Indonesia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 336

Travel agents Safari Tours and Travel ( T 0431 857637,
W manadosafaris.com) offer flights and tours; their o ce
is at Jl Sam Ratulangi 178, almost opposite the Minahasa .

Pulau Bunaken
About an hour by ferry out from
Manado, Pulau Bunaken is a low-backed,
5km-long comma covered in coconut
trees and ringed by sand and mangroves.
Entry into the national park costs
Rp150,000, which buys a tag valid for
one year, or Rp50,000 for a day. he
cheaper hotels often don't bother
charging you, but do ask as the money
goes toward maintaining the park. If you
book in advance your homestay will
usually arrange your transport. he main
alternative is to take a public ferry to
Bunaken village from the river behind the
warungs at Pasar Bersehati in Manado
(Mon-Sat at 2pm but get there a good
hour early; return 8am; Rp50,000). A
wander round the main harbour will also
get you a plethora of offers, usually from
homestays who will charge around
Rp35,000 if you stay with them, or
Rp50,000 if you don't.

BUNAKEN MARINE RESERVE
Indonesia's o cial scuba centre is
Bunaken Marine Reserve , a 75-square-
kilometre patch of sea northwest of
Manado. Coral reefs around the reserve's
four major islands drop to a 40m shelf
before plunging to depths of 200m and
more, creating stupendous reef walls
abounding with Napoleon (maori)
wrasse, barracuda, trevally, tuna, turtles,
manta rays, whales and dolphin. Set aside
concerns about snakes and sharks and
avoid instead the 1m-long Titan
triggerfish, sharp beaked and notoriously
pugnacious when guarding its nest; and
small, fluorescent-red anemone fish,
which are apt to give divers a painful nip.
Diving is well established in Bunaken,
with high-quality operators both in
Manado and within the reserve on Pulau
Bunaken. he island makes for an
infinitely more pleasant base, with a wide
range of accommodation. Experienced
divers will also find plenty of budget
operators on the island, though you
must check the reliability of rental gear
and air quality , the two biggest causes for
concern here.
Off the island's west beach, between
Bunaken village and Liang beach, are
Lekuan 1 , 2 and 3 , exceptionally steep
deep walls, where you'll find everything
from gobies and moray eels to black-tip
reef sharks. here are giant clams and
stingrays at Fukui, on the far western
end of the island, while Mandolin is
good for turtles and occasional mantas,
and Mike's Point attracts sharks and
sea snakes. Non-divers can snorkel
straight from the beach, or ask to join a
diving boat.
he best weather conditions are
between June and November, with light
breezes, calm seas and visibility
underwater averaging 25m and peaking
beyond 50m. Try to avoid the westerly
storms between December and February
and less severe, easterly winds from
March until June.

4

DIVE OPERATORS
All operators below are part of the North Sulawesi Water-
sports Association ( W divenorthsulawesi.com), which
promotes environmentally responsible diving in Bunaken.
★

Froggies (see p.340). Popular place with high
standards and a good reputation with experienced divers.
€65 for two dives.
Immanuel's Part of Daniel's Homestay on Pangalisang
Beach. Friendly and popular with budget divers. €60 for
two dives.
Living Colours Pangalisang Beach T 0812 430 6063,
W livingcoloursdiving.com. Large, e cient operator with
a good reputation for both equipment and environmental
awareness. €65 for two dives.
Two Fish Divers (see p.340). Pangalisang-based, UK-run
outfit with good equipment and high standards. €60 for
two dives.

ACCOMMODATION
There is plenty of accommodation on the island, though
with the exception of Daniel's all the places listed are
a fair walk from the village - ask anyone with a scooter
to take you (Rp5000-10,000). All rates include three
meals a day.

PANGALISANG
★

Daniel's T 0852 4096 1716 or T 5612 7448,
W immanueldivers.com. One of the first you come to
from the village, though it can be hard to spot - look for
the Immanuel Divers sign. Friendly, social, justifiably