Round trip North Sulawesi – Bunaken, Bangka & Lembeh
Discover the colorful coral gardens and unique macrolife of North Sulawesi. From Bunaken to Lembeh, every dive is a new discovery.
Travel period
Features
Starting from
Diving the most beautiful places of North Sulawesi
This trip takes you to some of the most beautiful diving areas of North Sulawesi, a province on the large Indonesian island of Sulawesi known for its amazing underwater world.
During this trip you will be on the road for 21 days and stay in three different places, giving you a lot of variety in the dives and also above water. You will make the dives in Bunaken, Bangka and Lembeh. You will stay in small-scale resorts that combine peace and comfort with direct access to the water, so you can fully immerse yourself in diving and nature.
In Bunaken, you will stay at Lumbalumba Resort and dive in Bunaken National Park. During the dives you will see schools of fish, sea turtles and reef sharks, while among the coral you can discover small, hidden inhabitants such as shrimp and nudibranchs.
You then sail to Bangka Island, where you will stay at Sea Souls. The underwater landscape here is surprisingly varied, from rock formations to coral gardens and black sandy bottoms. You will be introduced to rare macro life such as seahorses, frogfish and flamboyant cuttlefish. You’ll also dive Talisei Island, a place virtually no other divers visit.
The last destination is Pulisan Resort, located on the east coast, near Lembeh Strait. This area is known for its extraordinary macrolife that you won’t find anywhere else. During your dives you will discover unique species such as mimic octopus, seahorses and flamboyant cuttlefish, as well as colorful reefs and schools of fish.
Best travel time for a diving vacation to North Sulawesi
The best time to dive in Sulawesi is between April and November. This is the dry season with the least amount of rain and the calmest sea. Visibility is also at its best during this period.
Late December to late February more wind and then the resort is closed.
Average temperatures
Wetsuit advice for Bunaken, Bangka and Lembeh
A 3 mm wetsuit is recommended. Water temperatures in Bunaken, Bangka and Lembeh range from about 27-29°C throughout the year.
What will you experience on this trip?
View itinerary here
Day 1 to 3 | The journey to Manado
Today begins the journey to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi. The entire trip takes 20 to 25 hours, depending on the route and transfer. The most common routes are via Singapore or via Jakarta. The itinerary includes an overnight stay during the first transfer, so you will arrive rested on Day 3. If you prefer not to have this, we can also look at options to travel directly through.
On day 3 you land at Manado airport, where the journey really begins. The first dive destination is the Bunaken National Park. You will stay here at the Lumbalumba Dive Resort. Upon arrival at the airport, a tranfser will be waiting to take you to the resort. The drive takes about an hour.
Once you arrive at the resort, it’s time to check in and settle into your accommodations. The vacations have really started now! After such a long trip, it is great to relax for the rest of the day, and the resort’s pool provides the perfect opportunity for this. You can also have a preliminary chat with the dive instructors and staff at the dive center to discuss which dives you will be doing over the next few days.
Day 4 to 7 | Diving around Bunaken & Manado
Over the next four days, you will make two dives daily in Bunaken, one of Indonesia’s most famous dive sites and located in the heart of the Coral Triangle. Lumbalumba dives in small groups with flexible schedules and has the dive center on a private pier across from the resort. The experienced dive guides take care of everything for you, from preparing your equipment to rinsing and drying your gear, so you can concentrate fully on the diving itself.
Bunaken is known for its steep walls, colorful coral gardens and great biodiversity. During the dives you will encounter large schools of reef fish, such as anthias, fusiliers and snappers. Among the coral you can also discover smaller animals, such as nudibranchs, shrimps and crabs, while reef sharks and sea turtles regularly swim by. The walls are covered with hard and soft coral and are home to an impressive variety of fish and other animals.
A dive day usually begins around 8:30 a.m., when you sail by boat to the various dive sites. Those who wish can add a third dive, with lunch on board before returning to the resort. In addition, an unguided dive on the house reef is included and it is possible to make a night dive accompanied by a guide. This way you experience Bunaken both during the day and at night, when the coral reef comes alive and the nightlife begins.
Day 8 | Transfer to Sea Souls Resort in Bangka Island
Today you will travel on to Sea Souls, a beautiful and small resort located on Bangka Island. The first part is by land, then you transfer to the boat. You will be picked up by boat by the crew of Sea Souls and sail directly to the resort.
