Pulau Bunaken (Bunaken Island) is North Sulawesi|Sulawesi’s star tourist attraction. It is the most famous dive site in Indonesia, with its superb water visibility, abundance of corals and creatures, and ease of access.
Pulau Bunaken is the main island of the highly rated Bunaken Mando Tua Marine National Park. The island is pretty unremarkable but it is the island’s shores that are the draw point. The water visibility is up to 40m in season and the walls and abundance of fish, turtles and sharks are breathtaking.
Many dive sites are for intermediates and above, although Pulau Bunaken also caters to beginners, with plenty of dive shops affiliated with the many resorts. The snorkeling here is also fantastic and just steps away from many resorts’ bungalows. The small beaches on the east of Pulau Bunaken are the best for snorkeling, while the south and west have pretty decent strips.
Hiking on Pulau Bunaken is also possible as there are many secluded coves to walk to in the east and north. Unfortunately trails are not marked very well.
Getting There & Away
Flights from Jakarta arrive at Manado-Sam Ratulangi Airport daily and take 3 hours, or 2 hours from Bali and 90 minutes from Makassar. The airport is 20kms south of Pulau Bunaken, which is a 45 to 60-minute journey by boat. Many resorts on the island provide transfers from the airport although public ferries are also available.