North Sulawesi - Bountiful, Unique Paradise

A country of incredible and diverse beauty, Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, consisting of five major islands and about 30 clusters of smaller islands. This archipelago is the crossroads of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

North Sulawesi lies in the very epicenter of the world's marine biodiversity and is an unmatched paradise for divers and snorkelers. It offers more than 100 different dive sites with diving year round. It is also very easy to get to with direct flights from Singapore 5 times a week.

Here, there are three dive areas to choose from. The first is Bunaken National Marine Park with breathtaking vertical walls, colorful coral reefs and a multitude of marine life. The second area is Lembeh Strait, located on the other side of the mainland. Lembeh Strait is known as the world's best 'muck-diving'. These waters are full of extraordinary marine critters, many of which are masters of camouflage. Between Bunaken and Lembeh you will find Bangka Island, the third diving area. Here you will see amazing soft corals, more critters and the occasional dugong.

When you are done with diving, enjoy the view from the top of Mount Mahawu, the steaming lake and smell of sulfur will remind you that you're on the edge of a volcano. Or trek through Tangkoko Nature Reserve searching for the indigenous Black Crested Macaque (monkey) and the world's smallest primate, the Tarsier Spectrum.

Resorts/Dive Operators

Tasik Ria Resort - This intimate seaside boutique-style property offers 34 rooms, sea view or pool view and is located on Tanawangko Bay. The Bay is situated on the north west coast of Manado, 12 miles from Bunaken National Park in North Sulawesi. Most of the reefs of the Bunaken National Marine Park are rich and unspoiled, with immaculate and profuse soft coral and an immense concentration of aquatic life.

Kima Bajo Resort & Spa/Eco Divers - Nestled amongst the lush coconut groves of beautiful Wori Bay and overlooking the Bunaken National Marine Park, Kima Bajo Resort & Spa sets you into a reclusion of peace and quietness and a unique diving adventure. Just a 25-minute drive from the Airport, the resort is built into a rolling hillside, and offers majestic views of the distant dormant volcano, Manado Tua. In the evenings, you can experience some of the most breathtaking sunsets over the Sulawesi Sea towards Bunaken Island. Your choice of accommodation includes 19 luxurious villas, 1 exclusive two-villa suite with its own private swimming pool, 12 spacious longhouse suites and 16 charming Minahasa-style (wooden) cottage rooms.

Minahasa Lagoon - Situated on the mainland coast of North Sulawesi, surrounded by a tropical rain forest and boarded by an expansive private beach, Minahasa offers 15 beach or cliff view cottages all with air conditioning.

Cocotinos - is a new resort in picturesque Wori Bay, in the heart of Kima Bajo overlooking Bunaken National Marine Park. Just a 25-min ride from the Airport, the resort is situated on a chocolate-colored beach, in full view of majestic Manado Tua, a dormant volcano across the Sulawesi sea. With 21 rooms, during your stay you will be treated to many spectacular sunsets and the soothing sound of the waves lapping the shore. When night falls you can dine under the stars on delicious food, prepared with fresh local ingredients.

Siladen Resort & Spa - Located in a lush tropical setting in the Bunaken Marine Park, Siladen Resort and Spa is the ideal location for your vacation. The resort offers 15 villas with a/c, a traditional Indonesian Spa, restaurant and lounge bar.

Hotel Santika/Thalassa Dive Center - Thalassa 5 Star PADI IDC Center is located on the northern part of Sulawesi, about 9 miles north of Manado. Surrounded by an untouched tropical world, waving palm trees and mysterious mangroves and on the shortest possible distance to the beautiful Bunaken sea gardens, Thalassa Dive Center is the perfect place to spend your holiday. The dive center is located on the premises of Hotel Santika Manado, part of a well-known Indonesian hotel chain with a great reputation in hospitality and service.

Kungkugan Bay Resort - Located a short 3 hour flight from Singapore, on the Indonesian Island of North Sulawesi, Kungkungan Bay Resort sits on the world famous Lembeh Strait. In the last few years this Strait has become the premier macro and critter diving destination in the world. Built on a former coconut plantation KBR offers 17 rooms in 3 categories, all built entirely from palm wood and with ocean views. Facilities at KBR include a private jetty with camera rinse tanks and hot showers, swimming pool with swim-up bar, lounge, internet access and lending library. Restaurant service is available 24-hours a day. Diving at KBR, your maximum group size is 4 guests to one guide.

