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Manado, bustling capital of North Sulawesi province, sprawls inland across low palm clad hills around a wide bay fringed with luxuriant tropical vegetation.   In the distance, a backdrop of three volcanoes completes the city’s spectacular setting. With a limited number of intrinsic attractions, Manado’s main interests for the traveler are its convenient as a base for exploring the Tondano region, and the splendid underwater scenery of Bunaken.

For the past decade, the fame of the reefs of the Bunaken group has spread among lovers of the underwater world.  And rightly so: the 75,000 hectare Bunaken (Manado Tua Marine Park), one hour by boat from Manado, offers excellent snorkeling and scuba diving.

Bunaken island, in the center of the reserve, has small villages at Tanjung Parigi, Alung Banua and Bunaken village.  The clear waters, with an average temperature of 27 centigrade, harbor a tremendous amount of marine life: reef fishes in great variety; healthy, diverse coral growth and just about every invertebrate on the evolutionary scale, from sponges to squids.

There are many dive spots off the five islands in the marine reserve.  The safest and the most popular are in a large, sheltered bay off the south coast of Bunaken Island, and offer excellent wall diving.  Commercial activities are banned in the reserve, along with dynamite fishing, coral, live shell or fish collecting and spear fishing.

While the era offers several different kinds of dive (drift, deep and wreck), the prime attraction is the vertical walls.  Pierced by shallow caves and crevasses which provide shelter and protection for reef fish species, they are also covered with a layer of invertebrate marine life.  Hard and soft corals, whip corals, sponges and filter feeders all cling to these walls in a dazzling kaleidoscope of colors.

Schools of pyramid butterfly fish, black triggerfish and the clouds of bright orange and purple anthias swarm around the reef edge and the upper part of the wall at around five meters, making this a great spot to spend your decompression time or just safety stop.  This is also the best place to see, and follow, the black-and-gray banded colubrine sea-snake as it slithers around, checking out nooks and crannies for snacks.  Although very poisonous, these mild-mannered snakes are very difficult to rile.

Don’t worry about sharks, but keep a wary eye out for the Titan triggerfish, especially if you see one with no other fish around.  They defend their newly laid eggs against one and all, attacking even sharks and humans who inadvertently wander into their territory.   While their mouths are too small to cause fatal damage, their strong back-teeth could nip off a chunk of your ear, or bite through enough flesh to require stitches.

Beginner and intermediate divers will be fully satisfied with any number of plunges off south Bunaken.   Expert divers or those with experience in strong currents and depths of over 30 m might want to try some of the sites on the backside of Bunaken: Sachiko’s Point, for a good chance to see large tuna and turtles, or Mike’s point, for a nice concentration of reef fish and invertebrates.

Deep divers might want to try Batu Kapal on Pulau Nain, so-named for an outcrop in the shape of a stone boat, at 42 m.  A narrow canyon begins here and plunges way down to at least 90 m when an overhang may shelter big jacks.

If you go this deep, leave your cameras behind.  The last couple who tried this were startled to see both their underwater lights and one of their depth gauges implode.  Better try the shipwreck close to Molas, lying between 25 and 40 meters.  Night dives at Bunaken are an exciting option for experts and beginners alike.

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Bunaken is part of the Bunaken National Marine Park, which has some of the highest levels of marine biodiversity in the world. Scuba diving attracts many visitors to the island. Bunaken is located at the north of the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. It belongs administratively to the municipality of Manado.

The Bunaken National Marine Park was formally established in 1991 and is among the first of Indonesia’s growing system of marine parks. The park covers a total surface area of 890.65 km², 97% of which is overlain by sparkling clear, warm tropical water. The remaining 3% of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. Although each of these islands has a special character, it is the aquatic ecosystem that attracts most naturalists.

