Dive Review of Black Sands in
Indonesia/Lembeh Strait

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Black Sands : "Black Sands Dive Resort - Extraordinary value", Feb, 2018, by Eileen J Councill, Not in U.S., China ( Contributor 14 reports with 7 Helpful votes). Report 10262 has 1 Helpful vote.
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
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	We NEVER return to a resort. Black Sands is an exception and exceptional in every way. We are seasoned travelers having visited more than 80 countries and have literally dived around the world. There is no place like Black Sands. We returned to Black Sands because we were diving in Bunaken and were disappointed; we were disappointed by the dive operation, the quality of the diving, the visibility, the animal life, the amount of Chinese tourists that were standing and walking on the reefs, the number of divers underwater at every site, returning to the same sites daily as they catered to the OW classes, the constant smoking on the boats, the promise of snacks between dives but in reality there was nothing, the lack of care of our gear, the incompetence and lack of communication by the office manager, etc. After 4 days we knew we needed to leave. The place guaranteed for great service...Black Sands! The resort itself is small on a hill overlooking the strait. The views are breathtaking. The attention to the details of landscaping and neatness are amazing. They keep the place pristine including the cabins. The cabins are beautiful as is the outdoor bathroom. The owners are just amazing. We feel like family. They cooked us our favorite things (they remembered from our last visit 2 years earlier), gave us homemade soap to use, talked for hours about different animals and their behavior. They are attentive and helpful in every way. I appreciate that no detail is too important to overlook. It's a holistic experience not JUST diving. The dive shop sits off of the most luscious, black sand beach. The sand is like silk - incredibly soft and beautiful. The dive crew was attentive and helpful. There were 3 of us in one boat with two guides - one just out with us to help spot. That was a lovely addition as 5 sets of eyes are better than 4. Dives were 75-90 minutes long and the guides were usually in between 60-70 minutes. They are VERY chill. The dive shop is great and the boats are clean. The drivers do a great job caring for cameras, lights, etc. They are very careful and reliable. The camera room just off the dive area is superb. It has about 16-18 cubby stations and each one has enough power outlets to charge 5 cameras. It's excellent and they provide camera towels. Between dives, you can relax at the pool...it's lovely. There is no place like Black Sands! We cannot say enough good about this resort.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Red Sea, Galapagos, Bali, Egypt, Philippines, Indonesia, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Mozambique, South Africa, Hawaii, Pacific, Palau, Guam, Yap, Maldives, Lembeh Strait, Kenya
Closest Airport	Manado	Getting There	via Singapore or Denpasar or Kuala
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas
Water Temp	80-84°F / 27-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	20-30 Ft/ 6-9 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	You could dive your own profile but why would you want to? The dive guides are the best in the business and their whole purpose is to help you find great animals.
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		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	[None]

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of Black Sands in Indonesia/Lembeh Strait

Black Sands : "Black Sands Dive Resort - Extraordinary value", Feb, 2018,

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 in
Indonesia/Lembeh Strait