Small cosy dive resort offering budget and en-suite cottage accommodation, based on Lembeh Island - the gateway to the Muck diving capital of the world!
Me and my brother have enjoyed an Indonesia trip very much, and for the Lembeh, it was truly awesome! We stayed three nights at Twofish Lembeh. We highly appreciate and recommend going there and enjoy the friendly staff at Twofish resort. And our guide Ralie(?) was through our whole stay nice, helpful and good at finding interesting stuff and creatures! I should also say that it was very good to be able to make the Bunaken/Lembeh with Twofish so smooth, that is really appreciated and good. Stayed in budget rooms that was nice and clean and located one stair up. Note that there is no pool in Twofish Lembeh.
Hope that we someday will have the opportunity to come back!
We do strongly recommend night dive 😃.
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Date of stay: November 2019Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have only stayed in Two Fish Lembeh briefly as I had time limitations. The staff is very friendly, the equipment is in good shape and the resort itself is beautiful, very relaxing and with a private beach. The dive masters were profesional and patient with some divers who had cameras. The managers are making sure diving and covid safety are their priority. Books for identification of little critters are available and the team loves to hang out in the eve! Thank you for a great short stay!
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We arrived in Lembeh just on the same day as the local government decided to close the Bunaken National Park. Fortunately it was still possible to dive in Lembeh. We ended up staying there from end of March to mid May 2020, taking the life slow and remaining isolated from the rest of the world.
The local population from the island is working in the resort as boat boys, captain, dive guides etc As we were only 6 visitors left, they operated with only a part of the normal staff. Operation (diving and food) was really good, specially taking the above into account, which is not self-evident.
The diving is great: we got to know all the specialties of Lembeh over the course of our stay and the knowledge of the manager, Dan, about marine life and specifically nudibranchs was quite impressive and entertaining.
If you ever need a place to lockdown, this is the one you're looking for ;).
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Date of stay: April 2020
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:The superior cottages are very nice!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I booked last minute and the team managed to accommodate everything for me - great cottage, with views of the sea. Transfers all arranged which went very smoothly. The team were fantastic. My dive guide (Rulli) was awesome, such an awesome ability to spot the smallest of creatures and the oddest critters hiding in the nooks and crannies. The kitchen staff definitely need a mention for their delicious creations every single day, catering for vegetarians, meat eaters and vegans. The food options were delicious, good local Indonesian food.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:Ideally staying nearer the dive centre means less walking
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stayed at Two Fish Divers for a week right after Indonesia dropped their COVID testing requirement so tourism still hadn't rebounded. The transportation from Manado Airport to the resort took about 2 hours. Once we got to the resort, we were the only guests for a couple of days (until a couple other people arrived). While there were only 6 staff, we were very well taken care of. Yuni was fantastic and make sure we had everything we needed. John was an excellent dive guide and would find small critters and gave us plenty of time to take video and photos. The dives were long (over an hour) and the boat staff were great. The food was good - we think there was usually a buffet but since there were so few people, there was only one option (they did check to make sure you didn't have any dietary restrictions). We were there during the rainy season so there were quite a few mosquitoes, so just remember to bring bug spray. Would highly recommend for a dive stay.
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Date of stay: May 2022
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Very good place for muck diving, with a lot of interesting creatures. The night dive was a highlight! The accomodation was also good, and included tasty Indonesian food (many options for vegetarians and vegans too). I did my rescue with Dan, which was an amazing teacher ! I can only recommend this place :) The only negative point (but not related with the resort) was the plastic/garbage in the sea.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It was a great dive resort and the dive crew were very accommodating. The macro diving is world class and I saw loads of little critters! Highly recommended. They provided all our meals which was simply cooked. The effort was made.
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Everyting was perfect there. Brilliant diving. Well trainend and patient stuff who give one the time to make pictures and find the Critter to get the right shots. Well organiced. Resort stuff very friendly and helpfull. Good food. Nice bungalow. I was concerned about no Air con. What shell i say - i didn't miss it a single secend. And the best of all. i brought my 74 year old non snorkling non diving mother. I was a little scared she get bored to death there. On the Moment we left the island she said. "Let's stay i don't want tp leave." Thanx so much to all. Oh ya. Our Guide was Jecky. Thanx for the 8 brilliant dive. And also thanx to Dan who organiced all in the back. And Meiske who did the e-mailing very professional.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:no matter all bungalows have seaview.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Very happy to come back for the third time. The diving is as amazing as always, staff is friendly and helpful. We also have a dive guide who is thoughtful and professional. Overall a very good experience and still my top choice for muck diving.
