Wonderful walls and coral reefs for all levels of diver
Sebastian Pena Lambarri
Situated off the northern coast of Sulawesi, Bunaken provides a variety of excellent dive sites.
A marine park since 1991, it is one of Indonesia's most famous diving spots.
The nutrient-rich waters result in vibrant and healthy reef eco-systems, with a high level of bio-diversity and superb marine life sightings.
The marine park comprises of four islands and numerous dive sites, with options for both beginner and advanced diver. Bunaken is reached via the port city of Manado in Sulawesi.
Highlights
Best diving spots
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. Barracuda Point, as you might expect, often has huge schools of Chevron Barracuda and Siladen is another excellent site, especially for the chance of larger visitors.
For beginners and those looking for the Bunaken's more enigmatic marine life, there are many options too. Tasak Ria, Meras & Celah Celah are easy dives that are home to many of the area's unusual critters.
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.
The dive sites of Bunaken are well known for barracuda, jacks, turtles, Napoleon wrasse, 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, and the variety on offer cannot fail to please divers of all levels.
When to dive
Bunaken can be dived all year, but the best diving conditions are between April and October in the dry season. January & February are the only months to consider avoiding for this region.
Getting there
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.
Activities
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.
Resort and liveaboard options
Bunaken is best dived from resort, with options to suit most budgets on the islands of the national park and also on the mainland, oppostie the national park. Being on an island is possibly the more idyllic and romantic choice, however being on the mainland offers more activity options aside from scuba diving.
This region does not tend to see liveaboards as all dive sites can be reached easily from land.
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