Have you heard of muck diving before? Unlike regular scuba diving, which is often done in the open ocean or near the shores, muck diving is often done near the seabeds of sandy, silty, or muddy environments. Here, the sightings of corals or large marine life will probably be occasional, but you’ll get to see other creatures that are just as cool!
By going on this type of dive, you can uncover fascinating, hidden critters prowling the seabeds. If you like macro or underwater photography, going muck diving is a must, as you get to capture incredible details of creatures like frogfish, seahorses, and nudibranchs in their natural habitat.
Eager to know more? In this guide to muck diving, we’ll teach you everything you know about this type of diving, including the best muck diving sites around the world!
Top Muck Diving Destinations
1. Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
Located between the mainland of Sulawesi and Lembeh Island, the Lembeh Strait is known as the best muck diving site in the world, and with good reasons!
This strait’s black sand is home to a wide variety of weird and wonderful critters that thrive in the sands and silt, including coconut octopus, mimic octopus, pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, pipefish, and frogfish, as well as ambon scorpionfish and moray eels. The visibility isn’t bad either, which is around 5-15 meters.
The dive spots in this area are very diverse, ranging from sandy areas to shallower parts with coral reefs. Some of the best diving spots include Hairball, Police Pier, Nudi Falls, and Pantai Parigi.
2. Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea
The Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea isn’t just known for its beautiful coral, but also for its excellent muck diving opportunity. In fact, the term “muck diving” was first coined by a Papua New Guinean diving legend, Bob Halstead, and Milne Bay was one of the first few places he explored for this form of diving.
Amidst Milne Bay’s black volcanic sand, you can find various critters, including warty and painted frogfish, bargibanti pygmy seahorse, ornate ghost pipefish, mimic and blue-ringed octopus, flamboyant cuttlefish, hairy and mantis shrimp, raggy scorpionfish to various crabs, shrimps, and nudibranchs. Moreover, Milne Bay also offers a mix of muck, reef, and pelagic diving, so you can enjoy diverse experiences in this area!
3. Alor, Indonesia
Indonesia is also home to Alor, another top destination for muck diving in the world thanks to the rich concentration of nutrients in its water and the volcanic sands.
On this island, specifically Kalabahi Bay, you can expect to see various critters, including the paddle flap scorpionfish, giant frogfish, bargibanti pygmy seahorse (the smallest seahorse in the world), harlequin shrimp, sea hare, mandarin fish, blue-ringed octopus, ghost pipefish, and many more!
Despite being a hot spot for various unique creatures, Alor still hasn’t been explored much compared to other more popular destinations in Indonesia, so you can enjoy fewer crowds and a more pristine condition in this region!
4. St. Vincent, The Caribbean
Often referred to as the “Critter Capital of the Caribbean”, St. Vincent has abundant muck diving opportunities, particularly for macro photography. Here, muck divers can find a wide variety of ocean critters that are hard to find anywhere else in the world.
On the seabeds, you can find the rare, red-banded lobster, spray crabs, snake eels, fanworms, longlure and striated frogfish, longsnout seahorse, lettuce sea slug, secretary blenny, yellowhead jawfish, Caribbean reef squid, Atlantic pygmy octopus, as well as various shrimps, crabs, and pipefish.Some of the best spots in St. Vincent to find these creatures include Critter Corner, The Bat Cave, Owl’s Point, and Anchorage Reef.
5. Anilao, The Philippines
Just a few hours drive from the capital of the Philippines, Manila, Anilao is a world-class muck diving location with its rich biodiversity and rare marine species. As you dive into the pristine water of Anilao, various unusual critters lie on the bottom, waiting to be uncovered.
Prepare your underwater photography gear and get ready to take pictures of creatures like bobbit worms, snake eels, box crabs wonderpus octopus, hairy frogfish, and over 500 species of nudibranchs. To get the best experience in Anilao, you can head straight to the Secret Bay, which is also known as Mainit Muck.
