3.08
Manado and Bunaken National Park are well conserved marine habitats with excellent diving and snorkeling opportunities.
| Inserted/Added by: | lars, © Author: Lars Hemel |
| Rated: | Rated 3.2, 5 votes |
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Manado and the five islands Bunaken, Manado Tua, Siladen, Montehage and Nain that make up Bunaken National Park can be found at the northwestern tip of Sulawesi. The park with its warm tropical waters was formed in 1991 and is separated in conservation zones, tourism zones and zones for general use including fishing. Its entrance fee system is quite unique and used as a model for marine conservationists around the world. Your entire hefty entrance fee is used directly for Bunaken National Park. Diving tours, snorkeling trips and boat activities are easily booked from Manado.
The east, south and west of Bunaken Island are known for its steep drop-offs and incredible amount of reef fish. Expect to see hundreds of butterfly fish, parrot fish, bannerfish, angel fish and fusiliers, especially at the southern gradually descending coral slopes. Manado Tua or Old Manado is an 800 meter high dormant volcano that continues dropping down below the waterline. Siladen Island has many brilliant colored and shallow coral formations making it perfect for snorkelers. The two northern islands Mantehage Island (mangrove forests) and Nain Island are more remote but still awarded with splendid coral despite destructive dynamite fishing. The waters between the islands are extremely deep and sights of the coelacanth (Latimeria menadoensis) have been reported, a living fossil of up to two meters large living in caves at 200m deep. The reefs around the Manado Coast, Molas-Wori area and inside Manado Bay can be simple reef dives, high speed drift dives and even some nice wrecks can be visited. It is possible to spot dolphins and pilot whales while crossing over from Manado to Bunaken.
It is not only diving that is special in the region of Manado. There are many walking and hiking tours to the lush tropical rainforest of the Minahasa highlands. Volcanoes are surrounding the area of Manado with Klabat (2002meter) and Dua Saudara (1351meter) to the west. The twin volcanoes Lokon and Empung can be found to the south. Tangkoko Nature Reserve is a must as it encircles the small volcano Gunung Tangkoko.
Bunaken is known for its steep continental shelf, meaning that you will find many wall dives. Its upwelling currents and lunar cycles provide for a lot of trapped healthy nutrient currents which attract many different predators and prey. Sea fans, mackerels, slugs, dragonets, ghost pipefishes, hammerhead sharks, green sea turtles, barracudas, Napoleon wrasses, sea horses, but also most of the common reef fish such as bumphead parrot fish are all found here in dazzling colors. It is a famous spot for marine biologist, wide angle and macro photography, underwater videography and with this many different species of marine life it is a haven for muck divers searching for the unknown. Most divers agree that its aquatic ecosystem, with almost 70% of all Indo-western Pacific marine species, is the main reason for its popularity.
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- Happy Dolphin Divers Bali, Box 106, Amlapura, BaliHappy Dolphin Divers Bali
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Blue Bay Divers
| Blue Bay Divers www.blue-bay-divers.de/en/inde... | Sahaung Island Manado |
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- Lumbalumba Diving, PO box 1721, Manado
Lumbalumba Diving
| Diving and staying in Bunaken ... www.lumbalumbadiving.com 0812 430 2974 | PO box 1721 95017 Manado |
"Lumbalumba Diving" is an informal, small and comfortable dive resort in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. With no more than five luxurious chalets, we offer a familiar and flexible atmosphere with the personalized attention you are looking for. "Lumbalumba Diving" is a complete dive resort with own accommodation, excellent cuisine, bar, tropical pool, spa facilities, dive center, Private jetty and spacious dive catamarans. Located on a 3.5 hectare, mountain slope, in a lush botanical garden and overlooking the famous Bunaken Marine Park, we also have one of the most spectacular views you can find in Manado. "For us, you are not just another tourist. For you we are not just another dive resort"
Manado Safari Tours
| Manado Safari Tours www.manadosafaris.com 62 431 857637 | Jl. Sam Ratulangi No. 178 Manado - North Sulawesi |
North Sulawesi Tour Planning, Hotel & Scuba Diving Package Reservations - Manado, Bunaken, Lembeh Strait, Gangga & beyond.
The mission of Safari Tours & Travel is to be able to provide you, the consumer, a one stop shopping website for all your travel needs in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Whether you are interested in scuba diving in Bunaken National Park in Manado, North Sulawesi, Lembeh Straits in Bitung or you need hotel reservations in the Minahassan Highlands, Safari Tours & Travel in the heart of Manado will be able to provide you quality service at affordable & competitive prices.
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Wallacea
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Dive Liveaboard in Indonesia, offers dive cruises in Sulawesi and Papua Barat.
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