Living Colours Dive Resort

Living Coulors - Bunaken Island, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Living Colours Dive Resort on Bunaken Island, Manado, North Sulawesi, is a small idyllic resort with a professional dive centre. We are based on Bunaken Island, in the heart of the world famous Bunaken National Marine Park. Our beach front dive centre with high quality dive equipment is run by European PADI Instructors and experienced local Divemasters. The nine wooden bungalows are situated on a small hill, only 50 steps from the beach, and have great sea views.

Diving - Our full service dive centre and professional, friendly crew offer boat diving in the magnificent walls of Bunaken National Marine Park and critter filled slopes in Manado Bay. Our environmentally conscious dive team will show you the best of Bunaken on long relaxed dives. All dives are boat dives in small groups guided by experienced local Divemasters. PADI Scuba Diving Courses - The PADI dive courses from beginner to divemaster level are done in small groups with experienced PADI Instructors. All course dives take place in natural coral reef environment in the marine park. You can enjoy the tropical marine life starting from your very first shallow water diving experience. Dive Sites - The coral reefs and the open ocean are bursting with life. Bunaken lies in the epicentre of the world’s marine biodiversity, and thus supports an amazing variety of marine animals. Here you can find over 1000 reef fish species and 70 genera of corals in more than 40 world famous dive sites.

Bunaken and Manado Bay is a favourite place among underwater photographers from all over the world because of the superb opportunities for both macro and wide-angle photography. The reefs are unspoiled with pristine soft and hard corals, rich fish life and interesting little critters that expertly camouflage themselves to blend with the surroundings.

At the ocean surface dolphins and pilot whales are frequently seen, and you might occasionally be surprised with sights of migrating humpbacked, killer, sperm or minke whales. Dugongs, or sea cows, are regularly spotted grazing in the reef shallows just in front of Living Colours Dive Resort.

Accommodation - Our comfortable private bungalows with sea views are equipped with double or twin beds, mosquito nets, fan, hammocks and attached western bathroom with running water. We have 24 hours electricity, and wireless internet connection is available for all guests. The open air restaurant with its well-appointed kitchen and excellent cooks serves Indonesian and Asian dishes. The beach bar with its good sound system and musical bartenders offers a variety of cold drinks and good tunes. The perfect place to hang out in the evening!Last but not least the fun-loving crew and friendly atmosphere at the resort is something that will make your stay on Bunaken even more special.




OUR LOCATION




Living Colours Dive Resort located on North East of Bunaken Island, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Our location also near the Bunaken Marine Park. Where alot of best coral reef, fish, and other underwater item in it with the best quality among all untouchable heritage in Indonesia.




ACCOMMODATION

One-Bedroom Bungalow

Living Colours Diving Resort is a small and idyllic resort with personal, friendly atmosphere. The resort provides basic but comfortable accommodation with everything you need for a relaxed holiday. Secluded location away from public road and generators guarantees you a good night sleep.

We have nine wooden Minahasa-style one-bedroom bungalows and one two-bedroom bungalow, each spacious with their own balcony in tropical garden surroundings. All bungalows are situated on a hill, only 50 steps from the beach, and have magnificent sea views over mangrove trees.

Two-Bedroom Bungalow

The bungalows accommodate two to four people and are equipped with :

• Single or double beds with spring mattresses
  
• Bathroom with western style toilet and hot/cold water shower
  
• Large balcony with hammock, lazy chair and sofa
  
• Bamboo, rattan and coconut furniture
  
• Fan and mosquito net
  
• 24-hours electricity (220 V)
  

The accommodation includes :

• Three meals per day
  
• Coffee, tea and drinking water (Aqua)
  

Extras :

• Wireless internet connection
  
• Fish ID and reference books
  
• Book exchange, novels in several languages
  
• DVD player, movies and nature documentaries
  
• Gym with basic weightlifting equipment
  

Restaurant



Our open-air restaurant, with its stunning view, offers delicious traditional Indonesian food. The menu consists mainly of sea food, chicken and vegetarian dishes with fresh local vegetables and tropical fruits. Chinese and western kitchen are also well represented. Your meals are presented buffet-style in our clean, well-appointed modern kitchen.

