North Sulawesi - questions etc.

[wystiria]

Hi All,

Ok for Christmas 2006 I am planning a trip to North Sulawesi & Tokyo. NS to dive and Tokyo to be with friends. we are planning on spending roughly a week in tokyo first and we are located in connecticut so NYC anyof those airports OR boston are very accessible to us. I have some questions on flights strategies And then on the resort we are pretty sure we will book.

OK flights - here is my thought - dates are flexible!!

Decemeber 21st depart to Tokyo Narita,
Spend Christmas in Tokyo
Then Leave the 27th or 28th and Fly to Manado.
What is the best way to do this? Thru Singapor?
Leave Manado to return to NYC/Boston 1/6 (I want to be int he states for the 7th.)

any thoughts/comments/ideas on best ways to do this??


kungkungan: right now we are thinking this would be a good resort for us - it shoudl be ok even at this time of the year because it is more protected then the opposite side of the island (Manado) Anyone been here? thoughts? comments?

thank you all inadvance! I am itn eh planning stages so all information is help ful!!! also if oyu htink there is a better spot to dive more accessible from tokyo let me know!

 

[Reefwalker]

Hi Wystiria
Best way to access Nth Sulawesi is via Singapore, Silk Air (Singapore Airlines subsidiary) fly there regularly. Kungkungan Bay Resort is a great place to stay, but also check out Lembeh Resort http://www.lembehresort.com/ nothing but good reports come from divers who have been there. Make sure that you check out the Bangka Island area whilst you are there. It is some of the best diving I've seen and personally I would dive here before Bunaken any day. Lembeh is fantastic for macro life and Bangka has really nice soft corals and critters, plus good visibility.

 

[wystiria]

thanks reefwalker!

I have heard we are picking a poor time to go. Over on teh asia board someone suggested Manila becasue there will be less rain. Honestly I can't change the time to go to that side of the world. Our true point is to get to TOkyo to see some friends who wont be there much longer.

Any thoughts on the weather? I have heard it will be better over on the lembeh straight - any thoughts?

I will definitely check out Bangka - sounds awesome!

 

[Reefwalker]

Hi Wystiria
Weather in North Sulawesi in late December could be expected to be wet, but don't let that deter you. We have been there in mid July (the middle of the dry season) and it has been too windy to dive on the east coast of Bangka Island, we visited in December and had some of the heaviest rain I have seen for 3 days straight and the diving was excellent with light winds from the west, the rest of the trip was dry and partly cloudy. Luck plays a big part as well as seasonal fluctuations. I know we wouldn't go back in July/August again because of wind, it was very cool in Lembeh Strait when out of the water with wetsuit on. There will be almost no wind in December in Lembeh Strait as the wind is mostly from the West/North West (off the land).