Lembeh Dive Resort & Spa

My experience: Scuba Instructor 108.5 weeks of dive travel out of the US 2667 total dives My wife and I visited the area for the second time, but first time at Lembeh Resort. We were not disappointed by the resort or the diving. The resort has super good service as does the dive shop. They actually have an English teacher for the employees which was a true plus as everyone spoke descent English. The grounds are beautiful and our room (4B) had an awesome view. The food was good to very good; however, there were a few times when it was overcooked. The place is very clean and well maintained and the grounds are beautiful. The dive center and hotel are individually owned, but they mesh very well. There is a photo pro onsite with a camera room and camera shop. The boats were never crowded and the staff on the boats aim to please. The divemaster's were given only four divers max. We stayed 10 nights and had two different divemaster's and they were both equally good at finding small critters. If you want odd, small or weird creatures then Lembeh is the place for you. They do have beautiful reefs with lots of fish, but that is not the reason for going to Lembeh. It is the crazy weird stuff that lives there. Expect black sand and limited visibility from time to time, but do expect some amazing creatures in that ugliness. We had six different octopus and close to one per dive. I could go on forever on this review, but most people would get tired of reading it. So, I give it five stars all the way, but here are a few things I think they could do better. For the hotel the furniture in our room was very uncomfortable and seemed a bit cheap. The pillows are also way too flat for me. For the dive center it would be nice to have a lot more fans on our wet equipment so we are not putting on extremely wet gear every morning. In the camera room more fans would also be nice to dry any wet camera gear. Also, the lighting in the camera room was a bit dim even with the additional lights under the cabinets. Based on the above I would like to say that if going to Lembeh then really consider this resort. You will not be disappointed in the resort or the diving.

This was my first visit to Indonesia and Lembeh Resort....my husbands 6th. I was also doing my referral certification during our stay. From arrival to departure, the staff was beyond attentive and courteous. The resort is manicured daily and the spa is beautiful! Service is number 1 here! HOSPITALITY STAFF - anyone you encounter during your day is so pleasant and polite, smiling and greets you with a hello. They are helpful and gracious. The level of care and attention to detail...I won't spoil it for newbies but they do the sweetest things for new guests and for achievments! Just lovely and memorable! KITCHEN & BAR - THE FOOD!!!! you will not go hungry and the food is amazing! The chef and his staff make you feel like like a VIP at each and every meal...BRAVO!!! SOLENE - This young lady made me feel like a long-time friend! Coming from a hospiatlty backgrpound myself, I so appreciated her positve attitude toward her profession. She is fantastic with guests and has great rapport with her staff. SPA - I had two amazing treatments!!! If diving isn't your thing...you'll find tranquilty and relaxation in their spa! DIVE STAFF - From the captains to all the fellas that haul the tanks....they are so ready to help and always paying attention to whats happening on each boat. You want for nothing, they have thought of it all. Your spoiled by the care and consideration they take to handle your gear, camera equipment and even your "self"... helping you on and off the boat, etc. You simply show up and dive! What an experience! CHARLIE - comes to Lembeh with much dive expereince and knowledge. Young and enthusiastic about diving and photography...funny guy with tales to tell! JEFRY - (my certification instructor and then guide) This man should receive a metal for his patience! He was so kind and funny when I needed it most. He made sure I felt ready for each step with detailed explaination and demonstration. Sufficit to say...I'm certified! Great spotter and kept a keen eye on me during my earliest dives! DONI - (our guide, post my certification) was fantastic and his enthusiasm is contagious. Also a great spotter! PHOTOGRAPHY - This was my husbands area...but they have a great staff that is super helpful and very knowledgeable! LAWRENCE - Newest member to the photo team...very kind and knowledgeable. Great listener...Super willing to help in any way, giving suggestions and insight. I could go on and on!!! I'm hooked!!! Lembeh Resort has something so very special. I took home so many fond memories and the anticiaption of our next trip back!!!

