Dive Review of Black Sands, NAD Lembeh in
Indonesia/Lembeh Straits

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Black Sands, NAD Lembeh: "Lembeh report for two resorts, Black Sands and NAD Lembeh", Nov, 2014, by Deborah Berglund, MT, US ( Contributor 18 reports with 8 Helpful votes). Report 8197.
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	These were my second and third trips to Lembeh. In Nov we stayed at Black Sands. It was only ok, the rooms nice but weird layout. The food was pretty bad even for Indonesian food. In general the diving was not as good as my previous trip but there were a few totally spectacular dives. The staff was almost unfriendly, the dive guides did not do anything to go out of their way. There was service for me that I needed for help with camera, gear etc. The resort was built on a steep hillside with restaurant on top, rooms cascading down and the camera and dive areas at the bottom. Since I had had an injury before the trip the hike up and down was difficult. Dive boats felt crowded. I would not return. NAD Lembeh resort was very different. The resort is laid out very well at sea level. The camera room and facilities were the best I have ever seen. The staff was great, owners always available for help, very accommodating and most of the dive guides were excellent although my first guide left me behind alone several times while I took photos. Since I did not know the area and he did not return to find me I asked for and got a new guide. The dive boats were crowded, cameras placed in the middle between divers which is a good way to have equipment damaged. The rooms were small and crowded, more like one would expect on a liveaboard rather then a resort; I asked for and got my own room, but the bathroom had a backed up sewer and the stench was unbearable. When I asked they provided incense for a couple of days before repairing the drain. The showers were the type that splashes the entire bathroom, making everything feel damp all the time. The food was typical Indonesian food, overcooked, cold and pretty bad. One day we had a wonderful roasted chicken which we all raved about but it was not repeated. The owner went to town one day and brought back some requests. I lost 3 pounds. The meal on the plane was the best one I had on the whole trip, which says something. Because of the bad food and rooms I would not return.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Indo, Phil, Red Sea, carib, Mexico, Sea of Cortez, Galapagos
Closest Airport	Manado	Getting There	Through Manado, then long car ride.
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, rainy, cloudy	Seas	calm
Water Temp	80-82°F / 27-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	15-30 Ft/ 5-9 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	dives usually about 70 minutes, no deco dives
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	N/A	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	Black Sands was good, the trip organizer was very helpful. NAD Lembeh had the best camera room I have ever seen. Vis terrible but one expects that for Lembeh. On each dive I saw a critter I had never photographed before. Owners are avid photographers and very helpful.

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Dive Review of Black Sands, NAD Lembeh in Indonesia/Lembeh Straits

Black Sands, NAD Lembeh: "Lembeh report for two resorts, Black Sands and NAD Lembeh", Nov, 2014,

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 Sands, NAD Lembeh in
Indonesia/Lembeh Straits