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Flippers on Bunaken Island Route: Manado harbour - BunakenOn the northern tip of Sulawesi, hidden amongst mangrove forests, there's a tiny island with white beaches fringed by waving palm trees. Bunaken Island is a true diver’s paradise with beautiful coral and dozing sea turtles. It’s the perfect place to lie in a hammock, walk barefoot through the sand and snorkel amongst the coral reefs for hours. You’ll visit the best reefs around the island on a boat trip in search of little clown fish, parrotfish and sea horses. A trip to Bunaken Island is a wonderfully relaxing way to end to your Sulawesi trip in Indonesia. You’ll stay in a simple wooden bungalow overlooking the blue bay dotted with little fishing boats and all buffet-style meals are included. Feeling inspired? You can build your own completely personal Indonesia trip using our bite-sized Indonesia tours. Alternatively, you can choose from our range of suggested holidays in Indonesia. Want to learn more about this Bunaken Island trip? No problem. Simply give our friendly Indonesia travel specialists a call on 01273 322052. |
| Duration |
4 days / 3 nights |
Accommodation |
Simple beach bungalow (see our photos here). |
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Price |
£345 per person - based on 2 people |
Includes |
Boat transfer to Bunaken Island, accommodation with 3 x daily buffet meals |
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Transport |
Boat |
Excludes |
Bunaken Island Park fee, drinks, any excursions |
Day 1: Transfer to Bunaken IslandThe resort boat will be waiting at Manado harbour to take you to Bunaken Island in the afternoon. Soon, the the city will disappear from view as the island with waving palm trees, mangrove forests and white sandy beaches appears in on the horizon. The boat usually moors onto the jetty but at low tide you’ll wade through the shallow water to the beach - so you might want to wear flip-flops. After a welcome drink on Bunaken Island you’ll be taken to your bungalow, a basic but comfortable wooden stilted hut with views across the sea. There’s a mosquito net and a fan in the room and a shower with cold water. The water from the tap is actually salt water, but that’s normal on Bunaken Island. Fresh drinking water is available at reception.Once you’ve unpacked, you can hire some snorkelling gear locally and head for the water or put your feet up in a hammock on your veranda as you stare out across the bay. |
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Day 2 and 3: Free timeYou can wake up slowly this morning, before digging into the breakfast buffet. There's nothing planned for your time here on Bunaken Island, so you can spend your days as you wish. Bunaken Island has some great snorkelling sites, and trips can be organised locally. The water here is so inviting that you'll be itching to pull on your snorkel and jump in. Below the surface you'll be surrounded by brightly coloured fish and tropical coral. You might even see sea turtles slowly swimming by.You can wander through the white sand past mangrove bushes and fishing boats lying on the beach, watching children play with coconuts and dive into the sea. During the day temperatures can soar, but there’s usually a refreshing breeze so you won't feel stifled by the heat. You can spend the day reading a book in your hammock and watch the fishing boats slowly chug across the water. In the evening, everyone gathers in the restaurant for dinner. The cook’s not just a genius in the kitchen, he’s also a pretty talented musician and with twanging tunes on his home-made bass guitar he’ll create that wonderful laid-back tropical vibe as the sun slowly sets on the horizon… |
Day 4: End of Bunaken Island tripToday your Bunaken Island visit ends and it's time to say goodbye to this little piece of paradise. You can enjoy a relaxed breakfast before packing your bags and catching the boat back to Manado. |
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Tip - PADI Open Water Diving Course Bunaken Island is a true diver’s paradise that attracts visitors from across the world. If you’ve caught the diving bug and want to give it a try, you can arrange a ‘try dive’ at the resort. Accompanied by an instructor, you’ll make a real dive, scuba tank and all.Bunaken Island is also a good place to take a PADI Open Water Diving Course, which will qualify you to dive anywhere in the world. Over the 4 day course, you’ll cover all the theoretical aspects of diving as well as going on 4 proper dives. Breathing under water takes some getting used to, as it feels very unnatural at first, but after a few exercises you’ll be blowing bubbles in no time. It’s a completely different world under water, full of clown fish, sponge coral and friendly turtles. If you’ve already got your Open Water Certificate you can also do the PADI Advanced Course here. Just ask our Indonesia travel specialists for the up-to-date prices. |
Bunaken Island accommodation (Click to enlarge)
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