North Sulawesi
Tours in Bunaken
Bunaken is a small island off Manado in North Sulawesi, sitting in a marine park built around one specific feature: coral walls that drop vertically for hundreds of metres a short swim from shore. Drift along the top of one and the reef falls away beneath you into blue. It has been a protected park since 1991, which shows in the condition of the reef, and it is among the easiest world-class dive destinations in Indonesia to reach.
Booking a trip to Bunaken
Asik Travel arrange trips across Indonesia and are adding destinations steadily, though they have not published a fixed Bunaken itinerary yet. Their planning team builds custom routes, so Bunaken is worth asking them about directly rather than waiting for a listing to appear.
What Bunaken is actually good for
The walls
Near-vertical coral faces dropping into deep water, close enough to the surface that snorkellers see the top of them clearly. This is the reason Bunaken has the reputation it does.
Turtles, reliably
Green and hawksbill turtles are seen on most dives here, in numbers that make them almost routine rather than an event.
An hour from a city
Manado is a proper city with an airport and hospitals, and the island is under an hour away by boat. Very few reefs of this quality are this easy to reach.
Muck diving at Lembeh
The Lembeh Strait, a couple of hours away, is the world's best-known muck diving site, full of bizarre small creatures. Many trips pair the two, which are complete opposites underwater.
Volcanoes and highlands inland
The Minahasa highlands behind Manado have volcanoes, lakes and hot springs, plus Tangkoko reserve with tarsiers, for the days between diving.
When to go
Diving is good year round, with visibility usually best from March to October. The heaviest rain falls between November and February, which affects surface conditions and the boat crossing more than the diving itself.
Getting there
Fly into Sam Ratulangi airport at Manado, with domestic connections and some international routes from Singapore. Boats to Bunaken take under an hour from the city, and most resorts on the island arrange transfers.
What it costs
A marine park entrance fee applies and goes to park management. Diving and accommodation on Bunaken cost less than most comparable destinations, and considerably less than Raja Ampat for reef quality that is genuinely in the same conversation.
Worth knowing first
- The marine park fee is separate from your dive package. Check whether your resort includes it.
- Currents on the walls can be strong. It is a superb place to dive but not the gentlest place to learn.
- Accommodation on the island is mostly small dive resorts. If you want restaurants and choice in the evening, stay in Manado and take day boats.
- Snorkellers do very well here because the walls start shallow, but the drop-off means deep water immediately. Wear a flotation aid if you are not a confident swimmer.
Bunaken questions people actually ask
Is Bunaken good for snorkelling or only diving?
Both, unusually. The walls begin in shallow water, so a snorkeller floating on the surface looks straight down a coral cliff. That is a rare thing: at most wall sites you need a tank to see anything of the drop.
How does Bunaken compare with Raja Ampat?
Raja Ampat has greater biodiversity and costs far more in money and travel time. Bunaken has the dramatic wall topography, reliable turtles, and an airport an hour away. For a shorter trip or a first serious dive destination in Indonesia, Bunaken is much the easier proposition.
When is the best time to dive Bunaken?
March to October generally gives the best visibility, though diving runs year round. November to February is the wettest period and affects the boat crossing and surface comfort more than the underwater conditions.
Can I combine Bunaken with Lembeh?
Yes, and it is the standard North Sulawesi trip. Bunaken is walls and big reef; Lembeh, a couple of hours away, is black sand muck diving for strange small animals. They are opposites, and doing both gives you the full range in one trip.
Elsewhere in Indonesia
Photographs by TripAdvisor (indonesiatourism), TripAdvisor (oliviav27), TripAdvisor (marthiany).
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