Diving & Travel Guide to Bunaken National Park & Manado

About Bunaken National Park & Manado

Bunaken National Marine Park is one of Indonesia's oldest and most celebrated marine reserves, protecting a spectacular cluster of volcanic islands off the coast of Manado in North Sulawesi. Established in 1991, the park encompasses 890 square kilometers of marine habitat centered around the islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Siladen, Montehage, and Nain, each surrounded by dramatic vertical walls plunging hundreds of meters into the deep Sulawesi Sea. These walls are among the most spectacular in the world, draped in pristine hard and soft corals, enormous barrel sponges, and gorgonian fans, with sheer vertical drops that create a sense of flying through an underwater canyon. The marine biodiversity is exceptional, with over 3,000 species of fish documented in the park, including regular sightings of green and hawksbill turtles, reef sharks, schooling barracuda, and eagle rays. The walls of Lekuan I, II, and III on Bunaken Island are consistently rated among the best wall dives anywhere on Earth, offering an almost overwhelming density of life and color. Manado Tua, a dormant volcanic island, provides a dramatic backdrop with its conical profile rising 800 meters above the sea, while the smaller islands of Siladen and Montehage offer more relaxed diving suitable for all levels. The city of Manado itself is a vibrant, predominantly Christian city known for its spicy Minahasan cuisine and warm hospitality, making it an excellent base for combining world-class diving with authentic cultural exploration.

Highlights

• ✓World-famous vertical walls at Lekuan I, II, and III on Bunaken Island
• ✓Over 3,000 recorded fish species within the national marine park
• ✓Dramatic volcanic island scenery with Manado Tua's conical profile
• ✓Abundant turtle, reef shark, and eagle ray encounters on every dive
• ✓Well-established dive infrastructure with experienced operators and resorts
• ✓Spicy Minahasan cuisine and vibrant local culture in Manado

Getting There

Bunaken National Park is accessed via Sam Ratulangi International Airport (MDC) in Manado, with daily flights from Jakarta, Makassar, Surabaya, and Singapore. From Manado's harbor, public boats and resort speedboats cross the 45-minute journey to Bunaken Island. The dive resorts on Bunaken and Siladen islands arrange transfers as part of their dive packages, while independent travelers can take public boats departing from Manado's Jembatan Soekarno harbor throughout the day. The park is also accessible from Manado itself via day-boat operators that run trips to the best wall sites.