Sulawesi was definitely my favourite part of Indonesia: The people were friendly, tourists were few, the infrastructure was surprisingly well established, and the dive sites were gorgeous.
I met with my friend in front of my hotel in Manado to go to our dive resort on Bunaken Island: Happy Gecko Dive Resort. I loved it already because of its name and the incredibly cute logo: I could not wait until I finally got there.
After quite some travelling and wondering around, I was looking forward to ten days of sleeping, eating, and scuba diving.
The couple who runs the place is extremely nice and helpful and were very relaxed on the chaos we (or better I) created during the booking process. The resort is on the more affordable side compared to the rest of Bunaken and it’s the best place if you just want to relax and dive.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included; water, tea, and coffee are available 24/7. The bungalows are basic, but spacious and comfortable. We easily shared it in three for ten days and only needed to call dips on the hammock every once in a while.
Scuba diving in Bunaken is amazing, not only for its dive sites but also because there are not many other scuba divers around. Our guide showed us even the tiniest animals we would have never seen on our own. The dive sites are easy to dive and rich on life. From the smallest nudibranch and christmas tree worms to the cutest box fishes and the obligatory Nemo all around you, to bigger fish and turtles. This is the perfect spot if you are a beginner or if you just want to relax a little and enjoy your surrounding.
Bunaken island itself is easily explored within a day or two, but even if you are not a diver it is well worth a visit. Be aware though, it will most probably be super hot and there is no aircon nor fresh water around, so you have to be able to cope with the heat.