Kasawari Lembeh Resort - One-and-a-half hours from Manado Airport, located in the center of the Lembeh Strait, giving visitors easy access to most dive sites in the area within minutes, whether for muck, reef or wreck diving. Kasawari is a boutique dive resort with ten luxurious villas, a beachfront infinity-edge swimming pool with its built-in jacuzzi, superb cuisine, a large camera room with individual work-stations, a beachfront dive center and special after-dive massage menus.

Lembeh Resort - 14 cottages with spacious verandahs overlooking Lembeh Strait and viewing glorious North Sulawesi sunsets. All accommodations are fully air-conditioned, with attached Balinese-style (open-air) bathrooms, mini bar & personal safe.

Bali

Lying just 8 degrees south of the Equator, Bali boasts a tropical climate with two seasons a year and an average temperature of around 82 degrees. The greatest feature of scuba diving in Bali is the rich and varied sites - deep drop-offs and steep banks, coral ridges and bommies, the U.S.S. Liberty (one of the most famous wrecks in the world, offering divers an amazing variety of marine life), volcanic outcrops and seagrass beds. With the colorful and diverse marine life, there's enough here to keep you coming back for more.

To the east of the island lies the Lombok Strait, the first deep water trench directly to the east of the Asian continental shelf. Through this channel flows the greatest volume of tidal water on earth, meaning regular visits from large and unusual pelagic fish like the incredible mola mola, or the sunfish. Bali's natural attractions include miles of sandy beaches, picturesque rice terraces, towering active volcanoes over 10,000 feet high, fast flowing rivers, pristine crater lakes, sacred caves and lush tropical forests full of exotic wildlife.

You can experience Bali on many different excursions and guided tours by coach, private car or even a live-aboard dive boat. South Pacific Island Travel can help you with all you travel needs.

Wakatobi Dive Resort – The Wakatobi Resort is situated on a beautiful tropical island in the remote and peaceful Wakatobi National Marine Park. Only three hours charter flight from Bali in Southeast Sulawesi, it offers unlimited world-class reef diving, excellent service, and comfortable accommodations.

Indonesia Live-Aboards

Tambora - Built by traditional boat builders on he Island of Sulawesi, sized to comfortably accommodate a maximum of 16 divers. With eight spacious guest suites and a large en-suite bathroom, the Tambora has taken great care to plan their cruise itineraries to follow seasonal patterns. Their 2010 programs wil tae you to four different dive regions, each filled with its own uique set of attractions. Raja Ampat, Triton Bay and Aetna Bay with unmatched biodiversity and stunning coral life, the islands east of Brneo in the Makassar Strait, a guarantee for big pelagic action, wreck diving cruises in Bangka-Belitung and he world famous Komodo National Park.

Peter Hughes Paradise Dancer - The 188 foot Paradise Dancer explores the magnificent reefs and marine life in the heart of the world famous "Coral Triangle." Operating out of North Sulawesi, this brand new motor sailer will feature the most ambitious itinerary (cruising the Sangihe Islands) of any live-aboard in the region. Charters will be 11 nights, 9 & 1/2 days of diving from April through the September.

M/V Pelagian - The 115 foot Pelagian liveaboard is part of the Wakatobi team and will now be cruising the Western Banda Sea and greater Wakatobi area. Over the years the Pelagian has earned a distinguished reputation while operating in the Red Sea, Thailand and Indonesia. 

 Peter Hughes Komodo Dancer - This 100 foot traditionally crafted, two masted wooden motor sailor, accommodates 16 adventurous divers exploring the islands of Bali, Komodo and Flores.

M/Y Ocean Rover - This 100 foot long vessel cruises through the waters of North Sulawesi April thru September, then moves up to Raja Ampat October through March. There are 8 fully air conditioned cabins (sleeps 16 guests), all with private en-suite bathrooms.