Coral Reef Snorkeling in Bangka

THE HISTORY OF DIVING IN NORTH SULAWESI

Though scuba diving in Indonesia is still relatively new, already in the 1980’s North Sulawesi established itself as a top dive destination. Today it remains as one of the very best diving destinations in the World, with pristine reefs and the planets highest concentration of rare and unusual marine life.

Lembeh Resort began as the family holiday home of Alex Rorimpandey, a North Sulawesi native from nearby Tondano. What began as a single cottage overlooking the Strait grew into a small resort, opening in December 2002 with three guest cottages. Today, the resort boasts 1 Cliffside Villa, 13 Luxury Cottages, 6 Garden View Rooms, a Spa, as well as a wonderful swimming-pool and ocean front deck, the perfect place to enjoy a sundowner cocktail at the end of a busy day of critter-diving.

Alex may have passed away in July 2003, but his legacy lives on in proud traditions at Lembeh Resort. Today, his wife and sons own the resort and are actively involved in its management. The resort employs and trains many local villagers on Lembeh Island. In keeping with his social commitment to the community, Alex donated materials to build the local church in nearby Pintu Kota Kecil. This mutual cooperation has helped forge a strong bond between the resort and the people of Lembeh Island. Alex’s vision, which we at Lembeh continue to uphold, is that “We are all owners of Lembeh Resort, so we must all take care to watch over it”. Continuing the community ethos that Alex wanted Lembeh Resort to embody, the resort currently employ approximately 30% of its staff from the neighboring villages and another 50% from the local Bitung area.

Our Dive Centre, Critters@Lembeh Resort, is owned and managed by Danny Charlton and Angelique Batuna. Angelique is the daughter of the late Dr. Batuna who was one of the pioneers of diving in North Sulawesi and who is now a member of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame. Critters@Lembeh Resort has been diving Lembeh Strait since 2002. Danny, an American and Angelique, originally from North Sulawesi, have been working together with Lembeh Resort founder Alex Rorimpandey and his family since before the resort’s opening.

The resort has grown to encapsulate the essence of scuba diving and underwater imagery. The Dive Centre now has five purpose built dive boats to ensure a personalized service. The dive team consists of seasoned dive guides with more than a collective 70.000 dives, a full time marine biologist and photo pro and the first and only Photo-Center in the Lembeh Strait.

The Lembeh Strait is widely recognized by marine biologists as having the World’s highest concentration of rare and unusual marine life. The practice of muck diving, also known as critter diving, began in the Lembeh Strait in the mid nineties when marine biologists started to explore the black sand slopes of Lembeh Strait to identify the amazing diversity of animals that inhabit this incredible underwater realm. Today, 20 years later, divers who enjoy both macro as well as wide-angle underwater photography travel from all over the world to experience this magical place in North Sulawesi.

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Lembeh Experiences

North Sulawesi offers incredible scenery from ancient volcanoes through to lush national parks which are home to a host of species of wildlife and birds. Take a tour with one of our experienced Guides and learn more about the rich, local culture and traditions of North Sulawesi.

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The Lembeh Strait is recognized by marine biologists as having the World’s highest concentration of rare and unusual marine life. Our team of Dive Guides are all marine biology and underwater photography trained to ensure you experience the best of diving in Lembeh.

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Lembeh Resort Luxury Cottage

At Lembeh Resort we aim to ensure that every detail is taken care of, that’s why all of our accommodation is tastefully designed with your comfort in mind. Our warm-hearted team offer service with a smile to ensure that your experience of Lembeh will be the best that it can be.

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