Orange frogfish resting camouflaged on a sandy seabed, typical Lembeh Strait muck-diving terrain

Hairball

Lembeh, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Beginner
Mild current

Hairball is a beginner dive site in Lembeh, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Dives run from 5 to 25 m, with mild current. Marine life here includes frogfish, octopus and blue ring octopus. 3 dive shops on Scubalo run trips here.

Updated 17 October 2026

Conditions at Hairball

Max depth: 25 m
Depth range: 5–25 m
Current: Mild
Level: Beginner

Depth profile

About Hairball

Hairball is one of the best known muck dives in the Lembeh Strait: a black sand slope between 5 and 25 metres where hairy frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, mimic octopus and wonderpus live among the debris.

The site is the house reef of Dive Into Lembeh, a resort in Kasawari Bay on the mainland side of the strait, which was once named Hairball Resort after it. It is one of the four most dived sites in the strait and a textbook example of Lembeh muck diving: debris on the sand that algae and sponges quickly colonise, giving camouflaged animals plenty of cover.

Hairy frogfish sightings are close to guaranteed, and divers regularly find flamboyant cuttlefish, mimic octopus and wonderpus alongside a changing cast of crabs and other crustaceans. A similar site nearby, Hairball 2, adds juvenile batfish, cardinalfish and zebra crabs.

Visibility runs 5 to 20 metres and currents are usually weak, so it is an easy, photography friendly dive for macro hunters of any level. It is a good night dive too.

When to dive Hairball

Season

Year round: The Lembeh Strait is dived all year.
Calmest months: March to October.

Marine life at Hairball

What divers report seeing here. Tap one to see where else it turns up.

Type of diving

Location

Questions about Hairball

What is Hairball known for?

Hairball is one of the best known muck dives in the Lembeh Strait, known for hairy frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish, mimic octopus and wonderpus on a black sand slope. Hairy frogfish sightings are close to guaranteed.

How deep is Hairball?

Hairball runs from about 5 to 25 metres, with weak currents and visibility of 5 to 20 metres.

Is Hairball suitable for beginner divers?

Yes. With mild currents and a maximum depth of 25 metres it is a beginner friendly muck dive, though its camouflaged animals reward experienced macro photographers too. Good buoyancy keeps the sand from clouding.