Bunaken National Marine Park

Bunaken National Marine Park is one of the most spectacular marine park in the world. It attracts scuba divers from all over the world to visit. The park covers a total surface area of 890.65 km squares, 97 per cent of which is overlain by sparkling clear, warm tropical water. The remaining 3 per cent of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Montehage, Nain and Siladen.

The waters of Bunaken National Marine Park are clear (up to 35-40 m visibility in summer dry season), refreshing in temperature (27 to 29 °C). The area supports some of the world's highest levels of bio-diversity. Pick any of group of interest - corals, fish, echinoderms or sponges - and the number of families, genera or species is bound to be astonishingly high. Seven of the eight species of giant clams that occur in the world, occur in Bunaken. The park has around 70 genera of corals. Nearly 70 per cent of all fish species known to the Indo-western Pacific, are found

A snorkeler or diver in the vicinity of Lekuan or Fukui may spot over 33 species of butterfly fish and numerous types of groupers, damsels, wrasses and gobies. The gobies, smallish fish with bulging eyes and modified fins that allow them to attach to hard surfaces, are the most diverse but least known group of fish in the park.

Activity for visitor in Bunaken National Marine Park include swimming, snorkeling, diving (most diving takes place near Bunaken and Manado Tua, because of their many excellent sites), beach-combing (especially at low tide when the reef top is accessible), or fishing (only outside off the park boundaries).

Location of Destination
Bunaken National Marine Park is located about 15 km north off beach of Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi Province, Sulawesi Island, Republic of Indonesia.

Route to Get Destination
By plane to Sukarno-Hata Airport (Jakarta).
Then by domestic flight about 2 hours from Sukarno-Hatta Airport (Jakarta) to Hasanuddin Airport (Makassar).
Then by domestic flight about 75 minutes from Hasanuddin Airport (Makassar) to Sam Ratulangi Airport (Manado).
Then by boat about 30 minutes from port of Marina Nusantara Diving Centre (Manado) to Bunaken National Marine Park.

Best Time to Visit
May to August

Accommodation for Traveller
Within Bunaken Nation Marine Park : Siladen Resort & Spa, Lorenso's Homestay, M.C. Dive Bunaken, and Bunaken Village Resort.

Others
There are some dive shops can arrange intro dives and Open Water Diver courses. All dive shops in the park are affiliated with resorts.
The park also offers outstanding snorkeling.