Bunaken Indonesia – Your Quick Travel Guide

In a nutshell

Bunaken is a special place. With some of the greatest dives on the planet, opportunities to see dolphins and whales, secret coves waiting to be explored, and resorts just waiting for guests to serve, it’s tough to think of reasons not to go. Jobs aren’t all that important.

Why go to Bunaken

Many have said that Bunaken has the best wall dives in the whole world. Because so few have disagreed, we’re just going to go ahead and say it that it’s the best. The coral is untouched and there are 390 fish species in the waters surrounding the island. What are your odds of seeing these fish? Well, with the incredible water clarity that can stretch up to 35 meters (not a typo), and the vast abundance of sea life, we’d say that your odds are pretty darn good.

Bunaken Timur is the piece de resistance of the dive sites in Bunaken. Moreover, it is rated as the single best dive site in the whole of Indonesia. You’d do well to ensure you don’t miss this one, then.

There is more than just diving on Bunaken, though. There are a bunch of secluded coves along parts of the island that are well worth your time spend exploring. For those who prefer being above the waves, there are ample opportunities to do some fishing. Grab them with both hands!

As if there wasn’t enough to keep your mouth permanently agape, you can also organise dolphin and whale watching tours. Seeing as you’re unlikely to be back in Bunaken anytime soon, you’d be remiss should if you don’t take this opportunity.

When to go to Bunaken

Being the uber-popular diving destination that it is, peak-season will see all the hotels being booked and the waters being busier than usual. If you want to visit during the busiest months (July and August), you’ll have to book a good while in advance to avoid disappointment.

While you may miss out on seeing a dolphin or a whale, the months either side of peak season (May, June, and September) offer weather as pleasant and productive for a good diving experience, but will ensure that the island and the surrounding waters are far less populated by other tourists.

The rainy reason in Bunaken stretches through from November to February. While it won’t rain the whole day, you’d probably like to avoid cloudy skies and raincoats during your precious few days lounging on a beach, living la vida loca.

Where to stay in Bunaken

Seeing as the majority of visitors to Bunaken island are on a short trip either from home or from elsewhere in Indonesia, and especially seeing as you have very little choice in the matter once you’re there, the majority of accommodation is quite expensive – certainly well above what you would expect to be paying in other, less popular parts of Indonesia. This shouldn’t deter you. Nothing should.

While there isn’t an abundance of cheap accommodation of the island, those looking to submerge themselves in the islands incredible dive sites need not push their dreams aside because of the amount of zero’s in their bank account. There are a couple of basic guesthouses that will definitely meet the needs of the less-fussy. Several of the lodging options aren’t listed online and just take bookings from walk-in customers. This may be your best option. If all this seems a bit uncertain to you, then check your options online. One cheap guesthouse that is listed online is Ernie’s Homestay. The rooms are basic and have nothing special about them. But, it’s a bed to rest on between your dives and is but a few minutes’ walk from the beach. Things could be worse.

Now, if you’re about ready to live the life you’ve read about in dusty travel books and seen in movies and other people’s seemingly perfect lives, then Thalassa Resort is ready to welcome you. The resort comes complete with two outdoor pools, a tennis court, a beach side bar, restaurant, water sports facilities, BBQ facilities, in-room massages, a beach side spa, as well as a host of other delightful things not mentioned here – mostly for the sake of brevity, really. The resort is located at the edge of the national park, just minutes away from the dive sites. Enjoy the fact that every meal you will eat is already catered for and that every dive you do is already organised, and waiting for you to say yes.

Where and what to eat in Bunaken

Many of the accommodations on the island offer all-inclusive packages which remove the need to make any decisions at all. Now, to just decide what shorts to wear. Unfortunately, not all resorts remove the need for choice entirely and selfishly present you with a delicious buffet. Sometimes life can be hard. In these packages the food is invariably fantastic with a good mix of local and international cuisine. If you spot something on the menu that isn’t on the buffet, you will usually be able to order this without a problem.

How to get around

Getting around the island is definitely best done on foot. There are pathways that connect the various parts of the island which go a long way with helping you get your bearings quickly. After some heavy rain, these pathways can become a little unpleasant. Pack up your shoes and either walk it barefoot or with a pair of flops.

If you can’t be bothered to walk, you can take an ojek to get to various parts of the island. These are largely unnecessary, but can be nice after a long day out at sea. In general, you’re best off sticking to the pathways when you’re walking as the tide can make the beach all but disappear!

How to get to and from Bunaken

Getting into Bunaken is a very simple process. The only entry point is via Manado, the second biggest city in Sulawesi located right near the northern tip of the island. If you arriving in Manado straight off an international flight, then you can get a visa on arrival in Sam Ratulangi, the Manado Airport. Many of the resorts organise private trips for their guests as part of their all-inclusive package. If this is the case for you, then you’ll need to confer with your resort to establish when you’ll be leaving the mainland for paradise. The boats leave from the canal on the north side of Manado market.

If you aren’t going with your resort, then you can take the public ferry that leaves Manado everyday but Sunday. The ferry leaves Manado at 2.00 PM and arrives about an hour later - maybe a few minutes less with favourable conditions. The trip costs around costs around 30,000 IDR per person. If you want to get to the island outside of this time, you can charter your own boat. However, you need to be prepared to bargain hard to get a reasonable price.

There is also only 1 trip per day that makes it back to Manado from Bunaken. The ferry leaves from the jetty in Bunaken village between 8.30 AM and 9.00 AM. Again, there is no trip on Sunday. If you need to get out on Sunday, you can charter a private boat behind the Celebes Hotel. Again, you’re going to have negotiate.

Is Bunaken a safe place to visit?

Safety on Bunaken Island is not something that you need to think about. The people are soft and kind and extremely welcoming. You have no risk of any confrontation, tourist traps or any crime. However, something that should be considered is travel insurance. Seeing as you are bound to do some diving while on the island, travel insurance will not only improve this experience with the peace of mind you need to explore freely, but it will also have you covered in the event that something happens to you. Hospital bills make for an ugly return to reality.