Bunaken National Park is one of the well-known diving sites in Indonesia that saves amazing underwater beauty. Here, you can see beautiful coral reefs and a variety of colorful marine life.
In Bunaken National Park, there are five small islands; Bunaken Island, Manado Tua, Siladen Island, Montehage Island, and Nain Island. Of all the islands, Bunaken is one of the favorites of tourists.
How to Get to Bunaken
To go to Bunaken, you must first enter via Manado, the capital city of North Sulawesi province. You can order a plane ticket to Manado and then from Sam Ratulangi International Airport to continue your journey to the ITC Marina Plaza port in Manado. It will take you about 45-60 minutes to cross by speedboat to Bunaken Island from the portal. Another option, you can also rent a boat at Pasar Bersehati Harbor.
Price: Bunaken Island entrance ticket IDR 5,000/domestic tourist | IDR 150.000/foreign tourist | Boat rentals start from Rp900,000-Rp2,500,000.
Interesting Activities You Can Do in Bunaken
Here you can not only enjoy the spectacular scenery. While watching the scenery, you can simultaneously do various activities. Curious to know what you can do in Bunaken? Check out the list below!
- Enjoying the Underwater View
Bunaken Island has a very large marine wealth. Even here you will find many species of fish, not as many as elsewhere. This is the main attraction of Bunaken. No wonder so many tourists, both domestic and foreign, come here. It is because Bunaken Island is one of the coolest diving spots in Indonesia.
Diving is the main activity that you really must do. Here there are approximately 40 spots for diving that you can choose from. Each spot offers a different underwater panorama, ranging from green turtles, colorful small fish, to amazing corals.
To enjoy the best underwater scenery of Bunaken, you can visit around May-August, when the seawater is clear, and the temperature is quite warm.
- Feeding Fish on Coral Reef
If you are not very keen on diving, you can still enjoy the richness of the sea in Bunaken by snorkeling. That way you can still meet the marine animals that inhabit the coral reefs there.
You can feed the fish while swimming on the surface. In Bunaken, there are many very cool shallow spots for you to snorkel. You can dive into clear seawater with beautiful colorful coral views.
Don’t forget to capture your snorkeling moment with an underwater camera, okay? For sure, it will be a memorable experience!
The package includes an air-conditioned car, a guide, meals according to the program, entrance tickets to attractions, parking, mineral water (600ml per tour per pax), and snorkeling equipment.
- See Whales and Dolphins
Marine animals in Bunaken are extraordinary, including whales and dolphins that live in Manado Bay, near Bunaken Marine Park. You can rent a boat ready to take you to the middle of the sea and get close to where the marine mammals are.
You can see the sights of dozens of dolphins hunting for food in the morning. These marine mammals will look like they are dancing in the open ocean, so beautiful!
Of course, this view will be difficult for you to get if you live in an urban area. For that, you should not miss this activity. Don’t forget to also capture the moment when you see the animals swimming in the open sea.
Well, after seeing dolphins, you can continue your activities by swimming or snorkeling in the Bunaken Marine Park area.
- Travel to Manado Tua
If you want to find alternative activities in Bunaken other than the sea, then you can take a walk to Manado Tua, an island with an inactive volcano in the middle.
You can go there early in the morning by boat from Bunaken for approximately 30 minutes. Once you arrive on the island of Manado Tua, you can explore its serene and charming natural beauty while jogging or hiking.
Walking through Manado Tua at night or ‘nyare‘ can also be super fun. You can take a walk on the coast of the island at night when the seawater is receding. There are many interesting photo objects here, from Portuguese anchors to corals on the surface of the beach.
- Watching the Sunset
Another thing you can do in Bunaken is enjoy the view of the sunset on the western horizon. You can see the color of the sky turning orange when the sun starts to set.
The moment is definitely very cool and calming for those of you who have done a lot of activities. It will be more memorable if a glass of cold drink accompanies you.
Whether your trips take you on a long stroll on beaches, delicious cuisines, relaxing spas, and resorts, or urban attractions, extra research will give you the best experience for your visit. Get to know more about Bunaken by visiting Wonderful Indonesia.
