In April 2018, I explored the twin underwater worlds of Bunaken and Lembeh Strait, nestled in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi. Bunaken offered peaceful drift dives, where turtles and reef fish danced along gentle currents above sloping corals. But the real astonishment awaited in Lembeh, a place where the ocean floor resembled a sci-fi landscape.

Often hailed as the muck diving capital of the world, Lembeh surprised me at every turn. I was briefed thoroughly by the dive center on how to dive responsibly and respectfully—because what lay beneath was truly rare. In this murky terrain, I captured prized sightings of hairy frogfish, Ambon scorpionfish, coconut and wonderpus octopuses, pygmy seahorses, and even a stargazer. It was a journey into the weird and wonderful—a macro photographer’s dreamscape. The warm hospitality of the team at Two Fish Divers and their delicious food made the experience even more memorable.