Bucket List Diving

Salty Endeavors is Bucket List Diving in the Caribbean. We have the luxury of our home base being located in Cozumel – a SCUBA mecca unto itself. And you’ve come to entrust Henry and his staff to provide you with safe, life-long memory-inducing experiences. However, Salty Endeavors also realizes there is epic diving around the world, and Henry intends to dive it all! Allow us to do all the hard work of research and planning and when you are not coming to Cozumel to dive with us, join Henry as he takes you to only the world’s finest SCUBA diving experiences.

Our Next Bucket List Diving Adventure Is –

North Sulawesi, Indonesia

September 22 – October 4, 2018

7 Nights Lembeh Resort, 5 Nights Siladen Resort and Spa

31 Total Boat Dives!

7 days of unlimited shore diving!
Mandarin Dragonette Mating Ritual Dive!
Lembeh Strait!
Bunaken National Marine Park!
Two Bucket List Destinations in one trip!

Mandarin Dragonette Mating Ritual

We’ll begin our 12 days of bucket list diving bliss in the Muck Capital of the World – Lembeh Strait. Lembeh Resort’s secluded location on Lembeh Island ensures guests an exclusive and relaxing stay. Tropical gardens and exotic fauna form a natural backdrop while luxury and elegance come as standard. When you are not diving choose to relax poolside on the deck overlooking the ocean, take a walk around the grounds which are bursting with tropical flowers and trees, enjoy the sunset with an evening cocktail or indulge yourself with a massage treatment at the spa. Experience the warm hospitality, tropical beauty and unique wonders of this tasteful home away from home in Lembeh. Your expectations will not only be met, they will be exceeded.

Lembeh Resort’s tastefully styled rooms and bungalows are strategically positioned to give views of either the ocean or tropical gardens. Ocean View Cottages offer semi open-air bathrooms and for the convenience of groups and families, two Ocean View Cottages are adjoining and offer additional space. All accommodations include en-suite bathroom with hot water, hairdryer, air conditioning, king-size bed or twin beds, dispenser for cold and hot drinking water, complimentary tea and coffee, stocked mini-bar, free Wi-Fi, and electronic safe. Additional resort facilities include a luxury spa, ocean view pool with ocean front deck and pool bar which is the perfect place to enjoy a sun downer cocktail at the end of a busy day of diving, reception lounge and library with computer for guests’ convenience.

The Lembeh Strait’s sheer abundance of biodiversity and rare critters has led to it being named the “Critter Capital of the World” where every dive reveals countless “unique finds”. If you want to see the “weird and wonderful” and dive on the best muck diving sites in the world then the Lembeh Strait is the place to be. Highlights of Lembeh dive sites include 8 different species of frogfish, 12 species of octopus, numerous crustacean species that cannot be found anywhere else on earth, 3 species of pygmy seahorse, countless nudibranch species and new discoveries are continuously being made. Some of Lembeh’s most iconic species include the hairy frogfish, pontohi pygmy seahorse, wonderpus and mimic octopus, mandarinfish, rhinopias scorpionfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, blue ring octopus, Banggai cardinalfish and the list goes on.

Lembeh’s classic muck sites feature gentle slopes of volcanic sand scattered with bits of debris, sponge, algae or rubble. If you aren’t already in the know, Lembeh will convince you that the most beautiful animals are sometimes seen in the strangest habitats! Lembeh also offers many combination sites which are a mix of muck and reef diving but if muck is not your thing don’t worry because Lembeh also has stunning reefs, vibrant corals and intriguing topographies. Dive groups are small, with a maximum of 4 divers per 1 Divemaster,  so that you will receive a more personal service. Full time Marine Biologists are also available to help with marine life identification and to give regular presentations about the unique critters of the Lembeh Strait. Due to Lembeh’s protected location, diving is good year-round, seas are exceptionally calm and most of our dives have little to no current. Lembeh diving is suitable for all levels from beginner to the most experienced diver, you will certainly see something you have never seen before!

If you have some time to kill check out the YouTube Channel for the Lembeh Resort. Sick!

After our week of diving Lembeh is complete we’ll move to Bunaken National Marine Park! We’ll spend 5 days at the Siladen Resort and Spa exploring their nearby reefs. Located on Pulau Siladen, a lush tropical island in the heart of the world renowned Bunaken National Marine Park, Siladen Resort & Spa is only half an hour by boat from Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi, Indonesia, and only one hour from the nearest international airport.

