K2 Lembeh Dive Resort

I came to K2 as a solo traveller and rusty diver. It was a fairly last minute trip to try some muck diving. It turned out to be a fantastic trip and I hope I’ll be back soon (I wouldn’t be the first - there seems to be a strong community of repeat K2 visitors!) As others have said, the food is without fault. I haven’t eaten that well in a very long time. The freshest juices and juice (including mangoes and coconuts from their garden), and a wide range of flavourful fish, meat and vegetable dishes for lunch and dinner. Ronnie and Diane’s cooking was matched by the excellent hosting. The gardens/grounds are well-maintained and a little oasis amongst the jungle. The bungalow was basic but clean, and (a welcome surprise) the shower had very hot water! Without exception, it is the staff who really make this place. Sharon, the owner, was helpful from start to finish. She was very responsive to WhatsApp messages before I arrived, and organised my transfers seamlessly. She offered a completely personalised service, making sure that I was paired with an experienced dive buddy / guide. Both her and her husband, Asher, were incredibly welcoming. They regularly joined us for meals (dining was usually “family style” with other guests, which I really enjoyed). They gave me a free, informative walking tour of Kelapa Dua, the nearest village, one afternoon. I liked how deeply they cared about supporting the local community. The diving crew were great fun and excellent guides. Jimmy, in particular, took care and was patient with me whilst I got back into the swing of things. He had eyes like a hawk, spotting the smallest of nudibranch. Evan took some great pictures/videos during our dives. Whilst I’m new to muck diving, it goes without saying that the diving exceeded expectations. Asher, Jimmy and crew also took me out for my first night dive, which was a wonderful experience.

Not negatives but just points to note. First, there are quite steep steps in the resort, because it rises from the shore up a hillside. This wasn’t a problem for me and it means the bungalows all get great views, but it may be a challenge for those with more limited mobility. Second, facilities are quite basic. There are some nice touches (eg umbrellas, slippers and tea/coffee facilities for each bungalow) — I’d say it was above a homestay, but not quite a boutique hotel/resort. Ultimately, this was perfect for me. The resort wasn’t purporting to be a Shangri-La or Hilton. Instead, it offered clean accommodation, top-tier food and diving, and excellent company through its hosts, staff and the likeminded-guests it tends to attract.

Being a solo traveler, I really appreciated how smoothly everything was handled from the moment i stepped out of the airport. Airport pickup and dropoff were arranged in advance, which made the trip completely stress free, and from the moment I arrived Sharon, Asher, and the whole team made me feel welcome and at home. They honestly couldn’t have done more to make my stay enjoyable. The food was absolutely out of this world. On the drive from the airport I mentioned a few of my favourite Indonesian dishes, and during my stay they went out of their way to source and prepare them for me. It was such a thoughtful touch and made the meals even more special. One of the things I loved most about K2 is the environment they’ve created. You can be as social or as private as you like, but I’d really encourage you to be social! Some guests prefer dining quietly on their own, while others pull tables together to share meals, stories, and chat about the day’s diving. It creates a relaxed and welcoming community that feels very natural. The diving itself was exceptional! I did 42 dives, in all including 6 night dives. Fiki, Jimmy, and Evan were superb guides, professional when it came to safety and briefings, while also being warm and easygoing. Their ability to spot even the tiniest or most camouflaged critters was incredible. The rooms were comfortable, the atmosphere relaxed, and the service consistently great. More than just a dive resort, K2 felt like joining a family who genuinely care about making your stay special.

Nothing to dislike.

La cabana era xulíssima, amb unes vistes increïbles, espaiosa i còmode. El menjar molt bó i la Yuli (la xef) ens cuinava molt variat. El millor l’equip de persones que hi treballen, alegres, amables, divertits i molt professionals. Nosaltres hem anat a fer submarinisme i ho hem passat genial.

Les escales, l’espai és molt vertical i la pendent realment pronunciada amb el restaurant a dalt de tot, això fa que les vistes siguin espectaculars però també fa molta mandra i cansa molt.

