Diving in Sulawesi
Diving in Bunaken near Manado - North Sulawesi
Sulawesi has become a very popular tourist destination. It offers beautiful flora and fauna and is home to many different ethnic groups. Sulawesi's dive sites are among the most spectacular in the world. Sulawesi is also excellent for snorkelers, especially the BUNAKEN National Park. Many dive schools operate in Sulawesi. Several of them have very good credentials and are PADI certified. It is advisable to check their credentials. Dive schools also offer snorkelling trips, however it is perhaps more suitable for the snorkelers to arrange their own boat trips as dive schools often cater only to the requirements of divers and snorkelers may end up visiting sites hat are not very exciting for them. Sulawesi can be very easily reached by air, either from other parts of Indonesia or from Singapore. Bunaken National Marine Park has one of the best known dive sites in Indonesia.
Bunaken National Marine Park Islands
Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen Bunaken offers excellent diving and snorkelling, mainly off the island, accessable by a short boat ride. Most dive operators will bring their guests around Bunaken. Special Attractions: spectacular walls, very clear water in the dry season Corals: lush corals Fish: turtles, barracuda, sharks. Corals: good variety of hard and soft corals Diving: very good, highly recommended by many divers Snorkelling: very nice variety of corals and fish
Manado Tua Diving
Excellent diving, mainly for the more experienced diver.Siladen Diving
Beaches: white, sandy beaches, relaxing atmosphere, probably the best beaches of all the islands. Corals: good variety of hard and soft corals Diving: good Snorkelling: nice variety of corals and fish can be seen just off shore.Banka Island
Sulawesi's most Northern island. Easily accessible from Manado by speedboat in a day trip. Many dive operators will offer organised dive or snorkel tours to these islands. The trip is very enjoyable, passing along fishing villages, islands, fishing boats.
Corals: less variety than Bunaken
Fish: often big fish, including sharks, barracudas
Diving: very good
Snorkelling: snorkelling is available off the boat, good variety of bigger fish can be seen. A wet suit may be advisable as the water can get very cold there and sometimes jelly fish can be around.
Lembeh Island
Lembeh island has mainly black sand and is off Bitung, a major shipping port in North Sulawesi. Several good dive and snorkel sites, in particular at the very Northern end of the island. Lembeh can be accessed by road from Manado or by boat. Some dive centers offer day trips covering Lembeh and Banka.
Fish: very small and unique creatures can be found on the bottom of the ocean.
Diving: very good, due to the uniqueness of the creatures in the ocean, highly recommended by many divers.
Snorkelling: difficult to see the marine life.
Togian Islands (Tomini Bay)
Gorontalo and the Togian Islands: over 50 islands
Attractions: hawksbill turtle, the green turtle, dugong.
They are reachable by chartered boat from Manado or from Palu by road and boat.
Accommodation in and near Manado
There is plenty of accommodation in and around Manado. Many dive schools offer their own accommodation or are located within one of the resorts.
Dive operators and dive centers
Find PADI dive centres and schools near a dive site.
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