I took a group of 30 to Siladen Island Resort and Spa and we rank this very high - possibly the best trip we've done in 20 years of dive trips.... The resort is majic. This is the text of an articel I've done for Sportdiving magazine....Have a good look at the website - the video is exactly what you get at Siladen.....a very classy resort. Because I had a group of 30 we got it quite cheaply - we paid about 2-3 star prices for a 4 star (or better..the food is fantastic) resort.
Bunaken Marine Park has long been regarded as an epicentre of biodiversity. It is an exotic dive destination where an unmatched range of equatorial and tropical marine life thrives in the rich currents that wash the coral slopes and walls of the island group. The various options on the mainland at Manado are well known, and Bunaken Island itself holds dive resorts to suit most budgets. But much lesser known is Siladen, a tiny paradise island perched in the marine park, ringed by coral sand beaches, overlooking the impressive 800 metre volcanic cone of Manado Tua.
I was lucky enough to be faced with the task of escorting a group of 31 friends, families, staff and students of The Peninsula School, Mt Eliza, to Siladen Island in July 2008 (it’s tough work, but somebody’s gotta do it!). The venue for our expedition was Siladen Island Resort and Spa, a little slice of heaven on a paradise island. Have you ever been anywhere that entirely lived up to the glossy brochures, the classy website images and the glitz of the promotional DVD? Neither had I, until our arrival at Siladen. This small resort is an absolute gem - pure luxury, but an affordable indulgence. With a staff of 100 for its 45 guests, you can expect to be very spoilt by the shy and gentle Indonesians who quietly oblige every request. Dives are guided at a maximum of 1 guide to 4 guests – this ratio ensuring that each diver has the best possible chance of sighting everything from Ghost Pipefish to the Giant Green Sea Turtles that frequent the reefs around Bunaken.
The dive operation at Bunaken is headed by Jean-Loup Hamacher, fresh out from the Red Sea, with credentials any instructor would envy. The sun rose on Day 1 to a glassy calm sea, conditions we would soon accept as ‘normal’ for the area. As we breakfasted at an extravagant buffet, the dive staff was busily collecting gear from our beachside villas, bagging, tagging and assembling Scuba sets, and organising the boats. Our first dive here was to be none too challenging - a chance to trim buoyancy and get acquainted with the local conditions at Alung Banua, a sheltered site on the southern shores of Bunaken Island.
Like most sites in the park, this dive consists of a steep reef slope, falling into inky depths. Entering the 29°C water, I was glad I opted for the thermo-lycra suit, as neoprene of any kind would clearly be excessive! First impressions were, “Wow…this is different diving…!” Never have we seen such a proliferation of vase, chimney and barrel sponges, and yellow tunicates and red sea whips were everywhere. I had opted for a basic camera rig but soon regretted this decision, as various chromodorid nudibranchs and soft coral crabs dotted the dive site. It was here that the importance of the dive guides was realised – they find stuff one would otherwise blindly swim over. Each dive guide carries a pointer, with which they locate the tiniest of critters and direct the focus of the disbelieving divers around them. More than once I thought… “What the???” only to find yet another specie of totally unfamiliar crab materialise! But to see a Pygmy Sea Horse on my very first North Sulawesi dive is something I will never forget. I have only memories, no images, as the macro lens was safely stored in the camera case some 20 metres above me in the boat! Dammit.
Surface interval saw tanks changed as the boat moved a few hundred metres to Lekuan 1- a site where one can expect to see Turtles...quite a few of them. And in this area they are supersized – massive Green Sea Turtles moved in slow motion as they ascended for a lazy breath before returning to their favourite ledge for a snooze. The reef slope streamed with a shower of Pyramid Butterflyfish while the sunlight on the reef crest above reflected the confetti colours of basslets and damselfish. The range of life here is just amazing – post dive one would rattle off five of six clownfish species; countless butterfly and angelfish…each dive posed as many questions as it gave answers (and after 30 years diving in the tropics I thought I had it covered!). You know you’re somewhere special when each dive demands a frantic delve into whatever books can be found to match names to creatures.
The best snorkelling on the island is found at Siladen House Reef, a pleasant five minute walk away through the nearby fishing village. Here, sun-hardened men patiently wove nets while the kids played soccer in the shade of tall coconut palms. The village has a magnificent beach with a rickety wooden jetty that ends above a pristine hard coral wall. The snorkelling was quite outstanding, with many Lionfish, Spinecheek Anemonefish; Long Toms and Moorish Idols present. I’d always thought the glorious Blue-Girdled Angelfish to be an unusual specimen, but here they are common. And never have we seen so many Flutemouths and Trumpetfish – often they would shadow larger fish, using them as cover while they hunted the coral reef garden. Siladen House Reef was also the venue for a brilliant boat dive. Gorgonians and soft corals thrived in the nutrient rich current as Blue Trevally swept by swiftly, rounding up Fusiliers. Large pelagics are not a major drawcard of the area, but there’s enough of the larger life forms to satisfy even fussy divers – this is certainly not a ‘macro only’ type dive destination – in fact, far from it. You can expect to see the odd White Tip Reef Shark, Blue Spotted and Eagle Rays and we saw schools of Barracuda, Big Eye and Giant Trevally on a few dives. The reef plateau also housed “herds” of grazing giant Bumphead Parrotfish (they remind me of cattle) and majestic Napoleon Wrasse. But you will only see them if you tear your eyes away from the amazing array of life crowding every square metre of these reefs.
