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DIVING MANADO (NORTH SULAWESI) & SURROUNDING
ISLANDS
The small islands in Manado Bay offer pristine coral walls
covered with incredible amounts and varieties of soft coral. Visibility ranges
from 12-25 meters, but this is due to plankton, which sustains the area's rich
fish life. The reefs here are basically untouched. The marine life here is
excellent and the surfaces of the walls are crowded with hard and soft coral.
Huge schools of Pyramid Butterfly Fish, Black Triggerfish, Barracuda, rays,
Moray eels and sea snakes are common.
DIVE SITES:
Bunaken Islands:
The bay of Manado is located at the
very top of the island of Sulawesi. Less than 30 minutes by boat from the docks
of the picturesque Christian Harbor lay the Bunaken Sea Gardens, one of
Indonesia's finest sea parks and one of the world's best scuba diving
experiences. While tourism interests have now started to encroach on the
simplicity of Manado, the reality of the Bunaken is impossible to damage. Most
diving around the Bunaken Sea Garden is shore based day dives, with
transportation being provided by small open boats equipped with out-board
motors. The reef is good all the way around Bunaken, and 6 km long island
features no less than 13 dive sites. Bunaken is the centerpiece of this
national reserve and, with careful observation, you could possibly see the
majority of reef fish found in Indonesia. All the sites are similar in that
they feature steep walls of coral, pocketed with small caves, and they are
buzzing with small and medium sized reef fish. Good coral growth usually
extends down to 40-50 meters, and in deeper parts of the walls, one can see
sharks, large rays and Napoleon Wrasse.
Siladen Island:
There is one regular site off the small
island of Siladen, just 2 km northeast of unaken. The wall is steep, down to
about 35 meters, and coral growth is very good. Siladen is a good place to see
big pelagic fish, and the largest stingrays in the reserve. |
Duration: 08 Days/07 Nights
Starts/Ends:
Jakarta
Montehage & Nain Islands:
Montehage is a large flat
island north of Bunaken. A community of Bajo fishermen have built a village on
stilts in the shallow estuaries and back reef areas of the island. The dive
sites are off the west south, which is fringed with a wide shallow reef flat
and is exposed at low tide.
Day 01
Jakarta or Bali arrival. Transfer and
overnight at hotel.
Day 02
Fly from Jakarta to Manado.
Day 03 - 05
Dives in Bunaken Island &
Surroundings.
Day 06
Return to Manado for stay
overnight.
Day 07
Manado Depart for Jakarta. Overnight in
Jakarta.
Day 08
Depart Jakarta or Bali for other destinations
or extend with other trips.
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