Day 9 to 13 | Diving at Bangka Island & Talisei Island
For the next five days you will dive around Bangka Island, making a total of ten dives from the boat. The dives will be made in the morning.
By boat you go to the most beautiful dive sites around Bangka and the neighboring islands of Talisei, Tindila, Lihaga and Gangga. All dive sites are between 20 and 35 minutes by boat. During the dives you will encounter special animals such as frogfish, ghostpipefish, seahorses, pygmy seahorses, many species of nudibranchs, shrimp and octopus. At some dive sites you can also see larger species, such as reef sharks, eagle rays and napoleon fish.
The dive sites at Bangka are extremely varied. You will find colorful coral, spectacularly shaped rock formations, underwater caves and steep walls. At Batu Sahaung, the rock formations are impressive and the water is rich with fish. Batu Gosoh 1 has steep walls covered with soft corals and a wide variety of nudibranchs. Batu Gosoh 2 is known for its current and towering rocks that go up to 30 meters deep, giving you the feeling of swimming through an underwater city. The house reef at Sea Souls is an artificial reef that now forms its own ecosystem and attracts lots of macro life.
Talisei Island is just a 25-minute boat ride from our resort and is hardly visited by other divers. The island has a steep coast and lush vegetation. Underwater, the landscapes are spectacular, with bizarre rock formations, caves and walls covered in hard and soft coral. The dive sites around this island are calm and offer the chance to see sharks, eagle rays, bumphead parrotfish and napoleon fish. Goa Tanjung Arus is a large underwater cave with three entrances that you can enter from 20 meters. At Goa Paniki you dive through a shallow five-meter passage and see bats, followed by a rock wall full of colorful coral. Both spectacular dive sites! There are dive sites with black sand, but also many with white sand.
After the diving day you will return to the resort, where lunch will be waiting for you. It is possible to extend the dive package with a third dive or a night dive.
Day 14 | Transfer to Pulisan Resort
Today you will travel by boat to Pulisan Resort, a small-scale accommodation on the east coast of North Sulawesi. The resort is located on the Minahasa Peninsula, north of Lembeh Strait and looks out toward Lembeh and Tangkoko Volcano.
The transfer is entirely by sea and usually takes about 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on conditions. You sail along the coast and between islands toward the mainland.
Pulisan is secluded, right on a quiet beach. You won’t find any large towns in the area; there is a local village nearby, but the atmosphere is mostly quiet and focused on nature.
Day 15 to 18 | Diving at Lembeh Strait & North Sulawesi Cap
Over the next 4 days you will make a total of 10 dives around Pulisan Resort. They are 4 dive days where you will make 2 boat dives during the day, one of the days you will also make a night dive and on one of the days you will also make a shore dive as a third dive. You dive in two different areas, each offering a very different underwater world.
Some of the diving takes place in Lembeh Strait, about 35 minutes away by boat. This area is known for muck diving on black sandy bottoms. During the dives you will look for special macro life. You may encounter species such as angler fish, mimic octopus, flamboyant squid, seahorses, nudibranchs, scorpion fish and different species of shrimp. Many animals are well camouflaged, making search and discovery an important part of the dive.
In addition, dive at the North Sulawesi Cap, a short distance from the resort. Here the landscape changes to colorful coral reefs with both hard and soft coral. You’ll dive along walls, slopes and pinnacles where you’ll see schools of reef fish, as well as sea turtles. At some dive sites there is a chance of seeing larger species such as sharks and rays, especially when there is some current.
The dive sites are close together, so you spend little time sailing and make the most of your diving days. The combination of searching for small and rare life in Lembeh and diving on coral-rich reefs at the North Sulawesi Cap makes for a varied program.
Day 19 | Excursion to Tangkoko National Park
On the last day before departure, take a half-day excursion to the Tangkoko Nature Reserve, about a fifty-minute drive from Pulisan. This nature reserve consists of low-lying rainforest and is known for its unusual animals.
Together with a local guide, you will look for the black crested macaque, among others, which is found only in North Sulawesi. You also have a chance to see the small ghost animals, which become active especially towards the end of the afternoon. In addition, hornbills and couscous live here, among others. During the hike you will get a good idea of the flora and fauna of this area.
Day 20 & 21| Return home
The beautiful combination trip is over and today you begin your return journey. Often the flight is in the afternoon or evening. The Pulisan Resort will transfer you to Manado airport after which you will board the plane to Europe.
