Dive Review of Black Sand Dive Retreat in
Indonesia

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Black Sand Dive Retreat: "Great Muck Diving in Lembeh Strait", Mar, 2023, by David Hill, MA, US ( Sr. Reviewer 9 reports with 6 Helpful votes). Report 12389.
Photos Submitted with this Report Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions
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	Black Sand Dive Retreat remains one of the best designed, best run small dive resorts we have seen anywhere. This is muck diving at its best. The resort consists of just seven units, all spacious and comfortable, with semi-outdoor bathrooms attached to each. The food is excellent and the service outstanding. What really matters is that the dive operation is first rate. Dive guides are great at finding the multitude of strange and wonderful sea life that inhabits this unique marine environment. The resort operates small boats normally with no more than four divers per boat. All dive sites are close. The longest boat ride is 12-14 minutes. This this arrangement, boats return to the resort between every dive. Dives go at 8:30, 11:00 and 2:30, with night dives at 6:45. Do not miss the opportunity to go night diving. A whole new set of creatures come out at night. The variety of sea life is impressive. On one dive we saw four different species of octopus — Coconut, Mimic, Wunderpus and Poisonous Oscillated. Commons sitings include Frogfish, Devilfish, Cuttlefish, Seahorses, Octopus, Leaf Fish, Stargazers, Bobbit Worms and a wife variety of Nudibranchs and Flat Worms. This is not crystal clear water and beautiful reefs. Muck diving is sand and mud with limited visibility. Nevertheless, the sea life one encounters there makes it all worthwhile. Diving is slow and leisurely, with guides searching and pointing out everything. About the only current drawback to Black Sand is terrible internet connectivity. The resort is very much aware of the problem and trying to address it, but to a large extent they are hostage to the local infrastructure.
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	Via Singapore or Jakarta
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, rainy	Seas	calm, choppy
Water Temp	84-86°F / 29-30°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	18-40 Ft/ 5-12 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	[Unspecified]
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	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	Dive center has a large camera room. The co-owner, Bruce Moore, is an excellent and very experienced photographer.

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Dive Review of Black Sand Dive Retreat in Indonesia

Black Sand Dive Retreat: "Great Muck Diving in Lembeh Strait", Mar, 2023,

Photos Submitted with this Report

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