Manado next week, advise needed....

[dicgo]

I am having a 10 days holiday starting on the 8th and is thinking of heading to Manado. I was looking at a liveaboard in Maldives before but things just didn't work out as planned. Then I looked at PG in Philippine and Manado & after a bit of researh decided that Manado offer better diving (am I right?).

Can anyone suggest how I should spend my 10 days in Manado? Should I stay at 1 resort (or move around) or should I do the liveaboard or both?

What kind of diving can I expect? (as compare to places like PNG; Palau; Similian; Komodo...) (Personally I prefer small fishes & coral than big stuff)

Is it the right season to dive? If not, should I still go

Any good dive operators; resorts or liveaboard?

Thanks a lot

 

[Rickg]

I am having a 10 days holiday starting on the 8th and is thinking of heading to Manado. I was looking at a liveaboard in Maldives before but things just didn't work out as planned. Then I looked at PG in Philippine and Manado & after a bit of researh decided that Manado offer better diving (am I right?).

Can anyone suggest how I should spend my 10 days in Manado? Should I stay at 1 resort (or move around) or should I do the liveaboard or both?

What kind of diving can I expect? (as compare to places like PNG; Palau; Similian; Komodo...) (Personally I prefer small fishes & coral than big stuff)

Is it the right season to dive? If not, should I still go

Any good dive operators; resorts or liveaboard?

Thanks a lot

dicgo,

Here is the URL to the trip report I recently posted to Scubaboard.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=85481&highlight=Rickg

I think this might help you with your decision. Also, recommend you use the "Search" function on Scubaboard and do searches for Manado, Bunaken, Bangka, Lembeh, MUREX, Froggies, etc. You'll find that a wealth of information has already been posted on this area.

Hope you have a good trip.

Rickg

 

[Mark Goodchild]

You may have seen this before but here goes....

Some general information on Manado:

http://www.zerovisibility.co.uk/Manado_feature.htm

Hope it is of some help.

 

[thomssi]

For 10 days I would split your time between Bunaken and Kunkungan bay/lembeh strait. I would personally recommend staying at Tasik Ria for Bunaken. Not as near to dive sites as froggies but easily the best boats around and more to do outside of diving. The boat trip also means you are very likely to see a lot of dolphins. It is also just round the corner from Poh Poh which has excellent critter spots and you can find things like rhinopia, snake eels, sea horses etc. Lembeh/Kunkungan area probably has the best muck diving in the world.

 

[Abopp]

For 10 days I would split your time between Bunaken and Kunkungan bay/lembeh strait. I would personally recommend staying at Tasik Ria for Bunaken. Not as near to dive sites as froggies but easily the best boats around and more to do outside of diving. The boat trip also means you are very likely to see a lot of dolphins. It is also just round the corner from Poh Poh which has excellent critter spots and you can find things like rhinopia, snake eels, sea horses etc. Lembeh/Kunkungan area probably has the best muck diving in the world.

AGREED!!! I stayed with Two Fish Divers on Bunaken (great because you're so close to all the sites) and also at Kungkungnan Bay Resort, which I couldn't fault at all! If you're into critter/small stuff, you couldn't do better than to dive in the Lembeh Strait. Make sure you do a night dive or two and if you stay at KBR, try to get Ben as your dive guide - he is absolutely fantastic....although, having said that, all the guides at KBR are great. Bunaken is very much more wall diving and alot less small stuff, but it makes a nice change. One other thing to be aware of is that the water temp is around 25/26 degrees celsius in Lembeh so make sure you're prepared for it! I wasn't because I was expecting temps more like 29/30!!

 

[dicgo]

Thanks for the info
What about banka island. If I need to pick either Bunaken or Banka? Which one would you pick?
By the way, something just happen & I have to postpone my trip to Mar/Apr...


Dicgo