Not had enough of Indonesia yet? Did you know that you can fly directly from Manado to Raja Ampat (Sorong)? Raja Ampat, located in the famous Golden Triangle, is No. 1 on the bucket list for many divers thanks to its great biodiversity.
Highlights of this trip
What can you expect from the underwater world of North Sulawesi?
Bunaken National Park
Bunaken National Park is located in the Coral Triangle and has a rich biodiversity with more than 90 coral species and over 390 fish species. During dives you will see large schools of reef fish such as anthias and snappers, colorful parrotfish and often sea turtles. Occasionally reef sharks are spotted. The park has steep walls and clear waters, making corals such as brain coral and table corals easily visible, along with various small and medium-sized fish that live among the reef.
Bangka Island
Bangka Island has volcanic sandy bottoms and coral reefs where both hard and soft corals grow. During dives you will see colorful reef fish such as parrotfish, emperorfish and anthias, as well as larger species such as barracudas and snappers. The area is rich in macro life with dwarf seahorses, ghost whistle fish, angler fish and various shrimp and crab species. The combination of coral formations and sand flats provides many different environments in which animals hide and are visible to divers.
Lembeh Strait
Lembeh Strait is known for its muck diving and rare species on the black sand bottom. Here you can find macro life such as mimicking octopus, blue-ringed octopus, flamboyant squid and several species of nudibranchs. Small shrimp, thornback rays and striking chameleon fish are also common. The specific topography and sediment-rich waters make for a wide variety of unusual animals that are almost nowhere else so easily seen.
The accommodations
The stay and surroundings
Lumbalumba Resort
Lumbalumba Resort is located on a hill overlooking Bunaken volcano. It is a small and quiet resort with a tropical garden and pool.
You will stay in a detached chalet or in a room in a shared chalet. The four detached chalets are suitable for two people and are scattered on the hillside, giving you plenty of privacy and beautiful views. Each chalet has a private bathroom and is equipped with air conditioning or a fan. There is also a family chalet with three rooms and a more spacious double chalet with two rooms, where an extra bed can be placed if necessary. The pool is higher up the hill and offers views of the surrounding area.
The resort has a restaurant and bar where meals are served daily. Your stay is on a full board basis, so breakfast, lunch and dinner are included. The cuisine is mainly Asian oriented. Lunch is available both at the restaurant and on the boat during dive days.
Keep in mind that the resort is located on a hill. A reasonable level of fitness is therefore nice.
Sea Souls Dive Resort
Sea Souls Dive Resort is located on Bangka Island, right by the sea. The resort is small-scale and personal, with great attention to tranquility and the environment.
You will stay in one of the beachfront bungalows. These are spacious and bright, with large windows and a veranda overlooking the sea. The decor is simple and cozy, with a double bed and a private bathroom with shower and toilet. Thanks to the open design and ventilation, it remains pleasant inside.
The restaurant is the central point of the resort, where you will gather for meals and drinks. Your stay is on a full board basis.
Sea Souls is a fine base for those who want to dive and relax in a quiet environment, with everything within walking distance.
Pulisan Resort
Pulisan Resort is secluded on the Minahasa Peninsula in North Sulawesi, right on a quiet beach. It is a small-scale and simple accommodation, ideal if you want to get away from the crowds.
Your standard accommodation is a Deluxe Bungalow. These bungalows face the beach and have sea views. They are built in local style and simply but comfortably furnished. You have a private bathroom with hot shower and toilet, a double bed and a spacious veranda with seating area.
The resort has a restaurant where all meals are served. Pulisan is not a luxury resort, but rather a place where peace, nature and simplicity are central.
Travel costs
What is included
This travel package is US$ 2.593 per person based on two people in one room. The trip can be extended as desired. A number of things are included by default in this travel package.
Prices are subject to price changes, increases or changing exchange rates. Flights are always based on the cheapest possible booking class.
Want to know more about the possibilities? Get in touch with us!
Included in this trip, from US$ 2.593 p.p.
- Lumbalumba Resort
- 6 nights in a Stand Alone Chalet
- Accommodation on full board basis
- Dive package with 15 dives
- Sea Souls Dive Resort
- 6 nights in a Sea Front Bungalow
- Accommodation on full board basis
- Dive package with 10 dives
- Pulisan Resort
- 6 nights in a Deluxe Bungalow
- Accommodation on full board basis
- Dive package with 10 dives: 8 boat dives, 1 shore dive, 1 night dive
- Excursion to Tangkoko National Park
- General
- 1 overnight in airport hotel during outward journey
- Return transfers
- VZR & Administration fee
Excluding
- Flight to Manado from US$ 1.268 p.p.
