TRAVEL

The duty free destination of Labuan was once a small colonial outpost of the British Empire and is now a free trade zone under the Malaysian government. The island is surrounded by pristine fringing coral reefs housing all manner for fish and marine life however there is another attraction for divers here. Four ship wrecks lie in shallow waters just south of Pulau Labuan. Diving is for all experience levels from novice to pro as penetration is possible.

Labuan at a glance

Accommodation : Hotel/Resort.

Highlights : Wreck diving.

Average cost of a dive : $20

Dive Sites : 4

Dive Operators : 2+

Getting there : Boat from KK, 3 hours, from Brunei 1 hour.

Off Season : None, diving year round.

The long rugged island of Flores is not known internationally as a dive destination. However due to its geographic position at the junction of the Australasian and Asian submarine ridges and between the two distinct faunal regions marked by the Wallace line it yeilds some impressive marine life. The coral reefs of the Flores sea are amongst the oldest in the world and are mostly in pristine condition. They are recovering nicely from damage caused by the 1992 tsunami however their growth could be even quicker if the authorities took action against the dynamite fishing that is painfully common in the area. Maumere in the east is a real muck diving paradise, known for its endemic species and bio-diversity.

Riung
There are a number of lesser known spots such as Riung along the northern coastline of Flores that may soon develop into dive resorts of their own. At the moment though they are solely visited by liveaboards from Bali, Komodo or those originating in Maumere. Many of the dive sites here are frontier and uncharted.

Flores at a glance Accommodation : Bungalow or Liveaboard Highlights : Marine diversity, critters, frontier dive sites. Average cost of a dive : $30 Dive Sites : 10+ Dive Operators : 2+ Getting there : Liveaboard. Off Season : None

The map below is interactive so click on the dive site to get more details.

The world renowned Lembeh Strait lies off the northern tip of Sulawesi. Since resorts started to open in the mid-90s the area has rapidly gained popularity amongst macro photographers and is now considered the diving Mecca for critters and macro marine life. The extremely diverse marine habitat in this stretch of water offers a plethora of macro species, many of which can found nowhere else on the planet. Diving here is the ultimate experience for photographers in search of the unusual and unseen. It is often refered to as a muck divers paradise as most of the sites are either sandy areas or small reefs, there are no spectacular walls of drop offs here. With over 30 dive sites to choose from and even a WWII wreck all within a short boat ride over calm waters from the resort it is no surprise that the Lembeh Strait is a world class dive destination.

Lembeh is diveable all year but the conditions do vary from month to month. January to June sees variable (but still fine) conditions and less divers. August sees the poorest visibility but the richest numbers of critters and September to October are probably the best two months overall.

The Lembeh Strait has over 30 dive sites so since the topography and marine life is very similar for most of them we have only included the most popular. Other good dive sites in Lembeh include Jahir; a large sandy site with coral blocks, Nudi Retreat; very similar to Nudi Falls, Aw Shucks where whip coral and pipefish are abundant, Pantai Parigi; more muck marine life, Kapal Indah; wrecked cargo boat teeming with life, Jiko Yance; reef slope with good viz, Aer Perang and the house reefs at Kungkungan and Divers Lodge.

Lembeh Strait at a glance Accommodation : Resort Highlights : Rare macro species. Average cost of a dive : $30 Dive Sites : 25+ Dive Operators : 8+ Getting there : Flight to Manado, then 1.5 hour drive. Off Season : None

The dive destinations of Bunaken and Lembeh near Manado in the north are by far the most popular of Sulawesi's dive spots. However the are countless other islands, reefs, atolls and diving opportunities around Sulawesi. With over 6,000 kilometers of coastline fringed with pristine, clear tropical waters and a rich diversity of marine life Sulawesi is one of the best diving destinations on the planet. Dramatic topography consists of abyssal trenches and sheer drop-offs near the coast. Nutrient rich oceanic currents well up from the deep attracting a huge variety of marine life. Many spots around the sprawling island are pristine, frontier dive destinations just waiting to be explored.

Sulawesi at a glance

Accommodation : Resort, liveaboard

Highlights : Biodiversity, deep wall diving, pelagics, critters.

Average cost of a dive : $30

Dive Sites : 50+

Dive Operators : 20+

Getting there : International flights.

Off Season : None

The world renowned Lembeh Strait lies off the northern tip of Sulawesi. Since resorts started to open in the mid-90s the area has rapidly gained popularity amongst macro photographers and is now considered the diving Mecca for critters and macro marine life. The extremely diverse marine habitat in this stretch of water offers a plethora of macro species, many of which can found nowhere else on the planet. Diving here is the ultimate experience for photographers in search of the unusual and unseen. It is often refered to as a muck divers paradise as most of the sites are either sandy areas or small reefs, there are no spectacular walls of drop offs here. With over 30 dive sites to choose from and even a WWII wreck all within a short boat ride over calm waters from the resort it is no surprise that the Lembeh Strait is a world class dive destination.

Lembeh is diveable all year but the conditions do vary from month to month. January to June sees variable (but still fine) conditions and less divers. August sees the poorest visibility but the richest numbers of critters and September to October are probably the best two months overall.

The Lembeh Strait has over 30 dive sites so since the topography and marine life is very similar for most of them we have only included the most popular. Other good dive sites in Lembeh include Jahir; a large sandy site with coral blocks, Nudi Retreat; very similar to Nudi Falls, Aw Shucks where whip coral and pipefish are abundant, Pantai Parigi; more muck marine life, Kapal Indah; wrecked cargo boat teeming with life, Jiko Yance; reef slope with good viz, Aer Perang and the house reefs at Kungkungan and Divers Lodge.

Lembeh Strait at a glance

Accommodation : Resort

Highlights : Rare macro species.

Average cost of a dive : $30

Dive Sites : 25+

Dive Operators : 8+

Getting there : Flight to Manado, then 1.5 hour drive.

Off Season : None