Lembeh Strait

NORTH SULAWESI

Lembeh Strait

MUCK DIVING IN THE STRAIT

Lembeh Strait

Lembeh is not a pretty reef. It is a narrow strait of black sand and rubble between mainland North Sulawesi and Lembeh Island. Divers call it the muck-diving capital of the world. Frogfish, rare octopuses, seahorses and nudibranchs live on its slopes.

It is a divers' destination, not a beach destination. You go to look for animals like the hairy frogfish and the wonderpus.

Most resorts run three boat dives daily, often in the same handful of bays. Repetition is the method — the more you look, the more you see.

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Lembeh Strait, by Bitung in North Sulawesi: muck diving on black volcanic sand, for frogfish, mimic octopus, flamboyant cuttlefish and other rare critters.

When to go and how to get there

Rain in Lembeh Strait, month by month, and the journey in from the nearest airport.

Driest months

Aug

August is the driest month, with 82 mm of rain on average. December is the wettest, with 305 mm.

  • Driest months
  • In between
  • Wettest months

January: 222 mm, February: 232 mm, March: 248 mm, April: 243 mm, May: 207 mm, June: 211 mm, July: 140 mm, August: 82 mm, September: 117 mm, October: 173 mm, November: 254 mm, December: 305 mm

Rain: CHIRPS v2.0, Climate Hazards Center, UC Santa Barbara, average of 1991-2020. See the weather in Sulawesi by month

Getting there

  1. 01 · Fly

    To Manado (MDC)

    Same airport as Bunaken. Daily direct from Jakarta. Scoot flies from Singapore five times a week (from 26 October 2026).

  2. 02 · Drive

    Manado → Bitung

    Resort driver or private car, 60 – 90 min depending on traffic.

  3. 03 · Boat

    Bitung → resort

    Short crossing, 10 – 20 min across the strait.

Lembeh Strait weather by month

The average rain, temperatures and sea of each month, measured over many years.

MonthRain (mm)High / low (°C)Sea (°C)Rough for small boats (% of time)
January22229 / 2528.618
February23228 / 2528.521
March24829 / 2528.79
April24329 / 2529.22
May20730 / 2529.21
June21129 / 2528.85
July14029 / 2528.124
August8229 / 2427.625
September11730 / 2527.818
October17330 / 2528.55
November25430 / 2529.21
December30529 / 25293

Rain: CHIRPS, 1991-2020. Temperatures: NASA POWER, 2001-2025. Sea temperature: NOAA Coral Reef Watch, 1991-2020. Waves: NOAA WAVEWATCH III, 2017-2026, in the open sea about 37 km away. Bays and straits are calmer. Rough means waves of 1.25 m or more, BMKG's warning level for small boats.

See Lembeh Strait on the live weather page

Lembeh Strait travel guides

The Sulawesi.com guides that cover Lembeh Strait.

Tours that go to Lembeh Strait

Every published trip that reaches this part of the island.

Experiences in Lembeh Strait

Day trips and activities in and around Lembeh Strait. Each one has its own page.

Plan your own trip

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Where to stay

See all 45 places to stay in Lembeh Strait

Local businesses in Lembeh Strait

Contact each business directly.

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