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Date of stay: December 2019
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Dan S, Manager at Two Fish Divers Lembeh
Responded Jan 4, 2020
It's still our top choice for muck diving as well Sandy! Looking forward to your fourth trip back :)
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I am Indonesian here for my whole life except for time in Europe and America after graduate school. I have dove all over my country from my island of Sumatra to the most eastern areas of Raja Ampat near Papua.
This operation is a classic example of not understanding our culture. If a westerner operates a business here it is important to learn the culture and adapt according. Speaking a few elementary phrases/ words of Indonesian means very little. The aggressive dogs (we call them “street dogs” like Australian dingos) that rushed to me from the kitchen to my bungalow made me to afraid to stay there. The western owner does not know that many street dogs in my country can be aggressive, unpredictable and can carry the rabies virus. The owner adopted these wild dogs put a collar on them. That act does not produce a vaccinated, domesticated Yorkshire terrier. I am lucky my husband was here to keep the dogs away before something bad happened. I am very surprised that there are such over the top reviews of this property-how does that happen for such place with so many dogs all over the property (Lounge, kitchen, dining room, …), horrific food even by middle class Indonesian standards, kid smoking around the guests, absentee management, ….
The food would be good for poor Indonesians but I can’t eat it. It is surprising that no fish is serve here when we have the best fish in the world that only cost $ 1.5 USD for a KILO in the markets around Lembeh. This place operates on the principle of offering the least amount of service and quality to stay open. Offering large quantities does not make up for bad “pork” or “beef” or whatever they call it. Even the rice is the lowest quality sold in my country.
I feel very bad for the staff, my countrymen, that are told to fix the problems they did not create and cannot fix. It is sad to hear that the owner threatens to withhold their meager salary unless they “fix” problems. They deserve better treatment and I hope no guest gets bitten or has a diving accident with these highs school diving guides.
My experience makes me want to open a dive resort in Lembeh which focuses on the guest and appreciate the unique beauty of my country.
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Date of stay: January 2014
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from TwoFishDivers, Owner at Two Fish Divers Lembeh
Responded Jan 11, 2014
It is sad that both your husband and yourself seem to need to write separate negative reviews on Trip Advisor when so many other guests seem to be very happy with the service we offer. I'm afraid that your needs are very different from the service that Two Fish offers. Unfortunately we did not realize this from the beginning, as we would have quite happily transferred you to one of the 5 star resorts in Lembeh. This seems to be a pretty personal attack on the owner, and normally we would not respond to this sort of personal attack. However, in the interests of others who may be considering visiting us we feel that we need to clarify some things, especially after speaking to 3 guests who are with us now in Bunaken and who were at the resort in Lembeh at the same time as you. 1) It is shame that you talk about culture when you are married to someone who obviously dislikes Indonesians. Your husband was frequently overheard calling all Indonesians lazy, stupid & dirty, and he even told the instructor that he chose us because we have a western instructor as they have better standards than local instructors. Our Indonesian instructor in Bunaken and all of his 100's of students would completely disagree with this. For information, Two Fish is partially Indonesian owned and both European and Indonesian partners have full involvement in in to day running and work together. 2) Our Indonesian partner is responsible for the quality of the ingredients sourced and he insists on high quality locally sourced food. He is Indonesian and knows the difference between good and poor quality rice! Maybe your taste has changed due to your time in the States. 3) The owner is from UK and has been living and working in the Bunaken & Lembeh area for 15 years, and speaks Indonesian almost fluently. She also has 2 kids that were born in Manado and who go to the local school and are bi-lingual. She is therefore very culturally aware. This may have been difficult to assess as you only spoke English with her on the phone at your insistence. 