Bunaken is a name that resonates as a promise of underwater adventure for divers from all around the world. This small Indonesian island, part of the Bunaken Marine National Park, is located off the coast of Manado in North Sulawesi. Known for its exceptionally clear waters and steep drop-offs, Bunaken is a marine sanctuary home to a myriad of coral species and an impressive diversity of tropical fish.
Divers can explore dazzling coral gardens, walls adorned with colorful sponges, and encounter turtles, reef sharks, and sometimes even dolphins or dugongs. The beauty of Bunaken’s diving sites, with visibility that can reach over 30 meters, makes it one of the most sought-after diving destinations in Southeast Asia.
TRANSPORT
There are about 400 km from Gorontalo to Manado. The only means of transport between here and Manado are by bus or a shared taxi known as kijiang.
We didn’t do much research on buses because kijangs seem to be the best option. According to some older information, it takes from 12 to 13 hours from Gorontalo to Manado by bus, or even longer.
The rates for kijangs vary depending on the seats you take. For a seven-seater car, including the driver, the passenger seat costs 350,000 IDR (20 euros), the front row seat (row behind the driver and passenger) costs 300,000 IDR, and the rear row costs 250,000 IDR per person for three seats.
The price to charter a car to Manado seems to be between 1,500,000 IDR and 1,700,000 IDR (150 euros – included) per car. We decided to share a chartered car with an Anglo-Finnish couple who had been traveling together for some time.
We decided to charter a boat to go to Bunaken.
In fact, when we arrived at the boat dock, there was a larger boat to share with others for 100,000 rupiah (7 euros) each, but unfortunately, we missed it.
We negotiated with another boat and ended up chartering the boat in the image above for 500,000 rupiah (35 euros – included).
ACCOMMODATION
The BunakenFamily Resort is situated on Pangalisang Beach on the east coast of Bunaken Island. It offers Indonesian-style bungalows amidst nature and features a well-equipped diving center.
The cottages are equipped with boxspring beds, mosquito nets, fans, and a private terrace with a hammock, while the bathrooms are supplied with fresh water.
Guests can go snorkeling right in front of the resort or join the boat for spectacular dives around the island.
The resort also offers luggage storage service, a safety deposit box, and a laundry service.
The Sea restaurant serves Indonesian dishes, and vegetarian meals are also no problem.
The Bunaken Family Resort is located 30-45 minutes by boat from the port of Manado. From there, it is a 30-45 minute drive to Sam Ratulangi Airport.
From the village to the resort, it is a 25-30 minute walk. They can organize a transfer from the public boat or the village of Bunaken to the resort for 20,000 IDR (about 1 euro) per person.
ROOM TYPE: Family Room
Three meals included
Bunaken, experience a glimpse of underwater life in the majestic sea garden
In the Bunaken Marine Park, you will encounter a real-life mermaid, and you will also get a glimpse of the underwater life. Within the Bunaken Marine Park, visitors can see various strange and colorful marine creatures along its seabed. To reach this park, you can take a motorboat.
The crystal-clear waters of the Bunaken seas allow people to clearly see numerous marine biota. There are 13 species of coral reefs in this park, dominated by edge ridges and block rock ridges. The most striking view is the vertical steep coral reef that plunges to a depth of 25 to 50 meters. Feast your eyes on 91 types of fish found in the Bunaken National Park, among them the Gusimi seahorse (Hippocampus), the White Oci (Seriola rivoliana), the Yellow-tailed Lolosi (Lutjanus kasmira), the Goropa (Epinephelus spilotoceps and Pseudanthias hypselosoma), the Ila Gasi (Scolopsis bilineatus), and others. Divers can also encounter mollusks such as the Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas), the Goat’s Head (Cassis cornuta), the Nautilus (Nautilus pompilius), and Tunicates/Ascidians.
Getting Around
You can also explore the island on foot or take a boat to move from one diving site to another. Walking on the beach is already a very enjoyable experience.