The waters of Bunaken National Marine Park are extremely deep (1566 m in Manado Bay), clear (up to 35-40 m visibility), refreshing in temperature (27 to 29 °C) Pick any of group of interest – corals, fish, echinoderms or sponges – and the number of families, genera or species is bound to be astonishingly high. For example, 7 of the 8 species of giant clams that occur in the world, occur in Bunaken. The park has around 70 genera of corals; compare this to a mere 10 in Hawaii. Although the exact number of fish species is unknown, it may be slightly higher than in the Philippines, where 2,500 species, or nearly 70% of all fish species known to the Indo-western Pacific, are found.

Oceanic currents may explain, in part, why Bunaken National Marine Park is such a treasure trove of biodiversity. Northeasternly currents generally sweep through the park but abundant counter currents and gyros related to lunar cycles are believed to be a trap for free swimming larvae. This is particularly true on the south side of the crescent-shaped Bunaken Island, lying in the heart of the park. A snorkler or diver in the vicinity of Lekuan or Fukui may spot over 33 species of butterfly fish and numerous types of groupers, damsels, wrasses and gobies. The gobies, smallish fish with bulging eyes and modified fins that allow them to attach to hard surfaces, are the most diverse but least known group of fish in the park.

Biologists believe that the abundance of hard corals is crucial in maintaining the high levels of diversity in the park. Hard corals are the architects of the reefs, without them, numerous marine organisms would be homeless and hungry. Many species of fish are closely associated with particular types of corals (folious, branching, massives, etc.) for shelter and egg-laying. Others, like the enormous Bumphead Parrotfish, Balbometopon muricatum, are “coralivores” and depend on hard corals for their sustenance. Bony mouth parts fused into an impressive “beak” allow these gregarious fish to crunch corals like roasted peanuts.

Some 20,000 people live on the natural resources of Bunaken National Marine Park. Although there are inevitable conflicts between resource protection and use by people, the Indonesian government is taking a fairly unusual and pragmatic approach to park management. The idea is to promote wise resource use while preventing overexploitation. Local communities, government officials, dive resort operators, local nature groups, tourists and scientists have played an active role in developing exclusive zones for diving, wood collection, fishing and other forms of utilization. Bunaken Marine Park has become an important example of how Sulawesi, and the rest of Indonesia, can work to protect its natural resources.

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Bunaken National Park is located in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. With over 8,000 hectares of coral reef, an estimated 2,000 species of fish and at least 58 different genera and sub genera of corals in the park its no surprise this region has been an attraction for divers for many years. The reef slopes range in depth from 50 meters to over 200 meters, the deepest of which are found between the islands of Mantehage and Manado Tua, at over 1,300 meters. This is possible only because of the lack of a continental shelf, part of the reason Bunaken Island plays host to such a wealth of marine life. Nutrient rich waters are fed through oceanic channels. Upwelling brings this food source closer to the surface where many species feed. Its these ingredients that attract those wishing to dive Sulawesi.

Many hard and soft corals compete on the reefs that surround the park. Colonies of animals individually referred to as ‘polyps’ are joined together by a thin layer of common tissue. They generally survive at depths between the surface of the water and 30m. All corals contain zooxanthellae, a species of algae which converts sunlight into food through photosynthesis; the excess nutrients not used by the algae are consumed by the coral, this is known as a symbiotic relationship.

Reef dwelling fishes live around the coral reefs and lagoons of the park. They rely on the reef as a food source and for shelter. Most reef fishes rest during the night, whilst being active during the day. These include the butterfly fish, angel fish and gobies amongst many other families. Pelagics however are open water fish, travel long distances and are generally faster swimmers. These include trevally, tuna and sharks.

Marine reptiles also inhabit the park. Estuarine crocodiles have been sighted in the mangrove areas, although sightings are very rare. Sea snakes, despite spending considerable amounts of time beneath the surface are air breathers making them reptiles and are often seen by divers, particularly in sea grass beds and mangrove areas.

Of the eight species of turtle found worldwide at least five live in Indonesia, three of which make regular sightings. All in all Bunaken Marine Park supports an incredible wealth of marine life. For those wishing to experience diving in Indonesia, Bunaken is a must see destination.