Aldy, our chef, has a long history in North Sulawesi's finest restaurants. He knows how to prepare the hottest local delicacies with dabu-dabu, the famous chilly sauce. His other specialities include eg. smoked sail fish with chilly mayonese and grilled prawns with tasty sauce.

Continental or English breakfast with fresh fruits, coffee, tea and juice can be enjoyed in the restaurant overlooking sunrise.


The Safety Stop Beach Bar

Between dives, snorkelling or sunbathing you can relax at our beach-front bar area with cold beverages, play games or just chill out in the hammocks. In the evenings the beach-front transforms itself into a lively barbeque area. High-end sound system, good tunes and musical bartender together with the Living Colours House Band will make your stay on Bunaken even more special.

Other Accommodation

Budget accommodation is available at Lorenso Beach Garden Resort, only 5 minutes walk from Living Colours Diving Resort, with the price ranging from 10 to 20 Euros per person per day including three meals, coffee and tea.

All bungalows are double bedded and equipped with running water/shower and mosquito net.




PRICES


Diving

Prices are subject to change with out prior notice.

DIVE ITEM	PRICE
One dive a day	30 Euro
Two dives a day	55 Euro
Three dives a day	75 Euro
Night Dive / Dawn dive	30 Euro
Full Equipment rental	13 Euro/day
BCD	5 Euro/day
Regulator	5 Euro/day
Wetsuit	3 Euro/day
Night dive light rental	5 Euro/dive
Dive computer	5 Euro/day

PADI Scuba Diving Courses

Prices are subject to change with out prior notice.

COURSE	PRICE
Discover Scuba Diving	75 Euro
Scuba Review	35 Euro
Open Water Diver	420 Euro
Advanced Open Water Diver	320 Euro
Rescue Diver	400 Euro
DiveMaster	1000 Euro

Included :

• Equipment rental (DSD, OWD, AOWD, RD)
• Course materials (OWD, AOWD, RD, DM)
• PADI certification fee (OWD, AOWD, RD)

Snorkeling

Prices are subject to change with out prior notice.

ITEM	PRICE
Snorkelling trip with divers	10 Euro/person/day
Full Snorkelling Set	5 Euro/day

Accommodation

Prices are subject to change with out prior notice.

ITEM	PRICE
Accommodation (min 2 people per bungalow)	50 Euro/person/night
Single occupancy	55 Euro/person/night
Price inludes :
- three meals / day
- coffee, tea, Aqua
Transportation Manado-Bunaken / Bunaken-Manado	15 Euro/person/one way

Marine Park Entrance Fee

All visitors to the park, divers, snorkellers and sunbathers alike, are requested to pay a Bunaken National Park Entrance Fee of about US$ 15 upon the arrival to the park. Visitors will get a tag (pin) which is valid for one calendar year.

The proceeds are used to fund patrols to stop illegal fishing activities, conservation activities such as beach cleaning, coral and mangrove rehabilitation, and improvement of standards in the park area.




Bunaken National Marine Park

For you to fully appreciate your stay, here is some further information on Bunaken National Marine Park:

The Islands
Bunaken National Marine Park was established in 1991 and is one of the first marine parks in Indonesia. The total area of the park is 89 065 ha and includes the five islands of Bunaken, Siladen, Manado Tua, Montehage and Nain, as well as parts of the coastal area of North Sulawesi mainland.

The total area of coral reef is over 8 000 ha.

The marine park's extremely deep seabed, steep coral walls and large seagrass beds are home to an astonishingly rich variety of corals, fish, echinoderms and sponges. In fact the area supports some of the world's highest levels of bio-diversity. Seven species of giant clams, and many rare or endangered marine animals, e.g. coelacanths, nautilus, dugongs, whales, dolphins and turtles, are found within the park's area.



