North Sulawesi land-based diving

About land-based diving and diving trips to North Sulawesi

  • Indonesia - the diving country where there is something for everyone
  • Macro or large animals - beautiful corals and walls
  • Huge wildlife and crystal clear water
  • Huge range of resorts, liveaboards and destinations

Land-based diving in North Sulawesi, Indonesia has grown tremendously in recent decades and continues to grow. Here outside the city of Manado, just a few hours from the international airport, there are diving sites and islands that are pure paradise for divers. Places such as Bunaken, Lembeh, Gangga, Bangka and Gorontalo are widely known among divers worldwide. The sites offer completely different types of diving even though they are close to each other. So it's absolutely perfect to combine with a couple of different places to visit during your diving trip. Diving trips to Sulawesi rarely disappoint. This is some of the best diving in the world.


bunaken

Bunaken marine park is east of the city and is known for great wall diving. There is often a current here and the walls are covered in sponges and various corals. The reefs are home to a multitude of fish. Rays, reef sharks, barracudas and tuna are often seen and out of the blue can even dolphins, killer whales, swordfish, pilot whales and more appear. It's worth looking out into the blue, but here there are also lots of funny little animals to discover on the reef. There are also sometimes dugongs and often turtles.


Lembeh

Lembeh or Lembeh Straits is probably known as number one in the world for muck diving. Today there are many places that compete and are at least as good. Just Lembeh, however, has a place in the world's diving literature and history books. On the often deserted sandy bottoms live lots of strange animals, fish, octopuses, crustaceans, nudibranchs and much more. A real paradise for underwater photographers and for those of you who want to see something new and untried muck diving. There are also very nice coral reefs here in some places.


Gangga and Bangka

North of Sulawesi and Manado are some islands that are not so well known but also offer fantastic coral reefs and the proximity of Bunaken and Lembeh means you can experience all types of diving without having to change places during your diving trip. Gangga Island is a real gem and Bangka has fantastic reefs and often very fast water.

Few liveaboard goes here sometimes a week or so a year and usually in connection with visits to the city of Bitung for annual maintenance. A trip with land-based diving in North Sulawesi is at least as good and must be on every diver's own bucket list. Many divers go here again and again and there are reasons. Many good resorts, fantastic diving and you can go here all year round although Bunaken has quite a lot of rain normally from mid December to the end of February.