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World's Best Places for Muck Diving at Night

By Eric Michael | Published On October 24, 2016
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World's Best Places for Muck Diving at Night

Muck Diving Lembeh Strait Indonesia, Stargazer

Muck diving at night in Lembeh Strait, Indonesia, can reveal weird critters like this stargazer.

Steve Jones

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

Juvenile Batfish Muck Diving Lembeh Strait Indonesia

A juvenile batfish found in Lembeh Strait, Indonesia.

Jose Alejandro Alvarez
Muck Diving in Lembeh Strait, Indonesia

This crazy looking creature is a predatory bobit worm, which is frequently seen by muck divers in Lembeh Strait, Indonesia.

Steve Jones

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.

Read More About Diving the Philippines

Night Diving Muck Critter Nudibranch

A brightly colored nudibranch found during a night dive in Anilao, Philippines.

Shutterstock

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.

Read More About Diving St. Vincent

St. Vincent Muck Diving Caribbean

Colorful creatures found during night dives in the muck of St. Vincent.

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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.

Read More About Diving Palau

Muck Diving at Night Palau

Muck diving in Palau at night, you'll spot crazy creatures like these.

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