Bunaken: Most Popular Diving Spot in Indonesia

Diving enthusiasts must be familiar with the name of of Bunaken diving spot. Bunaken is very popular and the number one diving destination in Indonesia. Bunaken is an island covering an area of 8.08 km² at Manado Bay, located in the north of Sulawesi, Indonesia. The island is part of the city of Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi.

Bunaken Island can be reached by speed boat or a rented boat with about 30 minutes journey from the port of Manado. Bunaken island is part of the Bunaken National Park. This marine park has a marine biodiversity among the highest in the world. Scuba diving attracts many visitors to the island.

Bunaken marine park covers an area of 185 acres with five islands within it, namely Bunaken, Manado Tua, Siladen and Mantehage Naen Island. Although it covers a large areas, diving locations is limited in each of the five beaches that surround the island.

We could get around by boat and visit some other islands around Bunaken. Bunaken marine park has 20 dive spot with depth up to 1,344 meters (4,400 ft). Out of the 20 diving points, 12 of which are located in spots around Bunaken Island.

Most of the 12 dive spots in Bunaken Island lined up from the southeast to the northwest of the island. There are great underwater walls that stand vertically and curved upward.

The rock wall is a source of food for fish in the waters around Bunaken Island. The sea water looks so clear that the bottom of the sea looks so beautiful. Bunaken National Park is representative of Indonesian tropical water ecosystems consisting of mangrove ecosystems, coral reefs, seagrass beds and land/coastal ecosystems.

Species that live on land and coastal regions such as possum (Ailurops ursinus ursinus), Sulawesi black macaques (Macaca nigra nigra) and deer (Cervus timorensis). Plant species in the mangroves of Bunaken National Park namely Bruguiera sp., Sonneratia sp., Rhizophora sp., and Lumnitzera sp. The forest is rich with various kinds of shrimp, mollusks, crab and various types of sea birds such as herons, gulls, and cangak.

Marine life in the shallow waters of Bunaken so beautiful. Types of algae found in this national park include the type of Halimeda sp., Padina sp., and Caulerpa sp. 13 genera of corals lives in Bunaken National Park, dominated by fringing reefs and barrier reefs. The most interesting thing is the vertical cliffs along the 80-100 feet.

Sunset on the Bunaken beach with a backdrop of Manado city looks so romantic. Approximately 91 fish species found in the waters of Bunaken National Park, including white oci (Seriola rivoliana), Hippocampus horse, ila trunk (Scolopsis bilineatus), lolosi yellow tail (Lutjanus kasmira), goropa (Pseudanthias Ephinephelus spilotoceps hypselosoma) and others. Types of mollusks like tunikates/ascidian, giant clams (Tridacna gigas), hollow nautilus (Nautilus pompillius) and goat head (Cassis cornuta).

The beauty of the diverse marine life make of Bunaken a major tourist destination for diving enthusiasts. The best visiting season is: the month from May to August each year. You can reach the site through the port of Manado, Marina Nusantara Diving Centre (NDC) in District Molas and Marina Blue Banter.

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