi.
The stand-alone bungalows are located in a secluded portion of the resort, a short distance away from the main building.
With an impressive view over the bay, they are especially suitable for couples who want to spend their evenings sitting on a private deck with the best view in the Straits.
All the bungalows feature an additional day room suitable for use as a small office or for a child.
The beachfront rooms are directly by the beach and pool. Ideal for those who do not like steps or just want to be closer to the restaurant, bar and camera room. Twin as well as double beds are available. Adjacent rooms are ideal for groups travelling together.
The Dive Centre at NAD-Lembeh is managed by a local and international team led by Simon and Zee, who have painstakingly worked to ensure that they are a forerunner in the photographic world running amazing workshops, as well as catering for individual divers with the most personal and careful service.
The team consists of 15 full-time guides with over 100 years of combined experience. They guarantee a unique 2:1 guest to guide ratio. This makes for a private dive experience and lots of time for everyone to take pictures. Air as well as Nitrox and various cylinder sizes (both DIN and Yoke) are available at the onsite dive centre.
A typical dive day comprises a two-tank morning trip, with lunch back at the resort, followed by a one-tank afternoon trip. Blackwater Diving and Night Dives are available on demand, which would be generally be the third or the fourth dive of the day, depending on your dive programme.
The NAD Photo Center was established back in 2009 by Mike Veitch and Simon who are both professional photographers. The resort offers everything for underwater photographers from beginner to experienced, including spares and professional quality rental equipment. There are also 4K TV’s, Eizo colour corrected monitors and even a full edit suite!
The large camera room offers 30 individual spacious workstations, each with LED lights, rubber mat, camera towel and numerous power sockets and USB ports. For those who like to spend a bit more time checking settings, preparing their cameras or reviewing photos, the benches and chairs are the perfect spot to “work” even if you’re on holidays. You will also find basic tools, air-gun, rinse tanks, a drying cabinet, tv, computer and fish ID books.
Diving the Lembeh Strait is a unique experience. These black sand bays and coral outcrops hold an outstanding amount of marine life. If you are an underwater photographer, the Lembeh Strait should be on your “must visit list.” Likely multiple times!
Divers visiting Lembeh are likely to see a vast list of must-see critters. Frogfish, Rhinopias, a huge array of Nudibranchs and Octopus, the Blue-Ringed Octopus and Mimic Octopus, being a highlight. Lembeh is not just muck diving though! The dive team explore all over the island and beyond, to find some of the best reef diving in South East Asia.
Other Indonesian Hotels / Resorts
Bali – Kubu Indah Dive & Spa Resort
Bali – Alam Anda Ocean Front Resort & Spa
Bali – Alam Batu Beach Bungalow Resort
North Sulawesi – Bunaken Oasis Dive Resort
North Sulawesi – Siladen Resort and Spa
North Sulawesi – Tasik Ria Resort
North Sulawesi – White Sands Beach Resort Lembeh by Eco Divers
North Sulawesi – Dive Into Lembeh
North Sulawesi – Lembeh Resort
North Sulawesi – Murex Bangka Resort
North Sulawesi – Murex Manado Resort
Raja Ampat – Dive Into Raja Ampat (@ Waiwo Resort)
Raja Ampat – Kri Eco Resort (Papua Diving)
Raja Ampat – Papua Explorers Dive Resort
Raja Ampat – Sorido Bay Resort (Papua Diving)
Raja Ampat (North Maluku) – Sali Bay Resort
Offers
PHILIPPINES DIVING
2 CENTRE RESORT OFFER
15 – 26 January 2025
NOW from JUST £2495pp
RED SEA DIVING
SHARM RESORT OFFER
27 November – 04 December 2024
NOW from JUST £855pp
MALDIVES DIVING
LIVEABOARD OFFER
29 November – 07 December 2024
NOW from JUST £1975pp
MALTA DIVING
RESORT OFFER
10 – 17 December 2024
NOW from JUST £635pp
RED SEA DIVING
LIVEABOARD OFFER
12 – 19 December 2024
NOW from JUST £999pp
MALDIVES DIVING
CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR OFFER
20 December 2024 – 04 January 2025
NOW from JUST £5595pp
SOUTH AFRICA SHARK DIVING
RESORT OFFER
06 – 14 May 2025
NOW from JUST £1695pp
The Dive Diaries
Insights, recommendations and dive experiences from our team
Top Destinations for Shark Diving Holidays
Seeing a shark up close in the wild is a moment that stays with you forever. Exhilarating. Exciting. Truly, life enhancing. Sharks hold a very
Next Level Diving on a Liveaboard
After becoming an Open Water Diver this year, Beth jumped at the chance to visit Egypt again and take her first liveaboard trip, continuing her
Sri Lanka and the Maldives: the perfect family holiday
Helena and family head to the Indian Ocean for a twin centre holiday in paradise. This year I am celebrating a milestone birthday, so I