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.

Komodo National Park

Komodo National Park was established to conserve the unique Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) and its habitat. However, over the years, the goals for the Park have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity, both terrestrial and marine. Komodo National Park had been declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, both indications of the Park's biological importance.

Komodo National Park includes three major islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller islands creating a total surface area (marine and land) of 1817 km squares (603 km squares of it land). The islands of the national park are of volcanic origin. As well as being habitat of the largest known lizard, the world famous Komodo Dragon, Komodo National Park provides refuge for many other notable terrestrial species such as the orange-footed scrub fowl, an endemic rat, Sunda deer (Cervus timorensis), wild buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), wild boar ((Sus scrofa), the macaque monkey (Macaca fascicularis), and wild horse (Equus qaballus). Moreover, the Park includes one of the richest marine environments including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, seamounts, and semi-enclosed bays. It consists of forams, cnidaria (includes over 260 species of reef building coral), sponges (70 species), ascidians, marine worms, mollusks, echinoderms, crustaceans, cartilaginous and bony fishes (over 1,000 species), sea turtles, and marine mammals (dolphins, whales, and dugongs). Some notable species with high commercial value include sea cucumbers (Holothuria), Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), and groupers.

Most of the Park is dry, rugged and hilly, a combination of ancient volcanic eruptions and more recent tectonic uplift of sedimentary seabeds. The irregular coastline is indented with rocky headlands and sandy bays, many framed by soaring volcanic cliffs. Komodo island alone is 35km long and 15km wide, and is mountainous on a north to south axis, with an average altitude of 500-600m. The highest peak is Satalibo (735m) in the north. Most of the island is lontar palm savannah with remnates of rainforest and bamboo forest at higher elevations. On Rinca the land rises gradually from the north coast to a plateau that ends at Mount Dora (667m) in the south. The rugged south coast is very sheer as a result of volcanic activity in the distant past, as evidenced by the crater bay in which Nusa Kode nestles.

The under water live and its ecosystems have been well known as the best diving site in the world. The water of Komodo National Park is very ideal place for many kinds of sea activites. It's just like the missing paradise for the underwater world lover. It has many excellent dive spots. It's vibrant color and exotic life will enchant divers and snorkelers.

Location of Destination
Komodo National Park is located between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores, at a distance of 200 nautical miles to the east of Bali (Nusa Tenggara Islands (Lesser Sunda Islands), Province of Nusa Tenggara Timur), Republic of Indonesia.

Route to Get Destination
By plane to Sukarno-Hata Airport (Jakarta). Then by domestic flight about 1 hours and 50 minutes from Sukarno-Hatta Airport (Jakarta) to I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport (Denpasar, Bali Island). Or by international direct flight to I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport (Denpasar, Bali Island).
Then by regular flights from Denpasar to Labuan Bajo (in Flores Island) about 2 hours, then by inter-island ferry to Komodo Island approximately 4 hours.
Or by plane from Denpasar to Bima (in Sumbawa Island) about 90 minutes, then travel overland from Bima to Sape approximately 3 hours, then by inter-island ferry from Sape to Komodo Island approximately 4 hours.
Or travel overland and ferry from Denpasar to Komodo Island approximately 2 days.

Most visitors enter Komodo National Park through the gateway cities of Labuan Bajo (In the west of Flores Island) or Bima (In eastern Sumbawa Island)

Best Time to Visit
March to May, after the rainy season

Accommodation for Traveller
In Labuan Bajo : The Golo Hilltop Hotel, The Eco Lodge
Best way to stay overnight at the park is to rent a local excursion boat and sleep on deck. Anchored just off shore from the park.

Others
Rangers’ house, restaurant and information centers are located on both Komodo and Rinca Island.