Have you ever imagined being a mermaid? Swimming with sea dwellers, moving to the rhythm of the waves? In the Bunaken Marine Park, you will find a "mermaid" is actually a glimpse of sea Indonesia.

Bunaken is located at the Bay of Manado with an area 8.08 km ², is located in the north of the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Bunaken is part of the government of the city of Manado, capital of North Sulawesi. Around Bunaken marine park is part of the National Park that also includes the ocean around the island of Manado Tua is Siladen and Mantehage.

In the Bunaken Marine Park, visitors can see an amazing variety of marine life colorful. To achieve this marine park, you can use a motor boat. The journey from Manado takes about 40 minutes. The entrance fee is Rp 25,000.00 / person.

Aquatic Marine Park allows people can clearly see the variety of marine life. There are 13 types of coral reefs in the marine park is dominated by marine rocks. The most interesting sights are reefs towering vertical cliffs down as deep as 25-50 meters.

Pamper your eyes with 91 species of fish in the Bunaken Marine Park, including a local gusimi horse fish (Hippocampus), the white koi (Seriola rivoliana), lolosi yellow tail (Lutjanus kasmira), goropa (spilotocepsep hinephelus and hypselosoma Pseudanthias), indigo trunk (Scolopsis bilineatus), and others.

Divers can also find mollusks like giant clams (Tridacna gigas), goat fish head (Cassis cornuta), nautilus (Nautilus pompillius), and tunikates or askidian.

For those of you who like scuba diving then this place is the best place. There are about 20 diving points, where the divers will have the opportunity to swim in the ocean at the amazing variety of marine life.

Make sure you visit Bunaken during its best time is between May and August. In here you can explore the whole of this beautiful marine park.

 

accommodation
On this island you can choose accommodation with prices ranging from $ 40,000,00 per person per day, including full facilities. Some dive operators in Bunaken offers accommodation more expensive of course with adequate facilities.

You can also choose to stay in hotels in the city of Manado and then ordered the daily package to Bunaken. Usually departs early morning and again in the afternoon. See directory star hotel in Manado.

Tips
The entrance sign and tickets can be purchased through marine tourism operators in Manado and in the National Park Bunaken.Anda can also buy in any of the three ticket counters in Bunaken and Liang villages on Bunaken and Siladen.

You should be aware that during the visitor season between July and August usually will be very crowded. A lot of resorts and dive operators will not be able to receive incoming travelers at that time because it was fully booked. Therefore, better make reservations in advance.

For a rental boat from Manado to the Bunaken you can choose Bersehati Market and Marina. Rent boats from Manado to Bunaken Bersehati market with rates ranging from Rp 300 thousand - Rp 400 thousand. Meanwhile, if the applicable rate of the Marina more expensive which is about USD 600 thousand - 800 thousand USD. More economical way is to join with other tourists aboard a traditional cost Rp 50 thousand per person. Just have to wait for a seat on the first new full boat departed.

Try to hire equipment from a reliable large companies but remember, that the responsibility for checking the equipment yourself.

If you are a true adventurer, certainly will not miss to continue the nautical adventure in Raja Ampat and Wayag Island, in Papua.

 

 

shopping

Diverse marine craft such as ornaments made from shells, coral reefs, and others you can buy for souvenirs. Manado city also has many places to shop for food, t-shirts, fabrics, handicrafts, and small ornaments are unique and beautiful.

Bunaken National Park was established in 1991 and is one of the first marine park in the world. In 2005 Bunaken a world heritage site after Indonesian registered in UNESCO. A significant increase in tourist visits to the park. Bunaken National Park can be divided into two parts, the northern and southern parts. The northern part includes five islands, and coastal areas between Molas to Tiwoho called Coastal Molas-Wori. The southern part consists entirely of coastal areas between the village and the village Popareng Poopoh called Arakan coast-Wawontulap. In this region, there are 22 villages with a population of approximately 35 thousand inhabitants. Most work as farmers and fishermen and 25% of them work in the field of tourism.

You can explore the island on foot or using a boat to move from one place to the other place. Even just walking around the beach alone should be a pleasant experience. So, diving is not the only option. Another way is to use a semi-submersible vessel that is leased off the coast of Bunaken Island. This ship offers walls of glass to enjoy the beauty and exoticism of Bunaken sea floor. There is also a Blue Banter submarines which will only operate during high tides. The scenery certainly gained more leverage though the pricing is much more expensive than semi-submersible glass-walled vessels.

Diving is the best way if you want to fully and clearly enjoying the panoramic beauty of Bunaken underwater. There are 23 places snorkel or dive. No need to bother bring their own diving equipment because there leased equipment with prices ranging from Rp 100 thousand per day. Not only see the line in such a variety of fish milling and seagrass meadows, you can also see approximately 390 species of coral that exudes charm amazing. Berlekak unique shape-curves, crevices, caves or tunnels to tiny submarine that may be impossible to find elsewhere. Under the expanse of the sea area of ​​890.65 km2 in the Bay of Manado, we will discover the charm the beauty created by the Almighty to enjoy the colorful coral reefs. There are more than 200 species of fish and a variety of other marine life. You will feel the thrill of diving with a dish of fascinating underwater scenery at the park is located 75 nautical miles from Manado Beach. The dive sites can be reached by traveling 35 minutes by motor boat.

The best dive sites located near many Bunaken and Manado Tua. The following are the places that represent the dive sites.

Wall Lekuan (I, II, III)

Wall Lekuan (I, II, III) is a long wall on Bunaken is divided into three Lekuan I, II, and III. All three have the best marine park with steep walls and deep crevices, as well as sea fans and giant sponges. Shallow place filled with fish. The walls, often protected from strong currents, which are frequented by a large group of older sister fish and turtles.

mandolin

Mandolin is a marine park which has a peak of coral and thousands of fish inhabited the walls like schools of fish shooter, surgeonfish, unicornfish, and bannerfish. They used to swim and approachable.

Bunaken Timor

Having a strong current with a lot of fish. Reefs are probably not as spectacular but the other is where you can see turtles, sharks, eagle rays and large fish swim to and fro. There are also seaweed dangling and small caves mark the wall.

Cape of coffee

Cape of coffee is a small wall inhabited by a swarm of barracuda fish and lots of fish sweetlip. Visibility in shallow water is not too good but the amount of fish makes it interesting for you to observe. Fish and Fish Nudi branch gobi fire would be easily seen here.

Siladen

Siladen has a beautiful smooth rock walls that will live when the current comes. Shallow sea looks beautiful with the fishes and schooling snappers.

advance Church

Face of the church is a beautiful place with thousands of fish in shallow water and troughs that led to the sea wall.

peak barracuda

Peak barracuda in the northwest is one of the furthest tempet. Swarm of giant barracuda and jack fish in the tuna.

Shipwreck in Manado

The vessel length is 60 m (200 feet below sea level) is owned by German merchants who drowned in 1942 near Molas This ship sunk upright at a depth of 23 m (78 ft below the sea). Split in the middle of the ship and show the wheelhouse and cargo hold. Diving ends near shallow reefs with visibility of 10-15 m (30-50 ft below the sea).

Not only the charm Bunaken marine park alone, but on the surface we were able to enjoy the beauty and exoticism of the five islands surrounding the National Park area. Five islands were the islands of Bunaken, Siladen, Manado Tua, Nain and Mantehage. In the last island contained Bajo with its unique culture.

In addition to diving enthusiasts, bird lovers and bird watchers can visit the nature reserve Tangkoko Dua sudara Nature.