This was my sixth visit to Lembeh resort (and I can't wait for my seventh). It has always been great but it only keeps getting better and better. You are so well taken care of from the moment you exit the airport until the (sad) day when it's time for you to head back into the airport for your flight home. Every one of the staff members are working really hard to make your stay really special, they do it with a big smile and are always working on how they can make it even better. The diving, the food, and the service are beyond fabulous. If you are looking to experience the ultimate epicenter of underwater biodiversity while being very well taken care of and eating like a king, this is the place! Critters that most experienced dividers have never even heard of are all here and many more are still waiting to be discovered. Dive guides, housekeeping, chefs, bartenders, deck hands, captains, restaurant staff, dive center staff, photo center staff, management, owners, mechanics and grounds keepers and everyone else on the Lembeh resort staff; you have created something very special here and you should all be very proud of what you have built, while working together and sharing your great smiles with all of us. If I could give you 10 stars I would. All the best Boo Nilsson PS Future guests: if East Lembeh day tours are available during your stay, do not miss. Some of the most spectacular reefs on the planet are on the East side of Lembeh island.

A beautiful cliff side resort with a newly renovated gorgeous spa surrounded by tropical flowers and plants. Only minutes away by boat to multiple dives sites, extensive variety and delicious meals provided in an open air setting. All this and an absolutely incredible staff!! Sol and her team are doing amazing things at Lembeh Resort!! I will return!!

This was our third visit to Lembeh resort and as soon as we arrived we wondered why it had been nine years since the last time (oh right, travel time/distance from the US and limited vacation days). If we could, we would make this an annual destination. From booking through email, to our drop off at the airport after our two week stay, every single staff member we met went above and beyond to exceed our expectations. We would like to specifically mention Solene for making our stay so comfortable and not only listening/responding to our every need, but anticipating them as well. The resort is extremely lucky to have her on staff. We stayed in a Garden View room, and although they are showing their age, are still perfectly adequate accommodations; close to everything, minimal stairs, and a beautiful view of the incredible landscaping and trees around the resort. The grounds crew really does an excellent job. There was quite a bit of construction going on during our stay but staff were very conscientious about the noise and the loudest activity was while the boats were out on dives. The food is even better than before and they have complete vegetarian and vegan menus, as well as lots of vegetarian options on the breakfast and lunch buffets. Plus we could request tofu to be added to any meal if we needed a little more protein. We had a little difficulty in the beginning getting our food without spice (chili flakes) added to everything, but working with Solene made it happen. You will miss the food when you leave. Queen was a delight and always greets every guest with a smile while making sure your water glass never gets empty. Tip: if you are vegetarian, request to see the regular dinner menu as well to scope out the desserts. Usually the better desserts, in our opinion, were on that menu and not the vegetarian menu (even though all desserts were vegetarian, they put different ones on that menu). We did the Birdwatching Tour at Tangkoko National Park. Sno accompanied us from the resort and made sure everything went smoothly. He also carried extra water and bug spray, and often the large scope. He was really the unsung hero of the excursion. The guide who joined us for the day was incredible in both his enthusiasm for birds but also his ability in finding and identifying them in the rainforest. He could spot birds an incredible distance away and had an awesome scope for us to use to see them. We decided to head back to the resort after lunch (it was an all day tour) as it was hot and mosquitoes were fierce but would highly recommend the tour to anyone interested in wildlife, particularly birds. If you stay for the afternoon you go to see the monkeys and tarsiers. Lunch was delicious and plentiful and you have use of a day room at a small local hotel for a shower and nap after lunch if you choose. If we had known that we could shower, change clothes, and start fresh for the afternoon portion we likely would have planned/packed differently and done the whole day, but that wasn’t clear until lunchtime. Regardless, we had a great time and felt like we got our moneys worth doing just the morning. Tips if you do the tour: bring good walking/hiking shoes. We had closed-toed sandals and they worked, but hiking shoes and socks would have been much more comfortable. You are walking off path in the rainforest, do not wear regular sandals. Plus they have biting ants which will get your unprotected feet. Bring lots of bug spray and sunscreen. This tour includes a boat ride in an open boat without shade for at least an hour. They bring water refills for you (you need to bring your own water bottle which the resort provides at check-in) but we brought extra water as well and didn’t regret it. You can leave extra stuff in the van so you aren’t carrying everything you bring. Schedule as far in advance as possible to get the best company/tour guide to lead the birding section. Critters@Lembeh was the well run dive operation we remember. Doni and Sandro were excellent guides, shout out to Opo K for the best night dive of our lives, and thanks to Charlie for taking us to one of the most unbelievable wall/coral sites we’ve ever seen. Who knew this was hiding there the whole time?!? The muck is exceptional diving, of course, but if you are there for several days, be sure to request a dive or two on the wall. Also, do a dusk dive. Or five. They are hands-down the best dives to see octopus and witness behavior. We are already planning when we can get back.