Bunaken National Marine Park in Indonesia

Indonesia In 1989, the first marine park was established in Manado Bay. Today, the North Sulawesi Watersports Association helps to educate the local people and foreign tourists on the best way to appreciate and preserve this remarkable area.

Highlight

The coelacanth (SEE-la-canth), a fish once would have been the ancestor of all birds, mammals and reptiles, it was believed there had disappeared 65 million years ago, with the last of the dinosaurs. In 1938, he was found near South Africa. Coelacanthe additional discoveries in the vicinity of the Comoros Islands led researchers to call it a "living fossil. Until 1997, the only known population of this fish was extraordinary in the Comoros. A scientist in Manado stumbled on a coelacanth for sale in a local fish market. Recognizing it immediately, he brought to the attention of the world. Submersible dives subsequent to Manado Tua-Bunaken National Marine Park has led to new encounters. The Manado coelacanth is now recognized as a new species, Latimeria menadoensis. Like his family Comorian, the Manado coelacanth is about two metres in length and weighed up to 70 kg (~ 150lbs). Its thickness, greatly reducing body resembling lobed fins "arms" and a tri-lobed tail. Females give birth to more than 26 live puppies "at the same time. The discovery of Manado coelacanth is a good sign. Very living in deep caves (> 200 m or 650ft) near volcanic islands, has enabled them to escape the man successfully. There may be other parts of the world where this elusive creature has escaped detection.

The Park

The park covers more than 75000 hectares in the Sea of Sulawesi. The four coral islands, Bunaken, Siladen, Montehage and Nain, are flat. The fifth, Manado Tua, is an extinct volcano with a huge crater, which dominates the bay. Coral walls surround the islands, plunging over 1300m (4200) in depth. Excellent fish life and coral cover make this world on the wall diving destination. The drift diving is easy - and leap to go with the flow. Dive boats pick up the divers when they surface. Most of the dives is in the light of current when the filter open and reefs are at their best. Bringing currents in schooling fish and larger animals such as rays, barracudas, sharks and Napoleon wrasses. The water temperature is warm, about 27 º C (84 º F). The best time for diving is from March to November. The rainy season is from December to mid-March. July and August are sunny and windy. The visibility is excellent, 15-30m or more.

Best Feature
The best feature of the park is its steep walls and coral gardens. Divers with tuba, too, can enjoy the shallow reefs filled with clouds of colored fish. Schooling pyramid butterflyfish are frequent along the reef crest. Deeper walls are filled with black corals, sea fans, sponges and fantastic. Nudibranchs are abundant.

The dive sites

Most are held close to the diving and Bunaken Manado Tua, because of their many excellent sites. What follows is representative of diving in the area.

Lekuan Walls (I, II, III)

This long wall at Bunaken is divided into three sites: Lekuan I, II and III. Together, they represent the best of the park. Steep walls are marked by deep crevasses, sea fans and sponges giant. Refunds are filled with fish. The wall, often protected from strong currents, is frequented by bumphead parrotfish, turtles, and Napoleon wrasses.

Mandolin

Mandolin a knockout reef crest and a wall which attracts thousands of fish such as schooling rifle, surgeonfish, unicornfish, bannerfish. They are acclimated to divers and are easily accessible.

Bunaken Timor

There are strong currents and a lot of fish on the long wall. The shallow reef is not as spectacular as some but there are turtles, sharks, rays, and other big fish in the blue. Surplombs small caves and mark the wall.

Tanjung Kopi

Tanjung Kopi is a nice wall with a small school of barracuda and many sweetlips. Visibility in restitution is not fantastic, but the number of fish provide for her. Nudibranches gobies and fire are easy to spot here.

Siladen Island

Siladen has a beautiful wall of soft corals that bloom when the current is running. The refund is good with a lot of fish and snapper schooling.

Muka Gereja

Gereja Muka is a nice site with thousands of fish in lowland and deepest canyons leading to the wall.

Barracuda Point

Barracuda Point, on Montehage northwest, is one of the most advanced. A school of giant barracuda are used with the catch and tuna.

Manado Wreck

This 60m (200ft) long German merchant ship sank near Molas Beach in 1942. It sits upright with the bow to 23m (78ft). The vessel is divided approximately amidships on the back, exposing the wheelhouse and the holds. Dives end in a shallow reef nearby. Wait-10-15m (30-50 ft) visibility.