Living Colours is one of the few resorts in the Manado area that is owned and run by scuba divers. With Northern European owners at the helm, the resort proves very popular with European travellers and holiday makers, to the extent that Living Colours was nominated as the guide book Lonely Planet's "Our Pick" for North Sulawesi in the 2007 edition.
Guests will tell you that they enjoy the resort's informal, flexible style and the location, being on the east coast of Bunaken Island and boasting one of Bunaken's top dive sites as its 'house reef'. Living Colours operate 3 boats so they can easily plan to visit appropriate sites for different diver experience levels, every day. You can dive Bunaken Island 2 or 3 times per day, plus night dives if you desire. The staff are always helpful and will take care of your equipment for the duration of your stay.
During your time out of the water, the bungalows own spacious seaview verandahs with hammocks and sun loungers are the most popular spot to relax, where you can read a book from the resort's book exchange library or connect to the wi-fi internet. Book a massage therapy and enjoy your treatment in the privacy of your bungalow. For evening entertainment, take in some liquid refreshment and live local music at the resort's Safety Stop bar.
Living Colours take their holiday guests dining enjoyment seriously too. The restaurant serves up a very tasty array of Indonesian, Asian and western dishes. Possibly the finest kitchen at Bunaken Island.
Destinations:Bunaken Island National Marine Park (Diving environment: wall diving, drift diving, healthy reefs, beginner & advanced divers, very popular; Highlights: dugongs, turtles, great macro life/marine diversity, schooling fish/big pelagics). - Siladen, Manado Tua, Montehage and Nain and Manado Bay, North Sulawesi. No diving on days of arrival or departure.
Resort diving includes:
Boat rides to sites, experienced English-speaking divemaster (maximum 4 divers per DM), tanks, weights and weightbelts, mask and fins only, diving tax, drinking water, hot drinks, snacks. Diving excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own):
Scuba equipment (BCD, regulator and wetsuit, approx. US$ 17 per day), Bunaken marine park fees (approx. US$ 9 per person per year). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash or credit card). Optional extras:
Extra day and night boat dives, trips to Bangka Island, dive computer, diving insurance, soft drinks. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival.
Resort accommodation includes:
Bed, breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinking water, hot drinks, snacks, taxes. Accommodation excludes (mandatory):
Single supplement on single travellers only, payable in advance. Single Supplement:
This is a compulsory additional charge on single travellers for the sole occupancy of double/twin accommodation. Optional extras:
Soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, internet access, return resort transfer from Manado airport (approx US$ 53 per person, to be paid in advance). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival.
How to get there:
Living Colours Dive Resort on Bunaken Island is a 45-60 minute boat transfer from Manado City, North Sulawesi. For more information on how to get to Manado see our Manado travel information section.
Dive clubs and group discounts:
None.
Add-on package:
For the best diving vacation experience in Manado, we recommend that you book a combination of resorts here, to include one in the Manado and Bunaken Island area to dive the Bunaken National Marine Park, and one in Lembeh to dive the strait.
The Living Colours Resort has 10 simple bungalows made from local thatch and wood. There are 9 double/twin and 1 family bungalow for 4 people (1 double bed room and 1 twin bed room). Per person prices are the same for each bungalow. All the bungalows are set in a pleasant hilltop lawn with seaviews. Each has a spacious verandah - an ideal place to relax with a good book in the afternoon or before dinner. All bungalows have en-suite bathroom facilities.
All the accommodations have:
Fan cooling
Seaview
Twin or double bed with mosquito net
Private bathroom with hot water
Towels and soap
Large private deck with hammock, sun lounger, table and chairs
Wi-fi internet (ask for a bungalow close to restaurant)
The Living Colours Scuba Centre has European dive instructors and Indonesian dive guides. It offers boat dives all around the 5 islands of the Bunaken National Marine Park, and the muck sites of Manado Bay.
The 3 dive boats feature:
12m traditional-style with wooden hulls
Maximum per boat: 8-10 divers
1 guide for every 4 divers
2 non-diving crew per boat
3 x 40 HP Suzuki engines
Shaded kit up area and sundeck
Drinking water, fruit & biscuits
Toilet
Oxygen, first aid kit & fire extinguisher
Mobile telecommunications
Daily departures from the resort are at approx. 08:30, 11:00, and 14:30 hrs for the 3rd dive. There is no maximum bottom time per dive. Lunch is served back at the resort between the 2nd and 3rd dives. Boat journey times are 2-30 minutes.
The dive centre has rinse tanks, a storage room for your equipment, and a camera table. The staff will wash and carry your scuba gear for you during your stay if you so wish.
Note: Extra night dives and excursions to Bangka Island can be arranged for an additional charge on arrival.
There are a few things to do at Living Colours during your holiday time when not spent on diving. Try snorkelling the house reef - Bunaken Timur - one of Bunaken's top dive sites. The mangrove just outside the resort is also a good place to spot dugongs. These elusive creatures are seen fairly commonly at full moon, new moon, and high tide.
If you plan to stay dry then you can book a relaxing in-room massage. There is a PC in the restaurant where you can connect with the rest of the world, or use your own laptop and connect with the resort's wi-fi internet. For liquid refreshments, visit the beachside Safety Stop Bar, and enjoy the impromptu live music sessions that the local staff perform.
Resort facilities include: Open-air covered restaurant - Beachfront bar with occasional live music - Massage treatments - Snorkelling - TV room with DVD player, movie library, book exchange & fish ID books - PC and wi-fi internet (chargeable) - Baby sitting & cots - Laundry service - Finnish sauna
Location: Bunaken Island, Bunaken National Marine Park, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Meals are served buffet style at the hillside restaurant. Dishes are a mix of Indonesian and Asian cuisine. The resort chef is one of Manado' finest, recruited from one of the city's top hotels to work at Living Colours.
Meals available:
Indonesian, Chinese and Italian style cuisines.
Breakfast consists of ham, eggs, cheese, pancakes / waffles, fried rice, hot cereals, fresh fruit, toast, coffee & tea.
Lunch & dinner are 5 or 6 different dishes of Indonesian salad, fish, meat, vegetables, followed by fruit.
All day snacks & drinks: fruit, tea, coffee, drinking water.
Special diets can be catered for - please send us advanced notice.
Fixed menu.
Some sample dishes: Udang Goreng Mentega (fried prawns with butter sauce), Ayam Rica-Rica (chicken with chilli sauce), Ikan Bakar Gunung Api (barbeque fish with chilli), Tahu-Tempe Saos Kecap (tofu and tempeh with sweet soy sauce), Cumi Cah Jamur (squid with mushroom and vegetables).
The nearest re-compression chamber is at Malalayang Hospital in Manado, 30 km - 1 hour - from Bunaken Island. We recommend guests have their own dive insurance policy.
The Living Colours Diving Center provides 1 guide for every 4 scuba divers, DAN emergency oxygen and first aid kits on its boats. There is also an extra supply of oxygen at the centre. The nearest medical facility is also in Manado at Malalayang Hospital.
The resort has a free of charge safety deposit box in reception and 24 hour security. The nearest police facility is 1 hour away on the Manado mainland.