Kungkungan Bay Resort Report
by Steve Coverdale - Eco Divers
The sky is blue and the sun is shining over Lembeh Strait, as we send out a big hello from all of the staff at Kungkungan Bay Resort (KBR). Please enjoy this update from Lembeh’s pioneering resort as she moves into her 12th year of operation.
The Resort
In 2005, Kungkungan Bay Resort celebrated her 11th birthday. The room renovations for the new season were finished on schedule and the new landscaping in the gardens has really blossomed.
Deluxe Room Category – Air conditioning units and mini bars have been added. The bathrooms now have hairdryers as well as a deluxe amenities package. Direct dial telephones and room service are now also available in all deluxe rooms. KBR has now also added another room to the deluxe category bringing the total to five rooms. The new Hillside villa offers a million dollar view and is a favourite amongst honeymooners.
HILLSIDE VILLA
HILLSIDE VILLA VIEW
Cottage Suite – All 8 of our cottage suites have now had air conditioned installed. Mini bars and direct dial telephones are also now in the rooms.
COTTAGE SUITE BEDROOM COTTAGE SUITE
Traditional House – Our famous stilted rooms have essentially remained the same. Due to popular request the only addition to our 4 traditional houses has been the installation of a direct dial telephone.
Main Building – Buffet breakfasts and lunches have been introduced when the resort is busier. These light lunches are proving very popular with our guests and it also means that photographers now have much more time to work on their cameras. A daily lunch menu is also available for those with a heartier appetite.
Wireless Internet – Wireless Internet is available in the main building. Plans are underway to extend this service to all of the rooms.
Swimming Pool – As many of you already know the swimming pool is now open. KBR is also building a small Spa which will be located just behind the swimming pool. Phase 2 of the building of the spa is due to begin in the beginning of September. The barbeque evenings have now been moved from the gardens to the pool deck.
KBR INFINITY
POOL
KBR BBQ NIGHT
The Diving
Water temperature: 26 - 27 Degrees Celsius
Visibility - 8m to 20m
BLUE RING OCTOPUS
Blue rings are everywhere. July has seen what can only be described
as a population boom of the blue ring octopus (Hapalochlaena
lunulata). This tiny octopus is very venomous and covered in
iridescent blue rings which flash brightly to act as a warning to any
foolhardy predators. Daily sightings on
eight different dive sites in
the strait. Not only have the guests been snapping some wonderful
shots of the elusive, charming yet deadly cephalopod but have also
been given rare opportunities to study its behaviour. Fighting males,
courting and mating have all been recorded on film and video.
WONDERPUSS
Mimic Octopus and its cousin the Wonderpus are being given the cold
shoulder by divers in search of those little blue rings.
ORNATE GHOST PIPEFISH HAIRY FROGFISH
Although the Blue ring octopus is in the
spotlight at them moment all
of the other weird and wonderful critters are still around. Clown,
giant, warty and hairy frog fish are in abundance as well as the
ornate, robust and halimeda ghost pipe fish. A very large and photo
friendly Coleman shrimp has put in an appearance at Police Pier and
twelve yellow Pygmy sea horses have just been discovered in residence
on the Kungkungan Bay house reef.
NEBROTHA KUBARYANA
NUDIBRANCH HAWKFISH
Summer time is officially here. Blue skies and sunshine every day with a cool breeze blowing through the resort. From July to October every year the Lembeh Strait is fed from southern waters. This does cool down the water temperature to 25 - 26 degrees so be prepared and pack your 5 mm wetsuits!! The rest of the year temperatures are a pleasant 29 degrees Celsius.
KBR DIVE GUIDES ADE
& IWAN LEMBEH
STRAIT DIVE SITES
The new Lembeh Strait mooring project is
well under way. New moorings
are being installed on all of the dive sites so boats no longer have
to use anchors. The moorings are being made in Kungkungan Bay and
installed by the dive guides with help from the other dive operators
in the area. Funding for this project was secured by the North
Sulawesi Water sports Association from International Donors.
Kungkungan Bay Resort is an active member of the NSWA. Currently 18
of the 37 dive sites in Lembeh now have permanent moorings.
GYMNODORIS
CEYLONICA NUDIBRANCH
HYPSELODRIS NUDIBRANCH
EVENTS – Kungkungan Bay Resort along with Tasik Ria Resort and Eco-Divers has just hosted the first ever Asian Diver magazine photo shoot out. This event was run over 2 weeks. Macro photography in the Lembeh Strait and wide angle photography in the Bunaken national park. The event was a huge success and looks likely to become a regular event.
Macro week Wide angle week
Jennifer Hayes, David Doublet, Rod Klein, William Tan and Ned Deloach were the judges for the competition. Every night a different judge hosted talks or slide shows on their specialised field / passion. A great deal was learnt by all and there were some fantastic discussions on the film vs. digital saga.
Winners of the competition will be published in upcoming issues of Asian Diver as well as taking home some great prizes. Keep your eye on the KBR website for an upcoming report on the event with pictures from the winning contestants. Two of the winning categories were shot on Kungkungan’s house reef.
For the whole month of August digital supreme Rod Klein is hosting digital workshops. Rod is digital editor for fathoms magazine and a long time supporter of Kungkungan Bay. He will be teaching digital techniques and guiding people through the maze we all fondly know as Photoshop.
Hope you have all enjoyed catching up on the goings on at KBR. Please come visit us
The Eco-Divers Management Team
Kungkungan Bay Resort.
Find pricing for Kungkungan Bay Resort
Read Ken Knezick's Report from Manado, Lembeh, and Bangka
See the dates for Island Dreams' April 2006 Group Trip to Kungkungan Bay Resort
