World's Best Places for Muck Diving at Night
Steve JonesMuck diving at night in Lembeh Strait, Indonesia, can reveal weird critters like this stargazer.
What Is Muck Diving?
Muck diving is named for the sandy or silty environments where weird, wacky and wonderful critters live. The majority of these animals are not brightly colored like reef fish, but muck-dwelling critters like nudibranchs, frogfish, cuttlefish, sea horses and octopuses are equally as exciting to see. The visibility during a muck dive can be poor, but that's ok — divers often spend the majority of their bottom time hunting for camouflaged creatures in a very small area. Diving with a guide or divemaster is recommended for those new to muck diving, as these experts can help point out a stargazer or scorpionfish that may have been overlooked otherwise.
For experienced muck divers, muck diving gets only more interesting at night. Some of the muck’s rarest star attractions emerge only after dark, and the destinations below are the best in the world for muck diving at night.
Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
Lembeh Strait, Indonesia’s muck magnet off North Sulawesi, boasts nighttime action galore across its barren, dark sand flats. Mind-blowing sights are common, from frogfish to stargazers, ghost pipefish, blue-ringed octopuses, nudibranchs and beyond, and underwater photographers will find opportunity to start crossing off heaps of their critter-shot bucket list. Shooting them at night presents added challenge, but it also increases the opportunity to create truly stunning images.
Go Dive Now: lembehresort.com
Jose Alejandro AlvarezA juvenile batfish found in Lembeh Strait, Indonesia.
Steve JonesThis crazy looking creature is a predatory bobit worm, which is frequently seen by muck divers in Lembeh Strait, Indonesia.
Anilao, Philippines
At sites such as Secret Bay and others, divers who love the muck will find all the heavy hitters, including wonderpus octopuses, frogfish, seahorses, ghost pipefish, cuttlefish, nudibranchs and much more.
ShutterstockA brightly colored nudibranch found during a night dive in Anilao, Philippines.
St. Vincent
The unofficial critter capital of the Caribbean offers American divers many of the same wild macro creatures found at muck hot spots in the Pacific and Indian oceans, including seahorses, pipefish, frogfish and a wide variety of eels, but much closer to home.
ShutterstockColorful creatures found during night dives in the muck of St. Vincent.
Koror, Palau
One of the most convenient night dives in the muck universe is Sam’s Wall, a shallow dive in Malakal Harbor that offers mandarinfish, juvenile batfish, pipefish and other bizarre sights right at the base of the hopping Bottom Time Bar and Grill.
ShutterstockMuck diving in Palau at night, you'll spot crazy creatures like these.
