Bunaken |
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Bunaken National Park is one of the highlights of Indonesia's underwater world. Situated at the end of Sulawesi’s north-eastern arm, just a short distance from Manado, the national park comprises 5 islands - Bunaken, Siladen, Monthage, Nain and the extinct volcano of Manado Tua.
The beauty of Bunaken lies in its combination of variety & great diving conditions. Visibility is normally excellent, there are both easy & challenging dive sites and the nutrient-rich waters result in vibrant and healthy reef eco-systems, with a huge level of diversity.
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 There are fantastic dive sites all around the islands. Many of the sites are wall dives. Lekuan I & II are hugely popular wall dives, Mike’s Point & Sachiko Point bring the chance of plenty of big-fish action, while Muka Geraja has a beautiful wall with many caverns & overhangs.
Pangalisan is the best site to encounter Dugongs, Barracuda Point, as you might expect, often has huge schools of Chevron Barracuda and Siladen is another excellent site, especially for larger visitors.
For beginners and those looking for the areas smaller inhabitants, there are many options too. Tasak Ria, Meras & Celah Celah are easy dives that are home to many of the area's unusual critters, with a new species of Pygmy Seahorse discovered here only recently.
There is also a shipwreck, known as the Molas. The history of the wreck is unclear, bar the fact that it sunk in 1942, but it is in excellent condition & makes for an interesting dive with plenty of things to see. Due to the depth, it is a dive for more experienced divers only.
Sperm Whales & Dugongs visit the area, along with plenty of Sharks & Rays, huge schools of Barracuda & Jacks, Turtles, Napoleon Wrasses, Bumphead Parrotfish and a myriad of smaller critters such as Frogfish, Leaf Scorpionfish & Pygmy Seahorses. If that’s not enough, the corals are spectacular too.
All in all, the park has well over 30 different dive sites, many of them world-class - and the variety on offer cannot fail to please divers of all levels. It can be visited all year round, although January to March can bring slightly rougher conditions.
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The dive sites of Bunaken National Park can be dived from dive centres on Bunaken island itself, or from dive centres in and around Manado.
Some dive centres offer packages with a few days diving Bunaken and a few in Lembeh, just a short distance away. |
 
Bunaken is the main island of Bunaken National Park and the only island in the park that it is possible to stay on. It is located near the tip of Sulawesi's northern-most arm, in the shadow of the Manado Tua volcano.
Diving is the main reason to come to this island and it has a well established and professional dive scene. Day trips are made to all of Bunaken's many dive sites. There is a marine park fee to come to the island.
Bunaken is not so difficult to reach as it is close to Manado, one of Sulawesi's two major cities. Manado has an airport with flights to Makassar in the south of Sulawesi and also Bali, Jakarta, Surabaya & Balikpapan. There are now a few international flights aswell, linking Manado to Singapore, Malaysia & the Philippines. From Manado, it is a simple boat trip out to Bunaken. For those looking to do things the hard way, it is also possible to reach Manado by bus and ferry.
There are plenty of places to stay on Bunaken, all of which are closely linked to dive centres. The majority of the accommodation is either budget or mid-range. Most of the accommodation is on the south of the island.
Aside from diving, there is not a great deal else to do on Bunaken. It is a great place for snorkelling as the corals start right from the beach. On the mainland, there are plenty of activities, including trekking, nature walks, golf & shopping.
Manado is the major city and port in the north of Sulawesi and the major hub for divers wishing to visit Bunaken & Lembeh, as well as Liveaboards cruising northern Sulawesi.
There are around 15 dive centres around Manado that offer day trips to a few local dive sites and Bunaken National Park. Many of them can also arrange dive packages or Liveaboard trips, including trips to Lembeh and even Bangka & Sanghige to the north.
Manado has an airport with flights to Makassar in the south of Sulawesi and also Bali, Jakarta, Surabaya & Balikpapan. There are now a few international flights aswell, linking Manado to Singapore, Malaysia & the Philippines.
As Manado is a large city, there is a huge range of accommodation, from budget hostels to 5 star hotels. Mid-range hotels offer by far the widest choice. The majority of the choices are inner city hotels as opposed to rustic, beach-side accommodation.
As well as many accommodation options, Mandado has plenty to do when you are not diving. Options include shopping & golf, trekking in the surrounding countryside, visiting volcanoes and immersing yourself in the history & culture of the area.
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Just off the north-eastern tip of Sulawesi is the Lembeh Strait.
This insignificant looking stretch of water is now widely considered to be the muck-diving capital of the world, with more bizarre and unusual critters than anywhere else on earth...
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Coral Reefs are the most complex and productive of all eco-systems on earth. As divers, we often marvel at the incredibly beautiful and complicated coral reef structures we see and maybe wonder how how they came to be...
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