Bunaken Oasis Resort, Bunaken and Manado

Diving at Bunaken Oasis Resort

The onsite PADI dive centre supports recreational, technical and rebreather diving, with an unusually attentive ratio of two divers per guide, and just four or five guests on each boat. The dive boats include a 17m fibreglass catamaran, three 14m wooden boats and two 16m wooden boats. Each provides ample space, freshwater showers, catering facilities, flushing toilets and support for underwater photographers. Divers also have access to rental equipment, freshwater rinse tanks, a classroom, a spacious camera room and complimentary nitrox if suitably certified. Technical instruction and equipment support are available through the resort’s specialist team. 

More than 90 sites can be reached around Bunaken and the nearby mainland. Diving around the island focuses on steep coral walls, shallow reef flats and current-swept drop-offs where turtles, reef sharks, barracuda, trevally and dense schools of reef fish can be encountered. Trips towards Manado add a contrasting range of sand slopes, patch reefs and seagrass habitats, with opportunities to search for frogfish, pygmy seahorses, ghost pipefish, Rhinopias and unusual octopuses. This combination makes Bunaken Oasis particularly appealing to divers and photographers wanting both wide-angle reefs and macro subjects during one stay.

Diving in Bunaken and Manado

Bunaken and Manado combine all three of North Sulawesi’s defining styles of diving - wall diving, drift diving and muck diving. Bunaken National Marine Park encompasses Bunaken, Siladen, Manado Tua, Mantehage and Nain, alongside sections of the mainland coast. Its islands are surrounded by shallow coral gardens and dramatic walls descending into deep water, with turtles, reef sharks, schooling fish, sea snakes and occasional larger pelagic species. Whales are dolphins are also frequently spotted.

Along the mainland, sand slopes, seagrass beds and patch reefs support frogfish, seahorses, nudibranchs, ghost pipefish and other sought-after macro life. Diving is possible throughout the year, although conditions are at their best from May to October. January and February can bring rougher seas, while visibility along the mainland may fall during the wetter months.

Read more about diving in Bunaken and Manado in the ZuBlu site here.

ZuBlu’s dive travel experts will help you create the ideal package at Bunaken Oasis Resort, including your preferred room type, diving, excursions, equipment rental, transfers and any special requests. Share your travel dates, group size, diving experience and budget, and we’ll recommend the best options for your trip.

We’ll also help with practical travel planning, including flight routes, arrival timings and resort transfers, making sure your itinerary works as smoothly as possible from start to finish.

Once you’ve finalised your plans, your travel expert will put a complimentary hold on your preferred room and send a final quote that includes accommodation, meals, diving, transfers, rental equipment or excursions. This quote will also show any extras paid in advance or at the resort - there are no hidden fees - as well as a payment schedule and cancellation terms and conditions.

Your booking is confirmed once the required deposit, or full payment when necessary, has been received.

After confirmation, your dedicated guest concierge will take over and assist with flight routes, transfers, any personal information required by the resort, and questions about your reservation. They are there to make the entire process as straightforward as possible.

Ready to start planning you trip? Talk to a travel expert now.

Want to learn more about dive resorts in Indonesia? Read our guide here.

Getting there

The nearest airport is Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado (MDC). Manado can be reached on domestic services from major Indonesian gateways including Jakarta and Bali, as well as directly from Singapore. Return resort transfers from Manado airport are included in all guest packages. A Bunaken Oasis representative meets guests on arrival for a private road transfer of approximately 30–40 minutes to the harbour. The onward journey aboard the resort boat takes around 30 minutes and arrives directly at the private jetty. Arrival and departure flights should be checked with the ZuBlu travel team before booking to ensure they are suitable for the resort transfer.

Other activities

Non-divers can relax beside the infinity pool, book massages and body treatments at the spa, or explore the resort’s extensive tropical grounds and mangrove-fringed shoreline.

The team may also arrange excursions on Bunaken or the North Sulawesi mainland, including village visits, cultural experiences, waterfall trips, rainforest walks, volcano excursions and visits to the Minahasa Highlands. Availability and travel time vary, and mainland activities require a boat crossing.

Good to know

• WiFi - Complimentary high-speed WiFi is available at the resort and in the cottages.
• Mobile coverage - Coverage can vary on Bunaken Island and should not be relied upon.
• Electricity - Electricity and charging facilities are available in the villas, dive centre and camera room.
• Plug type - Indonesia uses European-style Type C and Type F plugs at 230V.
• Payments at the resort - Cash is accepted in IDR, GBP, USD and SGD; Visa and Mastercard payments incur a 1.85% administration fee.
• Currency - Indonesian rupiah (IDR); guests should obtain rupiah before travelling to Bunaken.
• Time zone - Central Indonesia Time, WITA (UTC+8).
• ATM access - There are no ATMs on Bunaken Island, but plenty in Manado.
• Nitrox - Complimentary for certified nitrox divers.
• Laundry - Daily laundry service is included.
• Terrain - The resort occupies a steep hillside; light sandals or flip-flops are recommended.