This luxury boutique resort is an eco friendly property, placing high emphasis on the protection of the Marine Park and the environment. Officially opened in 2003, the resort occupies 4 hectares of land, while the island itself measures only 24 hectares. Bunaken National Marine Park is regarded as a center of marine biodiversity, offering visitors breathtaking diving and snorkeling with an incredible variety of marine life. Siladen Resort & Spa is located on the western side of the island on a 300 meter stretch of white coral beach facing the extinct yet impressive volcano Manado Tua, with spectacular sunsets daily. The Resort is an exclusive hidden getaway. It offers the most attractive, exquisite and secluded accommodation in Sulawesi with extra large king size beds, outdoor open air showers, sundecks overlooking the calm seas. Siladen Resort & Spa offers guests an elegant and relaxing atmosphere.

The Beach View Villas are located directly on the beach, and are a comfortable 64 sq meters in size, complete with a sundeck and private sun beds. All Villas have air conditioning, fresh water, tea and coffee making facilities, minibar, safe, and satellite television. Private bathrooms with fresh hot water including body wash, shampoo, body lotion, hand soap and hair dryers. Their skilled chefs will present you with a wide variety of local Indonesian & Asian dishes in combination with Gourmet European and Mediterranean recipes. Barbecues on the beach are a regular feature in the dry season. Private beach dinners are available on request. They also have a wide selection of imported wines, spirits and wonderful cocktails prepared by skilled barman.

Truly Bucket List Diving

Located in the center of the coral triangle, an area that is recognized as the global center of marine biodiversity which contains at least 500 species of reef-building corals, the Bunaken National Park covers a total surface area of 89,065 hectares, 97% of which is clear, warm tropical water. While only covering 1.6% of the planet’s oceanic area, the region has 76% of all known coral species in the world. As a habitat for 52% of Indo-Pacific reef fishes and 37% of the world’s reef fishes, it encompasses the highest diversity of coral reef fishes in the world. More than 3,000 species of fish live in the Coral Triangle. The remaining 3% of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. Besides diving and snorkeling in Bunaken National park we may also explore the black sand muck diving of Manado Bay, and the soft coral slopes of Bangka Island. Their traditional style boats are spacious and have all the necessary amenities such as marine toilets. All the boats provide covered seating and dry storage areas for cameras & personal belongings. In addition, all boats are staffed by licensed captains and an assistant. Each vessel is equipped with first aid, emergency oxygen and VHF marine radios. Drinking water, coffee and tea are available free of charge on all boats and fresh fruit and snacks are provided after every dive. Towels are also available.

I encourage you to seek out more photos or information about the area and resorts and you’ll surely see we’ve chosen not one, but two Bucket List Diving destinations.

The Details:

Arrival on September 22, 2018 to Lembeh Resort includes:

• 7 Nights lodging in a Deluxe Ocean View Cottage (based on double occupancy)
• Arrival airport escort service
• Round trip transfers
• 3 meals daily plus snacks, drinking water, coffee and tea
• WiFi
• 17 Guided daytime boat dives
• 1 guided night dive
• 1 Day trip to Bangka dive sites
• Unlimited shore diving
• Taxes
• Land transfer to Siladen Resort

Arrival September 29, 2018 to Siladen Resort includes:

• 5 Nights lodging in Beach View Villa (based on double occupancy)
• Round Trip transfer from Lembeh Resort and airport
• 3 meals daily plus snacks, drinking water, coffee and tea
• WiFi
• 11 Guided daytime boat dives
• 1 Guided night dive
• 1 Guided mandarin dive
• Taxes

Cost:  $4200
* Space is EXTREMELY limited.

To reserve your Bucket List diving trip we will require a $1000 deposit per diver, with the remaining $3200 due by July 1, 2018.

Not included:

• Airfare
• Nitrox (Available for $8/cylinder)
• Bunaken Marine Park fee of 150,000 IDR (Approximately $11-12 USD) payable on site
• Rental gear (but available)
• Additional personal items purchased on-site (alcohol, spa treatments, etc.)
• Additional night dives (but available)

Additional Information –

Lembeh Resort website

Siladen Resort website

FAQ’s