Marine Tour to Bunaken Islands

Discover the rich underwater world of the coral reef and the beautiful blue seascape of the archipelago

The Bunaken Islands are located northwest of Manado City, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. They are one of the best places for snorkeling, scuba diving, dolphin watching, and other marine activities.

coral reef, white sandy beach in Bunaken island, sand bank Nain atoll
Coral Reef and White Sandy Beach in Bunaken Islands as well as Atoll of Nain Island

The main islands include Bunaken, Siladen, Manado Tua, and Nain. These islands are surrounded by beautiful coral reefs that are home to many kinds of sea life. While snorkeling or diving, you can see colourful tropical fish, sea stars, sea urchins, Christmas tree worms, and sea turtles.

Swimming, Snorkeling and Scuba Diving

Snorkeling is an easy, safe, and affordable activity for everyone. Visitors only need a mask, snorkel, and fins to enjoy the underwater world.

Scuba diving is also very popular. It is suitable for certified divers with PADI, SSI, CMAS, NAUI, or SDI certification.

A snorkeling holiday usually lasts around 3 days or longer

Manado Tua island as seen from Siladen
Mount Manado Tua as seen from the beach of Siladen island

Birdwatching in Bunaken

Besides snorkeling, Bunaken is also a great place for birdwatching coastal birds. Visitors may see birds such as:

Other coastal and sea birds, including herons, egrets, kites, and frigatebirds, can also be found in Bunaken National Park.

The southern part of the park has mangrove forests that are home to many bird species. This area can be reached by car from Manado.

Visit Minahasa Highland

Your Bunaken holiday can be combined with a trip to the beautiful Minahasa Highland. There, you can enjoy:

If the sea is calm, you can also take a boat trip to Nain Island and enjoy the beautiful view of the Nain Atoll.

Places to Visit in Minahasa Tomohon

Tomohon is the main gateway to the Minahasa Highland. The town has many hotels and guesthouses, making it a comfortable place to stay. It is also known as the "City of Education" because it has many schools and universities.

Mount Mahawu is a great place for hiking, sightseeing, birdwatching, and butterfly watching. Visitors may see birds such as the Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, Sulawesi Pitta, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, and Sulawesi Myzomela.

Lake Linow is famous for its beautiful scenery and birdwatching. Birds found here include the White-breasted Waterhen, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Collared Kingfisher, and Sunda Teal.

Sonder Farm Forest - This farming area offers easy walking tours through gardens and farmland. Visitors can see local crops such as corn, peanuts, bananas, avocados, tomatoes, cabbage, red beans, and spring onions.

Sonder Hill is a forested mountain area that is perfect for birdwatching and butterfly watching. Visitors may see colourful birds, including the Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Crimson Sunbird, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, and several species of sunbirds. Beautiful butterflies such as the Manado Yellow Tiger, Helena's Birdwing, and Blanchard's Tree Nymph can also be seen here.

Rice Fields - The rice fields in Sonder are home to many bird species, including rails, egrets, herons, and munias.

How to Get to Manado

To visit Bunaken Islands and Minahasa Highland, fly to Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi.

There are direct international flights from Singapore and Guangzhou. Manado is also connected to many major Indonesian cities, including Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar (Bali), Makassar, Ternate, and Sorong, with regular domestic flights.

An Unforgettable Nature Holiday

A trip to Bunaken Islands and Minahasa Highland offers the perfect combination of adventure and relaxation. Enjoy world-class snorkeling and diving, discover colourful marine life, watch unique birds and butterflies, hike scenic mountains, and experience the warm hospitality of the local people.

This version is easier to read, uses simpler vocabulary and shorter sentences, and is suitable for travel websites, brochures, or international visitors with intermediate English skills.

Flying to Manado city

To enjoy snorkeling holiday in Bunaken islands as well as hiking, birding and sightseeing in Minahasa highland, visitors need to fly to Sam Ratulangi Airport of Manado city which is the capital of North Sulawesi Province of Indonesia. There are regular flights that connect Singapore and Manado city served by Scoot Air. There are also flights that connect Manado and Guangzhou that are served by China Southern Airlines and Trans Nusa. Manado city can also be reached from major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar, Ternate and Sorong city. These domestic flights are served by Garuda, Citilink, Lion Air,  Super Airjet, Batik Air, and Trans Nusa.

Booking

If you are interested in taking a snorkeling tour in Bunaken islands and hiking, birdwatching and village tour in Minahasa highland, and want me to organize your trip, please, send your message (to Charles Roring) by whatsapp through contact us page or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com