Climate
The climate is tropical with two major seasons. During dry season, which is from April until October, the wind blows from south-east and the sea stays relatively calm. Wet season is from November to March when the cool wind from north-west can bring heavy rains and occasional rough seas. Average air temperature in the region is 27°C varying from 25°C in the wet season to over 30°C in the dry season.

The water temperature around Bunaken National Marine Park ranges between 27°C and 30°C throughout the year. Over the reef flats water temperature may be even higher. Visibility in the area varies from 15 to over 30 meters. You can dive throughout the year.



People
Some 20 000 people live on the natural resources of Bunaken National Marine Park; there are altogether 26 villages within the boundaries of the park. The area has been inhabited for more than a century. Most of the people are farmers or fishermen. Crops of coconuts, sweet potatoes and bananas are raised on the islands, and some farmers cultivate seaweed for export.




DIVING COURSES ( PADI Scuba )




Our experienced Instructors teach PADI dive courses from beginner to professional level. Dive courses are done in English but course materials are available in several languages. No previous dive training or experience is needed for Discover Scuba Diving or Open Water Diver course.

We teach in small groups and the course schedule will be planned together with you to perfectly fit into your holiday plans. All course dives take place in natural coral reef environment in the marine park. You can enjoy the tropical marine life starting from your very first shallow water diving experience!




Discover Scuba Diving (1/2 Day)

Want to try diving? Discover Scuba Diving allows you to try diving in shallow water. You will learn some basic dive safety information, relevant dive skills and, you will get a chance to explore a local dive site under the supervision of your instructor. If you like it, Discover Scuba Diving is the first step towards a scuba certification.


Scuba Review (1 Dive)

Scuba review is for certified divers who haven't been diving for awhile and want to update their dive knowledge and skills. After refreshing important skills in shallow water you can continue with a supervised open water fun dive.


Open Water Diver (3-4 Days)

Become a certified diver! During the Open Water Diver course you will learn the essential knowledge and diving skills and will receive your permanent diving license. This PADI Open Water Diver certificate is recognised worldwide.

The course involves

• Learning about diving theory with the help of books, videos and instructor presentations;
  
• Learning diving skills in shallow confined water;
  
• Four training dives under the supervision of your instructor.
  

REFERRALS: In case you have started your Open Water Diver course somewhere else but haven't finished all your training, you are welcome to continue your training with us. If you want more info, please contact us.


Advanced Open Water Diver (2-3 Days)

As a certified diver, you can still become more comfortable underwater: take your skills to the next level and learn more about marine life during the Advanced Open Water Diver course. This course consists of five adventure dives. Two of them, Underwater Navigation and Deep dive, are core dives. The other three you can choose from a number of different alternatives, e.g. Drift dive, Night dive, Peak Performance Buoyancy dive, Underwater Naturalist dive, Underwater Photography dive, Wreck dive...


Rescue Diver (4-5 Days)

During the Rescue Diver course you will learn to look beyond yourself to consider the safety and well being of other divers. It is an important step in expanding your knowledge and experience of diving safety. You'll learn to help prevent problems and manage dive emergencies using a variety of techniques. The Rescue Diver course is challenging but for sure a lot of fun!


Divemaster (4 Weeks)

The PADI Divemaster course is the first step on the professional path. During the course you will learn more about dive theory and safety, improve your diving skills, learn to plan and lead dives for certified divers as well as assist in dive courses. The course will be conducted as an internship program, so you will be participating in the everyday life of the dive centre.

The Divemaster course consists of three modules :

• Knowledge Development - to improve and widen your knowledge of dive theory.
  
• Water Skills and Stamina - to develop your overall water skills and stamina, and to improve your existing scuba skills.
  