4) We understand that you are afraid of dogs and our staff did make an effort to keep the dogs away from you where possible. They are free to roam the resort, and sometimes they do stray into the restaurant, but it is a very large and open/airy structure so this normally does not bother anyone. If it does bother someone, then a request to the staff will ensure that they are locked away for the duration of the meal. One thing you should understand is that this area is christian and the local people keep dogs as pets, unlike the more muslim or hindu parts of Indonesia where dogs are considered dirty, lower life-forms. In line with this local culture, our dogs are domestic dogs and not a pack of wild dogs. One dog has been with us for 7years, another 5 years, one 3 years and the last is a 3-month old puppy called Barney. We have had them all since they were puppies (Barney was actually born there), they have their shots every year, and they are fed twice a day. One of their main purposes is security - we live in a remote area next to the forest and beach, and at night they are the first to bark if there is a stranger in the resort. They also keep the other dogs, cats and animals away from the resort that may stray from the forest and surrounding villages. The owner is actually so happy with the safety of the dogs that she has no problem with bringing her kids (4 and 6 years old) to the resort on her regular management visits. In fact, they were over there 1 week ago for 3 days! Perhaps you had a bad reaction from them when you tried to kick them and threw stones at them? 4) We would never threaten our staff with not getting salary if a guest did not pay, we have over 3 resorts and 100 staff and do not consider this a very good type of management control. Our front desk person was so scared that you would run off without paying, that he invented a story about not getting his salary if you did not pay (we will talk to him and tell him not to do this again). He was even more concerned about this when you were meant to go to the ATM machine and get cash, but instead jumped into a taxi and just left him at the harbour for hours without coming back! 5) All payment options are clearly detailed on our website, and are covered in the welcome briefing that is given to every guest. We do not charge 5% for debit cards, the problem is that we do not have any facilities to take these types of payments so we cannot accept payment with debit card. Perhaps the staff misunderstood and thought you were paying by credit card, and this is why they said that they have to charge 5%? The owner tried to clarify this on the phone with you but you refused to understand or accept this (just before your husband took the phone and started swearing at her and hanging up). 6) We DO serve fish in the Lembeh resort, but only fresh water fish. As conservation is very important to divers and ourselves, we will only serve fish that we can guarantee has been sourced in a environmentally conscious way. In our Bunaken resort, where the fish is sourced from the local village and we know it is line fished, we serve pelagic fish on the menu. We also know that there is a direct benefit for the fishermen in the local village. In Lembeh, we can not guarantee that the fish has been sourced in an environmentally conscious way, therefore our guests have overwhelmingly voted to accept not having fish at the resort. Of course there are a few who don't like this, but democracy from our guests determined this rather than the owner. 7) We believe that we are very different to other resorts in that we encourage our staff to mix with the guests in the cafe. We feel that it creates a nice atmosphere, and many guests comment that this is a very good thing. Of course being a cafe means smoking, but the cafe is very large and open and we have never had a complaint from a non-smoking guest. Note that staff are not allowed in the restaurant or cottages, so if any guest does not like this atmosphere then they have other options available. 8) Our dive guides are actually pretty experienced. They can do 500-900 dives per year, so a 24 year old dive guide with 4 years experience will have done over 3,000 dives. Of course, if you would feel more comfortable with a foreigner as dive guide who is "working" to pay off his divemaster course and has less than 100 dives, then I would be happy to send you a list of locations in the world that offer this. Just to let you know, we also have domesticated security dogs in Bunaken and Lembongan, so I would advise against visiting our other locations.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi Andy,
Thanks for messaging.
I understand the lack of air conditioning can be cause for concern for some people. As a native Scot I also can suffer badly in the heat! However, we do have fans in every room and with a nice sea breeze it keeps the resort cool.
The fan is usually sufficient but we could put another fan in the room if needed.
Hope this helps!
Thanks,
Gregor
Hi cps66,
Thanks you for your message.
The staff are not allowed to mingle in the restaurant but we have taken a company decision to allow our staff to mingle with the guests in the dive center. This give the guests an experienced of the local culture and the guests an opportunity to learn. We believe that this is what sets us apart from other, more up-market resorts.
I hope that we will see you at one of our resorts in the future?
Hong Kong, China269 contributions125 helpful votes
Hi,
In my March experience, I'm not recommend swimming.
For snorkeling, during my scuba shore diving in the 15:xx - 17:xx (not experience in other time slot), I found a place is ok for snorkeling, little current, the location is: when you face to beach, walk to last (or last 2) cottage, swim straight, around 30M to 50M, here is many coral and school of fishes, just few meters deep.
But, please remember pay attention of return boat.
Hope it help!
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