Absolut empfehlenswert- Highly recommended Wir haben uns sehr wohl gefuehlt. Sehr angenehme familiaere Atmosphere. Ronny und seine Frau haben uns kulinarisch sehr verwoehnt mit vielen indonesischen Köstlichkeiten. Jimmy unser Tauchguide hat uns unglaublich viele Meeresbewohner zeigen koennen . Die Schiffs-Crew ( Fiki, Mario und Julio) haben uns mit Gitarrenmusik und Liedern in den Tauchpausen unterhalten. Unsere Gastgeberin Sharon war jederzeit erreichbar und hat uns in vielen organisatorischen Fragen helfen koennen. Sehr interessant war auch der Ausflug in den Tangkoko NP. Sehr schoene Unterkunft Jederzeit wieder!!!

The staff were friendly, the food was great and wonderful view from bungalow looking out over Lembeh straight. Were there snorkelling (thinking we were going to much diving places to see critters, this wasn't the case but one of our snorkelling spots there the coral colours were some of the best we've seen.

It would be good to have more transparency around prices (for snorkel/dive trips/food etc) on the website. The meals weren't included in the price as often is on other islands, and there was nowhere else to eat. And the cost of the boat trip snorkelling was much more than expected. The rubbish on the beach was really disappointing.

We hebben echt genoten van ons verblijf op K2! Een extra compliment voor Ronie, de gastheer van het restaurant en zijn vrouw, wat een lieve mensen! Ze hebben ons supergoed geholpen met alles, en ons daarnaast van geweldig eten voorzien. De huisjes zijn geweldig: mooie houten hutjes, met een heerlijk tweepersoonsbed, warme douche en airco. Het resort is zeer centraal gelegen, recht tegenover de haven op het vasteland, dus je hoeft alleen maar over te steken met een bootje. En natuurlijk het duiken: wat een bijzondere ervaring! Lembeh muck duiken is zo bijzonder, zo anders als wat ik voorheen heb gezien! Ook Sharon, de eigenaresse, was supervriendelijk en heeft ons geweldig geholpen tijdens ons verblijf. Iedere dag heeft ze via de app even gevraagd hoe het ging en of het ons aan iets ontbrak. Bedankt allemaal, jullie hebben ons laatste verblijf op Sulawesi fantastisch gemaakt!!!

Over het algemeen had ik een fantastische duikervaring op Lembeh en heb ik onder water enorm genoten van alle bijzondere dieren die mijn dive guide mij liet zien. Wel wil ik meegeven dat de briefing boven water soms wat summier was en ik het belangrijk vind dat er altijd voldoende energie en aandacht is voor de uitleg en de veiligheid. Met iets meer focus boven water zou de ervaring helemaal perfect zijn geweest. Ik ben hem dit ook als feedback gegeven en ben ervan overtuigd dat dit met een kleine aanpassing in de toekomst alleen maar betere ervaringen zal opleveren.

Magnifique vue sur le détroit de Lembeh avec un coucher de soleil magnifique sur le volcan. Une équipe au petits soins pour vous satisfaire et faire de cette escapade un moment inoubliable. Menu unique pour tous. Nous avons rarement mangé autant et aussi bien !!! Le centre de plongée est formidable, le matériel est bien entretenu et les mono connaissent parfaitement les fonds marins afin de vous faire découvrir tout ce qu’il y a à voir.

Rien! Juste attention il y a bcp de marches pour accéder aux chambres et au restaurant

Location, layout, cleanliness

The staff and owners at K2 Dive Resort are exceptional. Even though there are more luxury places, hardly you will find a place where guests are so much welcomed and feel comfortable.

Sehr freundliche und hilfsbereite Gastgeber, familiär und trotzdem ausreichend Privatsphäre, schöne Bungalows, tolles Essen (auch für Vegetarier/innen sehr abwechslungsreich), hervorragende Tauchgänge und Guides. Wir würden sofort wieder kommen!