Dive Review of Black Sand Dive Retreat in
Indonesia

Other Indonesia reports
Subscriber Content Preview
Active subscribers go here

Black Sand Dive Retreat: "Possibly the best little dive resort on earth", Mar, 2024, by David Hill, MA, US ( Sr. Reviewer 9 reports with 6 Helpful votes). Report 12919 has 2 Helpful votes.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	After diving a number of other resorts over the last year, we returned again to Black Sand Dive Retreat on Lembeh Strait in Indonesia. With another great visit we continue to feel this is the best small dive resort we have found anywhere in the world. For those unfamiliar with Lembeh, this is in western North Sulawesi about an hour from Manado airport. It is primarily muck diving rather than reef diving. Most areas are sand, mud and coral rubble. This may sound unattractive to divers used to gorgeous coral reefs, but the muck environment is inhabited by a bizarre and wonderful collection of creatures you will not find anywhere else. On any visit you will see dozens of different nudibranchs, frogfish, seahorses, octopuses, shrimp, crabs, eels, etc. The visibility is not what you find on a pristine reef, but the creatures you find make it more than worth it. Black Sand has just seven spacious bungalows with semi-outdoor bathrooms/showers, a lovely dining/lounge area and a perfectly designed dive center. Black Sand was designed and built by long-time dive guide Bruce Moore and his wife, Fung. It was built from an experienced diver’s perspective, and that is reflected in every aspect of the resort. They operate small boats carrying no more than four divers, and frequently no more than two. Most dive sites are within 10-12 minutes of the resort, with some just two minutes away. Because dive sites are so close, they return to the resort after every dive, giving divers much flexibility on how often and when they want to dive each day. The dive guides at Black Sand are highly trained, know the area extremely well and give a level of service we have never seen anywhere else. They transport all cameras to and from the boats, care for them like their own and collect them from divers at the end of the dive to return them to the boat. Even more important, they are able to locate and show divers the vast array of critters to be found. They are patient with photographers, helping them to set up shots in the best possible way and from the best angle. They check constantly on the comfort of their divers and their happiness with what they are seeing. Food at Black sand is varied, healthy and good. The menu varies. The land staff are friendly, happy and helpful. Black Sand is reached via either Singapore and Jakarta with an onward flight to Manado. Black Sand picks you up at the Manado airport. About the only real issue at Black Sand is the internet, which is not in any way the fault of Black Sand. Internet infrastructure and connectivity outside major cities in Indonesia is undependable and often absent. Final Tip: Do not miss the opportunity to do a night dive or two in Lembeh. The octopuses come out to hunt, and a whole new cast of characters emerges from the muck.
Websites	Black Sand Dive Retreat
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Hawaii, Australia, Indonesia, New Guinea, Trobriand Islands, Santa Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, Kiribati, Tahiti, Florida, Caymans, St. Martin, Bonaire, Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Seychelles, Red Sea, Tanzania, etc.
Closest Airport	Manado	Getting There	Through either Singapore or Jakarta to Manado.
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy, rainy, cloudy	Seas	choppy
Water Temp	83-°F / 28-°C	Wetsuit Thickness	5
Water Visibility	30-50 Ft/ 9-15 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	[Unspecified]
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	A photographer's heaven.

Report currently has 2 Helpful votes

Leave a comment (Subscribers only -- 200 words max)
Subscribers can comment here

Subscribers can post comments, ask the reviewer questions, as well as getting immediate and complete access to ALL 1529 dive reviews of Indonesia and all other dive destinations. Complete access to all issues and Chapbooks is also included.

All Indonesia Dive Reviews and Reports
Diving Guide to Indonesia
Diving Reviews for All Dive Destinations

Want to assemble your own collection of Indonesia reports in one place?
Use the Mini Chapbook Facility to create your personalized collection.

Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

Undercurrent Home

Page computed and displayed in 0.22 seconds

Get more dive info like these and other important scuba updates sent monthly to your email. And a FREE Recent Issue of Undercurrent
Get a free monthly email and a sample issue!

Dive Review of Black Sand Dive Retreat in Indonesia

Black Sand Dive Retreat: "Possibly the best little dive resort on earth", Mar, 2024,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Black Sand Dive Retreat in
Indonesia