Bunaken: Most Famous Diving and Snorkeling Island

Bunaken is one of Indonesia’s most famous diving and snorkeling areas and it draws visitors from all over the world. It is part of the Bunaken National Marine Park and is located at the north of the island of Sulawesi.

Bunaken National Park extends over an area of 890.65 km² of which only 3% is terrestrial, including Bunaken Island, as well as the islands of Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen.

The thing to do in Bunaken

The thing to do in Bunaken is dive, dive and dive! However, the steep walls and occasionally strong, rapidly changing currents mean that many sites cater more to the intermediate/advanced diver. There are beginner-friendly sites too and all dive shops can arrange introduction dives and Open Water Dive courses.

Another thing to do is snorkeling. It is fantastic in front of many of the resorts around the island, with an incredible amount of marine life inhabiting the shallows. Remember not to snorkel without fins as the currents can sometimes be strong and change quickly even when they are not. Pick a reference point on the island and do not stray too far unless you are a very confident swimmer.

On Bunaken Island

Below are some resorts on Bunaken:

• Bastianos Dive Resort. Full service dive resort.
• Bunaken SeaGarden Resort. On a beautiful location at Pangalisang beach you will find the Bunaken SeaGarden Resort, a small and cosy resort with spacious cottages built in a traditional style. All cottages have nice veranda and modern style bathrooms. Right in front of the resort you wil find the Bunaken Timur Reef, one of the best reefs of Bunaken, also perfect for snorkelers. The high tide creates a long natural swimming pool along the resort and at low tide a shady and sandy beach appears. Accommodation and diving for reasonable prices.
• Bunaken Village Resort. Located along the Pangalisang beach on the east coast of Bunaken. 8 cottages, restaurant, dive shop, beach bar, and swimming pool around a nicely landscaped small garden.
• Cicak Senang Resort. Five wooden bungalows on a hillside with spacious bathroom and a beautiful view. Breezy beachside restaurant and bar. Good snorkeling right in front of the resort. Snorkeling tours and dolphinwatching tours are offered. The owner Jerry is a Bunaken original who knows a lot about the island and he is happy to show you around. Families with children welcome. US $ 25 per person per night fullboard.

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 13th, 2010 at 2:23 am and is filed under Indonesia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.