Lumbalumba Resort - Manado

We had a wonderful four-day stay here. The positives were the beautiful view and garden, the lovely pool, the friendly staff (especially on the boat), and especially the evening gatherings, which were very enjoyable. But there were also a few negatives, unfortunately. The rooms are dated (but well maintained and clean), there's noisy traffic on the road in front of the resort, and the prices. Everything is charged in euros, which meant that drinks, for example, were the most expensive of our holiday (beer €5, soft drinks €2).

Aug 2025

In this review, I can reassure you the obvious things a diver would be looking for are covered: biodiversity, diving equipment and services, good food and comfortable accomodations. All excellent. Lumbalumba goes so far beyond providing the essentials! Upon arrival, you will notice all the staff you interact with know your name and warmly greet you every time. Revol, Cindy and the great team in the kitchen will remember your preferences and pull off 3 great meals a day. Lunch and dinner are especially delicous. Plus the generous servings of delicious tropical fruit. The chalets are kept meticulously clean, which I can only imagine is not easy in tropics. The towels are frequently refreshed, which is especially nice because the shower is very good. The bed is very comfortable and the linens are soft. Although housekeeping is less visible than other staff, they are clearly equally dedicated to excellent service. The Dive Masters are exceptional. They too, all know your name, and remember your preferences. They groups they form between masters and divers are small, as small as possible! They do this so that they can give you their full attention, both by planning and supervising the dive, as well as pointing out all the things that only expert eyes could spot. Not only that, I experienced first hand the level of knowledge the team have about potential diving-related health issues. Many of the staff have been at Lumbalumba for many years and are connected to the health facilities in Manado. I had the feeling I was in the safest possible hands with my concerns. Their motto is "diving with a difference", and the difference is the people who are 100% dedicated to making their guests happy. Together with the other friendly divers we met, we were all very "happy divers"!

Dec 2024

With a whole world to see, there isn't really a need to visit a place more than once. Unless it's Lumbalumba...I first stayed here in 2005, and this recent trip was my 4th visit. The small resort here was imagined and built by Roel and Juud. The cottages are set in the most amazing tropical gardens - if you aren't a diver I think that the gardens alone could keep you well entertained. Each cottage has its own verandah which looks out over the ocean, and I think that it's my favourite view in the world. The day starts with breakfast. A casual affair with tropical fruits, eggs and pancakes. I'm a diver so I wander down to the dive boat and at around 8.30 we head off to the days dive sites. Often there are dolphins to spot on the way. The diving here is very relaxed and the dive guides (Aldhy, Rico, Maxi and Kres) are very knowledgeable, friendly and just make the whole experience perfect. If you love turtles then this is a great place to dive! But also if you love macro diving then there is a lot to see, on my first day of diving Aldhy found a beautiful seahorse just hanging out in the sand. I have also seen pygmy seahorses here too. Lunch on the boat is whatever you ordered from a menu of Indonesian favourites or sandwiches. My favourite is the fried rice with vegetables. After diving there is plenty of time to relax in the hammock or look over the underwater pictures that you have captured that day. I like to head to the pool just before sunset as it is a truly spectacular view every single night. Then it's time for dinner, buffet style with the other guests and Roel and Juud. I eat plant based and my dietary requirements were very well looked after. In fact I ate some of the best vegan dishes that I've ever had. Thank you Revel and the kitchen team! I really want to get my hands on the recipes for some of the fresh soups that are served every evening. If you aren't a diver or don't want to dive every day there is the beautiful infinity pool (probably the best pool in all of Indonesia) and trips can also be organised. This is definitely a place where you can forget about the stresses of the world and recharge your batteries. Lumbalumba really is "diving with a difference" Every member of staff, from the wonderful people that look after the gardens, to the dive guides, to the people that make your room spotless everyday - they all care and they all make you want to come back and visit again. And so now I'm back in the UK, wondering when I might be able to plan my next trip here and when I'll get to see that view again.

May 2024