Bunaken — World-Class Wall Diving★★★
Bunaken is a small island off the northern tip of Sulawesi, near the port city of Manado, and one of Southeast Asia's legendary diving areas. The Bunaken National Park protects a marine area of 890 km² with some of the steepest and most species-rich coral walls in the world.
The special feature of Bunaken is the vertical walls (drop-offs) that drop from the beach to over 200 meters deep — covered with a carpet of hard and soft corals, sponges, and gorgonians. You float along a living wall and gaze into the blue depths, while around you:
- Napoleon wrasses majestically pass by
- Turtles (Green Sea Turtle and Hawksbill Turtle) nibble on the corals
- Schools of barracudas swirl in silver tornadoes
- Nudibranchs glow in psychedelic colors
- Occasionally Whitetip reef sharks emerge from the depths
The visibility ranges from 20–30 meters, and the water temperature is 27–29 °C year-round. There are over 30 marked dive sites, most reachable by boat in 5–15 minutes. The most famous: Lekuan 1–3 (the classic walls), Fukui Point (turtle guarantee), and Mandolin (macro paradise).
Bunaken is also excellent for snorkelers: The reef drops steeply right from the beach, and in just 2–3 meters of depth, you already see an abundance of corals and fish.
💡 Tipp
Stay on Bunaken Island itself (not in Manado) — this way, you are the first at the dive site in the morning before the day boats arrive from the city. Simple bungalows from 300,000 IDR (18 €) including full board. PADI Open Water course from 5,500,000 IDR (330 €). Best diving time: April to November.