Raymond’s Point was one of those confused current dives, where divers found lateral and vertical currents to keep them focussed. I’ve seen Sea Whips and Gorgonian forests before, but this was something quite special – crinoids clung to candy-coloured sponges and fans as we blazed by in the flow. Vermillion Sea whips flailed in the current and an endless procession of Red Tooth Triggerfish disappeared beyond view. Deep in a ledge I spied a mass of white dots that gradually materialised into an amazing double-ended fish – clearly a tropical relative of our local Blue Devilfish (paraplesiops sp.) After a couple of quick exposures, it turned tail and fled into its hole, leaving its long rounded tail sinuously waving in a pretty convincing impression of a Spotted Leopard Moray – quite bizarre! After some searching, it was later identified as a “Comet fish” – very secretive and rarely seen during daylight hours. Even less noticeable was the Leaf Scorpionfish pointed out by Noldy, our trusty guide. This was a magnificent and breathtaking dive.
Ditto for Mike’s Point – found at the north-west corner of Bunaken, this site is named after well-known underwater photographer, Mike Severns. Mike has spent so much time at this excellent wall, the dive guides eventually named it after him. This was where we saw most of the larger pelagics, as well as unusually large schools of Batfish and Sea Bass. Banded Sea Kraits, Moray Eels, Blue Spotted Stingrays and the ubiquitous Green Sea Turtles were but a few highlights of a brilliant and diverse dive. A quintet of Razor fish escorted us back to the ladder swimming with amazing synchronicity.
One typically still evening, we followed Jean-Loup’s recommendation and opted for a night dive before dinner at Tiwoho, over on the mainland. Within minutes we were surrounded by gorgonians streaked with basketstars and crinoids and the flash was running hot. Nudibranchs everywhere, Robust and Ornate Ghost Pipefish; Banded Coral Shrimp, Boxer and Porcelain crabs; and elusive Banded Pipefish all conspired to keep the photographers busy. Scribbled Filefish blundered into anemones while Moorish Idols and Racoon Butterflyfish drifted aimlessly in their drab nocturnal camouflage. Noldy pointed out a weird hairy decorator crab – it looked like it was actually growing its own tailored coat of seaweed – the only thing giving it away was the bright red eye stalks! Tropical night dives can sometimes lack colour, but this was something entirely different!
We also dived over at Manado Tua in the shadow of the 800 metre high volcano – the spectacular scenery alone makes this journey a must. Most dive sites are within 10-15 minutes of the resort and one can complete a double dive and be back for lunch around 12:30 pm. Up to five dives a day are offered and the dive guides never miss a chance to get underwater – night dives, mandarin fish dives and extended day trips to Nain and the Bangka Islands are also available. The only down side to diving here is a sad fact of life in such a densely populated country – rubbish! Manado, a city of half a million people, is only 45 minutes away by boat and after heavy rain, plastic pollution does tend to find its way out across the Sulawesi sea. More than once I thought I had spied a Sea Jelly off in the distance, only to see a drifting plastic bag appear. It does jar the senses a little, but isn’t bad enough to tarnish these superb dives.
THE RESORT:
“Siladen Island Resort and Spa” – doesn’t sound like a full on dive resort does it? But with six dive guides; a top notch instructor; 3 dive boats complete with countless deck hands; a well equipped dive shop; 70 x 12 litre tanks and PADI courses to Divemaster level, this is an extremely comprehensive dive operation. With 40 sites available close by, diving is the central activity of the resort but is well complemented by the Spa operation. Here one can enjoy idyllic aromatherapy massages, lulled by the waters lapping on the beach into a dangerously relaxed state! Or consider the various skin and beauty treatments available. Sipping ginger tea overlooking Manado Tua after a coconut scrub massage, I have never felt more at peace.
Accommodation is superb – featuring huge stylish bungalows that have every possible convenience including four poster king size beds, quiet air conditioning and a cool and trendy private outdoor bathroom. This proved to be a great idea - very practical and spacious. The bungalows are built in the Minahasa-style (local wood construction) and include their own private verandahs with day beds, couches and beach lounges. Each is surrounded by lush tropical gardens and bamboo fences giving privacy and lending a sense of isolation. The large pool with sunken bar is the central hub of the resort and is overlooked by the bar/lounge/library/pool table area and the beautifully appointed restaurant.
Meals are quite simply, superb. The manager, Donald Silverberg is ex-Sheraton and it shows in the lavish and extravagant buffets that offer a variety of western and local options. We were quite concerned that we would gain weight, but the food is so healthy that we survived relatively unscathed. Twice during our stay, the dining room was set up on the beach, and we dined al fresco with a memorable beach barbecue as the sun set over the mirror smooth sea.
I feel very comfortable recommending this resort most highly. It must surely be one of the best options in all of Indonesia and is not nearly as expensive as you might think.
Other activities include dolphin cruises; village visits; volcano treks; white water rafting and various other options available over on the mainland at Manado. A highlight of the area is the Tangkoko Rainforest trek, but this involves a 2 ½ hour bus trip each way – we did another couple of dives instead! Maybe next year…..
