The sprawling fingers of Sulawesi give this island over 6,000 km of coastline, against which laps warm water rich in marine life. The dramatic topography continues offshore, with abyssal trenches and sheer drop-offs right up against the shoreline. Once you've dived here - usually at a dive resort on Bunaken Island or in the Lembeh Strait - you will understand the enthusiasm of frequent visitors, many of who claim that there is nowhere else on earth that offers such diverse and exciting underwater experiences.
Given the enormous number and variety of dive sites so near to the shore, Sulawesi is quite possibly one of the best resort diving destinations in the world. There is a huge choice of highly affordable accommodations to stay in and only a few liveaboards.
Just to the east of Manado is the magical muck dive wonderland of the Lembeh Strait, with its seemingly endless promises of discovery of rare and unusual critters. If you've ever watched a National Geographic documentary on some strange underwater creature and wondered where it was filmed, well the chances are high that it was filmed here!
The world-famous island of Bunaken, off the north east tip of Sulawesi, is often quoted among the world's top 10 dive destinations and is a mecca for scuba divers of all levels. Here, strong currents bring nutrient-rich water from the ocean depths close to shore, creating one of the most beautiful coral environments in the world. Very few places in the world offer such biodiversity and that means there is something for everyone; it is the stuff of photographers' dreams.
Indonesia is a volcanic country and this area seems to sport more than its fair share. The nutrient-rich land that volcanoes produce is evidenced by the lush verdant hillsides and the stunning quantities of fresh fruit and vegetables in the local cuisine. Most tourists come to Lembeh and Manado for the scuba diving packages, but for those who fancy a few days off or something a little different during their vacation, there is plenty to do to experience this intriguing part of the country.
With 2 quite distinct world-class resort destinations sitting on its doorstep, North Sulawesi will keep most ardent scuba divers happy. You can explore the waters around this celebrated island from the comfort of one of our selected dive resorts. The highlights depend on what you're interested in. Bunaken offers schools of fish and healthy coral walls, whereas the Lembeh Strait is the world's capital for muck diving par excellence and there is literally nowhere better for bizarre critters.
To dive in the Bunaken National Marine Park means being surrounded by marine bio-diversity that is the envy of the world - with more varieties of coral than anywhere else. There are 50 or so dive sites in the park, mostly offering healthy walls, schools of reef fish and pelagics, plus there are also some very good macro sites, making the area a unique destination. [More information on these dive sites: Bunaken Island].
You can either stay in Manado on the mainland, or on Bunaken island itself. Dive resorts around Manado have more land to use and access to infrastucture and therefore tend to be larger and more luxurious than those on Bunaken. From the mainland you may have longer boat journeys but normally better facilities and a professionally run resort. Accommodations on the island have less space and therefore tend to be smaller and either more simple in the flashpacker sense, or boutique and with a family atmosphere.
> [More details: Bunaken Dive Resorts]Few places are really the best in the world for anything but Lembeh really is the planet's best spot for muck diving. No more than a few breaths go by between one bizarre and exhilarating sight and the next. If you've tired of night dives, then try one in the Lembeh Strait - they are simply fantastic. Forget great visibility, healthy reefs and a brightly coloured seabed, this place is for those who want to marvel at innumerable, incredible critters against a dark, volcanic sand background. [More information on these dive sites: Lembeh Strait].
The dive resorts are located along the mainland coastline (near the port town of Bitung) and the island of Lembeh on the opposite side of the strait. You can chose from a range of diving packages - from small and simple, to more glamorous luxury where some of the accommodations can be quite large and feature facilities such as swimming pools. It is such a small area that the 50+ dive sites are likely to be no more than 10 minutes boat ride from your chosen place to stay.
> [More details: Lembeh Strait Dive Resorts]For those that prefer to find their own accommodation, we also offer daily diving trips from Manado to Lembeh, Bunaken and Bangka.
Of course you can opt to visit either of these destinations, but the ultimate North Sulawesi scuba diving resort holiday would involve a combination of these 2 very distinct experiences since the beautiful coral walls of Bunaken complement the amazing muck diving in Lembeh. Stays of 5+ days are ideal for one location or 8-10 days to visit both destinations. Sulawesi dive packages normally include full board accommodation, diving and airport transfers.
Bastianos Lembeh Resort
Customer rating: Excellent!
Lembeh Resort
Customer rating: Excellent!
Bastianos Bunaken Resort
Customer rating: Very good!
Bunaken Cha Cha Resort
Customer rating: Very good!
Tasik Ria Dive Resort
Customer rating: Very good!
Manado Dive Day Trips
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North Sulawesi enjoys an equatorial climate, which means it's sunny all year round. There are only 2 seasons - the wet season and the dry season.
The wet season usually falls between November and February and is characterised by intermittent downpours during largely sunny periods. Often the rain does not last long and dries up seemingly instantly. During this period, the Celebes Sea's surface becomes choppier. The usual temperature range is from 23°C to 31°C, on very hot days it may rise up to 33°C. It is cooler in the mountainous regions. The weather is more changeable from December to March but very rarely would the time of year interfere with the Manado diving schedule.
Bunaken experiences peak crowds in July and August, when dive resorts often sell out months in advance. While diving remains good during this period, warmer waters increase plankton, reducing visibility. For optimal conditions with fewer crowds, visit Bunaken between March and early November. Note that whale and dolphin sightings are most frequent in July-August. Water temperatures stay consistently warm (27-30°C) year-round with stable visibility.
The Lembeh Strait is good for visit all year round. Water temperatures hit a high of 29°C at year end, and a low of 25°C in July; visibility variations are not such an issue here. Many say July has the greatest number of critters, but a keen-eyed scuba diver will find all the main critter attractions here at any time of the year.
Manado is in the far north east of the island and is the main city of the North Sulawesi. It is the point of entry for most visitors, particularly those who are resort diving in Bunaken and the Lembeh Strait. The backdrop to this small city is row upon row of rising green peaks and it sits facing the volcanic island of Manado Tua, Bunaken and Siladen islands.
Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado has a regular international flight service to/from Singapore with Silk Air. There are also flights from Jakarta and Bali with domestic airlines, including Lion Air/Wings Air, Garuda and Air Asia. You should be able to book direct online with them and pay with your debit/credit card. If you experience problems, please ask us for help.
To dive at Bunaken you will stay in a diving resort around Manado (land transfer of up to 30 minutes) or on the island of Bunaken itself, a 45 minute boat ride from the city. The Lembeh dive resorts located on the mainland are around 1 hour by road from Manado. Those based on Lembeh island itself involve an additional short boat transfer of between 5 and 15 minutes.
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We had a great time diving in both Bunaken and Lembeh. Thank you so much for making our holiday wonderful! Pip [Dive The World sales staff] was very responsive in getting us the information we requested and booking our entire trip for us. Communication was very clear and came quickly, allowing us to make informed decisions regarding our trip