Why Muck Diving is Popular for Underwater Photographers
Offering unique charms and adventure, muck diving is very popular among underwater photographers, and here are the reasons why:
1. The Chance to Encounter Rare, Unique Marine Life
Many muck sites, with the sands and the silts, are home to unique and wonderful marine life. Photographers can get the chance to capture rare species that may be impossible to find in other ocean environments. What’s more, these creatures camouflage themselves so well that finding them can feel like a rewarding treasure hunt.
2. Unique Behavior and Interaction
The behavior of the critters in the environment is another highlight for photographers. As you observe them up close, you can see unique behaviors like the hunting technique of the bobbit worm, or the way the octopuses change their colors. These rare moments can surely make for captivating imagery.
3. Macro Photography Opportunities
Muck diving is a haven for macro photography, as divers will be able to take close-up shots of the small, alien-like creatures inhabiting muck environments. This means, photographers can highlight the creatures’ intricate details, colors, and behaviors that may be easily missed by the naked eye.
If you are interested in muck diving sites for underwater photography, check out our Lembeh Strait’s Underwater Photography Workshop
Tips for Muck Diving
1. Pick the Best Time
To make sure that your muck diving experience can go smoothly with minimal disturbance, the first thing you can do is pick the right time to dive. This is especially important because weather conditions and tides can significantly affect your dive. Calm, sunny days with mild currents offer the best visibility, as strong tides can stir up the sediment and reduce clarity.
You’ll also want to double-check your destination’s climate and seasonal conditions. For example, August to October is usually the best time to dive in Lembeh Strait, while Anilao’s main diving season is from October to May.
2. Avoid Stirring up Silt
When diving, make sure to control your movements, particularly your fin. The silt and sediment that lies at the bottom of the sea are easily disturbed and a careless fin kick can result in a silt cloud, reducing visibility and disturbing the creatures. Proper buoyancy control is very important during a muck dive so you can keep a clear line of sight and maintain the ecosystem.
3. Choose the Right Gear and Bring Extra Equipment if Possible
Carrying the appropriate gear will make a lot of difference in your muck dive, particularly because some dive sites can have poor visibility. Because of this, it wouldn’t hurt to bring a dive light with you, even during a day dive. You can also bring a magnifying glass to help spot smaller critters.
Last but not least, don’t forget to bring a macro lens if you’re planning to do a macro dive so you can get good shots of the sceneries under the water!
4. Refrain From Harming the Ecosystem
Many dive sites for muck diving are fragile and can be damaged from careless diving practices. Always control your buoyancy so you won’t disturb the sediments and the critters living in it. You should also avoid touching or even collecting marine life, and make sure you don’t leave any trash or equipment behind to maintain the cleanliness of the ocean.
5. Learn What Critters Live in The Area
Before going to a certain muck dive site, you should also learn about what kind of critters that are found in that area. You can even make your own list! Knowing what critters to look for can be very useful in spotting them in the wild.
Resorts and Liveaboards for Muck Diving
Looking for resorts or a liveaboard that can make it easier for you to explore the wonders of muck diving? Solitude World’s Liveaboard and Resorts have several options for you, including:
1. Lembeh Diving at Solitude Lembeh Resort
The Lembeh Strait in North Sulawesi is a must-visit for muck divers, and Lembeh diving at the Solitude Lembeh Resort provides a perfect base for exploring the strait! Here, you can enjoy easy access to Lembeh’s famous muck diving sites and encounter rare macro critters. You can also relax and enjoy complete amenities, savor Indonesian cuisine, or enjoy non-diving activities by exploring Sulawesi’s beautiful landscape.
2. Solitude Adventurer Liveaboard to Maumere & Alor
If you prefer a more immersive experience and access to remote diving location, the Solitude Adventurer Liveaboard offers exceptional muck diving opportunities on its routes to Maumere and Alor.
The liveaboard also comes with PADI-certified guide and complete amenities, so you can still relax and enjoy your time to the fullest when you’re not diving.
3. Solitude Acacia Resort
Located in Anilao, the Philippines, Solitude Acacia Resort is the perfect starting point to explore the region’s muck sites. This site is home to several endemic species as well as famous diving site, so you can enjoy both muck and recreational diving. This resort also provides underwater photography workshop to help you hone your skills before diving into the water!
Ready to start your muck dive journey? What are you waiting for? Book your next diving adventure with us here today!