Bunaken area dive site recommendations

[divedesign]

Hi Scott,
I have seen the Dugong a couple of times in Bunaken. Once from thre boat near Ron's point last June. The other time I was in the water skindiving on the Pangalesang (East side of the island)between Lorenao Satu and Daniel's Homestay. Good undewater seascapes with lot's of fish can be at Fukui, Ron's point, Pangalingan, and Barracuda point. If you want some excellent guidesget in touch with Ading and Dion who work for M.C. Dive Bunaken and M.C. Homestay, Diveresort, diving and snorkeling in the Bunaken National Park, Bangka Islands, Popoh and Lembeh Street or Bunaken Village Resort the bunaken island scuba diving resort in Indonesia
In front of MC there are frequently eagle rays.
Have fun,
Stephen

 

[Rickg]

rick, thanks, I read your trip report, that was very helpful.

scott

Scott,

You're quite welcome. If you want to see some pictures from there you can find some on

Picasa Web Albums - Rick

Good luck with your trip.

 

[chocolate]

To my knowledge, Manado/Bunaken is not known for the big stuff, but for big "small stuff".
However, when I was there, a few fellow divers saw a couple of sea cows at Mike's Point. Too bad I was on the other side of the reef.

 

[Bunaken]

I'll be in bunaken in a couple of weeks, and I'm looking for dive site recommendations for wide angle photography of marine life. (not just coral/wall shots).

I'm specifically looking for sites with large schools of fish (jacks, barracuda, fusiliers), napolean wrasse, schools of bumpheads, eagle rays, or hammerheads/threshers/large grey reef sharks (if Im really really lucky). Also, if you've seen a dugong or a nautilus there, I'd be interested in knowing where.

if you've been there during the last couple of years and can recommend a couple sites that might produce some of that life, or if you know sites not to go to, please let me know,

good macro sites for night dives are also appreciated...

thanks alot!

scott

The beauty of Bunaken and surrounding areas (Bangka, Lembeh etc) is the marine diversity, you can dive the same sites over and over again and they will not be the same each time, weather conditions, currents, time of day, time of year, are all factors that effect what you may or may not see. Many times the most unexpected marine life are just on your doorstep for a few minutes or hours and then gone to be seen again ...maybe months or years later.
My suggestion to you would be to enjoy your diving, bring your camera along and if you happen to see something special or thats on your "shopping list" then its a bonus.
Diving shouldn't be only about what you see or can photograph as if a trophy....
But anyway :
Dugongs : Eastern side of Bunaken, just after full moon on a late afternoon rising tide
Barracudas : in 2s and 3s at Sachiko Point; Schooling at Nain Isl. south side
Bumpheads : Mikes point, Raimond and Sachiko but in June and on the top of the reef
Jacks : Sachiko Point towards Tanjung Parigi beach, Lekuans I & II
Hammerheads/threshers/grey reef sharks : Go somewhere else to dive
Eaglerays : Sachiko, Alungbanua(June/July), Timur 1 (on the corner by Lorenzos)
Nautilus : Shipwreck at night but deep 70+ meters or u could cheat and get the guide to use a local shrimp cage, bait it, send it down, wait a few hours and haul it up, maybe u have a Nautilus, dont laugh I know many photos of Nautilus have been taken in this way.....some very famous photographs.

Happy [-]Shopping[/-] Diving

 

[scottfiji]

chocolate - thanks for the pointer
steve, thanks for the great advice

bunaken - thanks alot for the detailed info.. if any of you ever visits LA feel free to ask me about the dive sites. that was a very interesting note about the nautilus.

and yes, I will be sure to enjoy the diving! that's always advice that I'm happy to take.

scott

 

[Mike Veitch]

actually i think ALL photos of nautilus are baited ones!?!? I could be wrong. Thats the way everyone who has one from Palau has done it.

Except those from aquariums or subs. I would be curious if anyone has actually seen one on scuba and made it back to the surface