Hairball (Lembeh Strait)
Bunaken · Indonesia
Black volcanic sand slope on the Sulawesi side of the Lembeh Strait, considered the flagship muck dive of the world's macro diving capital. From 3 m to about 25 m the bottom looks barren until your guide starts pointing — hairy frogfish, mimic and wunderpus octopus, flamboyant cuttlefish, ornate ghostpipefish, harlequin shrimp and a procession of nudibranchs all hide in the rubble. Currents are usually negligible, making it a favoured perch for macro photographers running 60-105 mm lenses.
Conditions
Depth
5 to 25 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
10 to 18 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
25 to 29°C
Tropical 5 mm wetsuit recommended
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 |
| Vis (m) | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 12 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Hairy frogfish
Last confirmed May 15, 2026 · 130 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Ornate ghostpipefish
Last confirmed Jul 7, 2026 · 82 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Flamboyant cuttlefish
Last confirmed Jun 23, 2026 · 70 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Mimic octopus
Last confirmed May 7, 2026 · 24 records
Very likely
Most dives
Wunderpus octopus
Last confirmed May 8, 2026 · 33 records
Very likely
Most dives
Harlequin shrimp
Last confirmed Jun 22, 2026 · 29 records
Very likely
Most dives
Blue-ringed octopus
Last confirmed May 5, 2026 · 3 records
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Gear