- Bunaken Marine Park Fee 150,000 IDR (one-time) approx. ±US$ 10 p.p.
✈︎ The quoted (international) flight prices are indicative prices and based on departures from Europe. However, we can arrange flights from any location worldwide. Booking your own flights is of course also possible.
Optional
- Night dive
- Additional dives per day
- Use of nitrox
- Rental diving equipment
Prices vary by resort and dive center. Check the FAQ at the bottom of the page for all prices for optional activities and components.
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Frequently asked questions about this dive trip
Diving general
Currents are usually mild and sometimes strong. Plenty of dive sites for the novice diver. You can take this trip with an Open Water certification.
However, there are many macro and muck dive sites, so it is important to have good buoyancy to really enjoy the dives.
- Lumbalumba: make both boat dives and shore dives.
- Sea Souls: all dives are made by boat
- Pulisan: you will make boat dives here in the morning. If you want to make a third dive, this can be done as a shore dive.
- Lumbalumba: Most dive sites are close by, between 10 and 30 minutes by boat.
- Sea Souls: the dive sites are between 20 and 35 minutes by boat.
- Pulisan: you mainly dive on Lembeh Strait, which is about 35 minutes boat ride from the resort.
At all three resorts, the package includes 2 dives per day as standard. But it is possible to make more dives.
- Lumbalumba: it is possible to make a third dive from the boat or from the shore. A night dive is also possible.
- Sea Souls: You can make a third dive here from shore or a night dive.
- Pulisan: You can do a third boat dive here or dive from shore.
Yes indeed, in all three places it is possible to make a night dive. We definitely recommend this as well, because you will encounter the most fascinating critters in the dark.
- Lumbalumba: a night dive by boat costs €58 p.p. (minimum 2 divers) and a guided night dive on the house reef costs €30 p.p.
- Sea Souls: the night dive is made by boat and costs €40 p.p.
- Pulisan: the night dive is made on the house reef and costs €35 p.p. including guide.
There is a house reef at Lumbalumba and Pulisan, but not at Sea Souls.
Yes, you can take PADI courses at all three locations.
Yes indeed, on the same property.
Diving equipment
- Lumbalumba: The standard tanks are both DIN and INT. The Alu 80, 95 and 100 cu ft tanks are only available in INT. It is important that you bring your own adaptor if you have a DIN regulator.
- Sea Souls: both tanks are available, no need to bring your own adaptor.
- Pulisan: the standard tanks are INT. There are some adaptors available, or you can bring your own.
- Lumbalumba: larger tanks are available, they are only available in the INT configuration.
- Sea Souls: yes, cost for this is €4 per tank
- Pulisan: yes, there are a number of 15L tanks available. It is important to indicate this well in advance so the dive center can be sure the tank is available for you.
- Lumbalumba: You can. If you make 2 dives on the same 2 tanks there is no extra charge for this.
- Sea Souls: you can. If you need an extra tank (compared to the standard 2 tanks for the day with back-mount diving) the additional cost is €6 per tank.
- Pulisan: no, it is not possible to dive side-mount.
- Lumbalumba: yes, cost for nitrox is €7 per tank
- Sea Souls: yes, cost for nitrox is €12 per day, so for 2 tanks.
- Pulisan: yes, cost for nitrox is €8 per tank
- Lumbalumba: complete diving equipment, including a dive computer costs €30 per day.
- Sea Souls: complete diving equipment, including computer, costs €32 per day
Other activities & excursions
You certainly can, you can also start at Pulisan Resort and continue from there to Bangka and end at Lumbalumba. We also offer a shorter trip where you only go to Lumbalumba and Pulisan. This trip is just under two weeks.
Absolutely! Snorkeling tours are offered daily by boat.
A snorkeling day trip usually consists of 2 or 3 snorkeling sessions around Bunaken National Park or in Manado Bay. For the more avid snorkelers, even 3 to 4 snorkeling sessions can be offered in one day.
There is a lot of above-water stuff to do in Sulawesi. So you can climb the active volcano Lokon, go on wild water rafting, various jungle excursions and even paragliding. It is also possible to book a zipline excursion, but this is on request. You can also extend the trip that you have more time on location to see the island above water.
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