Bunaken sea level in late afternoon filled with dozens of people wearing floating-legged frog with orange buoy. They have a group, but sometime people enjoying it alone. They are have the same goals, enjoying the beauty of the underwater world through a snorkeling mask. There was a rented speedboat, yacht, and a wooden motor boat owned by local fishermen. Even some people deliberately to Jetski.

They came accompanied by a guide who knows most of the best spots for diving or snorkeling. Even the guides also guide the participants who want to snorkeling to the beautiful place and secure.

Bunaken

With snorkeling, indeed visitors can clearly see the various coral reefs and ornamental fish theres in Bunaken. Although only on the surface. But that was enough to make anyone ‘hypnotized’ and forget to go home. “I was new here, only snorkeling make me so happy. Later when I was able to diving i will here again for underwater dive,” said Vita, tourists from Jakarta who was off from work and on holiday to Bunaken for the first time along with 3 colleagues.

While the sea far below there, humans appear to use the tube to move slowly, taking out air bubbles. They enjoy the underwater world of Bunaken extraordinary. Viewing them from the surface, it comes with envy and pride. Jealous because they can explore the full beauty of Bunaken, closer to the coral reefs and a variety of him. Proud that they can enjoy any one of the natural beauty of the sea is famous in Indonesia without damaging the coral reef let alone carrying garbage. A scuba diving attracts many visitors to the island.

With scuba diving, the rescuers can enjoy a variety of ‘resident’ under the sea near Bunaken more, such as Ivory Fish with dorsal fins that can be enforced and locked so that he could live safely in the hole in the rock. Do not approach a nest egg of this fish, because these fish will strike. Gobi fish, which is the largest family of fish, coral, one of the unique gobies here is the Gobi shrimps living together in a sand pit. Both got a different task, the shrimp are keeping the nest clean-Gobi protect shrimp from the opponent’s attack. Barracudas are flocking there in large numbers with sharp teeth like a saw to make it an effective predator on the coral reef.

The Other Fish are swordfish and Bertandung fish, both have a kind of sword at the bottom of the tail. The sword was a defense from predator  attacks. Sometimes used to fight with each other to determine who becomes leader of the group.

There is another angel fish that have their own nests in the area. This type of fish to form a group consisting of 1 male and several females. This unique fish is born as females when adult become male. Another uniqueness, these fish are able to make a tap in the water. Perhaps because of its uniqueness was, called him an angel.

There’s more fish, other fish such as bats fish who like watching the divers, especially air bubbles. Sweetlips fish also because it has a sexy lips and muscular. Besides fish, there is also a variety of marine reptiles such as snakes and turtles.

The beauty of Bunaken marine decades actually been identified by divers homeland. But the new government realized that and then Bunaken National Park (TNB) was officially established as one marine national parks in Indonesia in October 1991, after approximately 20 years of beauty was discovered by the pioneer of 3 local dive businesses, namely, Dr. Hanny Batuna, Loky Herlambang, and Ricky Lasut. Only when this region was famous by international divers, the government realized then gradually establish an area of approximately 89,000 ha is a conservation area.

TNB consists of several islands, namely Pulau Bunaken Island Siladen, Mantehage Island, Manado Tua Island, following several island children, and the island of Nain. The diving spot is limited locations in each of the five beaches that surround the island. Recorded more or less 20 point dive (dive spot) with a depth varies up to 1344 meters. Of the 20 point dive, dive 12 points of which are located around the Bering Bunaken Island visited by the divers and lovers of the beauty of underwater scenery.

Most of the 12 point dive in Bunaken Island lined up from the southeast to the northwest of the island. On the island there is great underwater walls, which is also called hanging walls or the walls of the giant rock that stood vertically and curved upward. This reef bindings also a source of food for fish in the waters around Bunaken Island.

We can see Rock cliffs from the ship before it reached the coast of Bunaken. The water is blue with thousands of big fish in the edge of the cliff, creating beautiful incredible scenery.

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