• Practical Application - to learn and practise divemaster skills by applying what you have learned during the other two modules.
  

DIVING AND SNORKELING IN BUNAKEN




World-class diving close by: Bunaken National Marine Park and Manado Bay has more than 40 world-class dive sites to choose from. We are located on the east side of Bunaken island, in front of one of the best dive sites in the area. Even the further dive sites in the marine park are only about 30 minutes boat-ride away.

Relaxed wall and drift diving: Diving in Bunaken is mostly wall diving and drift diving, we can just follow the current and the boat will pick us up after the dive. Your dives will be led by experienced dive guides who are familiar with the local conditions and marine life, and more importantly, who respect them.

Long dives : We always dive well within the recreational dive limits, but still put no time limits on your dives. You can do a long safety stop looking around in the shallows, which offer an amazingly rich marine life - a perfect way to end your dive!

Full service : Let our always smiling divemasters, boat captains and crew take care of you and your dive gear. Your equipment is set up, rinsed and stored for you, so that you can fully enjoy your holiday.

High quality dive equipment: We choose to dive with Suunto Equilite 1000 BCDs, Apeks AT-20 regulators equipped with Suunto pressure and depth gauges, Aqua Lung wetsuits and Technisub and Mares masks and fins. Certified Apeks regulator and Bauer compressor technician assures well maintained dive equipment and safe, clean air fills on every dive. We follow BS5430 standard in scuba tank maintenance.

Our spacious, traditional, wooden dive boats are equipped with two engines, DAN oxygen unit, first aid kit, mobile phone and radio. The nearest operational recompression chamber is in Manado.



Services :

• Fun dives in small groups; guided by experienced, english speaking dive guides (max 4 divers/guide)
  
• Night and dawn dives
  
• PADI dive courses from beginner to professional level
  
• Introductory dives for non-divers
  
• European instructors
  
• Special diving and snorkelling trips
  
• Diving and snorkelling equipment rental
  
• Uw camera rental
  

Uw photography :

Bunaken has long been considered an underwater photographers’ paradise.
The vertical walls, steep slopes and colourful reef flats of Bunaken National Marine Park as well as the muck-diving sites in Manado Bay offer myriad opportunities for both macro and wide-angle photography. Located right in the epicentre of underwater biodiversity, and being swept by nutrient rich oceanic currents ensures the unbelievable variety of marine life and animal species living in the area.

• Table space for camera and uw housing storage in the dive centre and in your bungalow.
  
• Table space and rinse tanks for uw cameras in the dive boats.
  
• On request air guns, lens pens and other tools for cameras and uw housings.
  
• Experienced Divemasters to show you the best photo subjects.
  

DIVE SITES




The total area of the Bunaken National Marine Park is 89 065 ha and includes the five islands of Bunaken, Siladen, Manado Tua, Montehage and Nain, as well as parts of the coastal area of North Sulawesi mainland. There are more than 40 dive sites around the islands and along Manado Bay.


Bunaken

Vertical walls, reef sharks, turtles, Pygmy sea horses and many surprises!

The eastern side of Bunaken Island offers superb wall diving and excellent snorkelling. The vertical wall has many cracks and small caves and is covered with soft and hard corals, gorgonians and huge sponges. Fishes are so abundant that it is impossible to list all the species found here.

Some examples are: barracudas, triggerfishes, parrotfishes, surgeonfishes, unicornfishes, wrasses, drummers, butterflyfishes, trumpetfish, trevallys, groupers, snappers, sweetlips, angelfishes, needlefishes and batfishes. Possible encounters include turtles, whitetip and blacktip reef sharks bumphead parrotfish, napoleon wrasse, eagle rays and blue-spotted stingrays. The shallows are unbelievably colourful and full of life. Excellent spot for night dives, too.

What has been said about diving on the east side of Bunaken (Timur) :

"This is truly breathtaking, an incredible dive any time of day; but dived early morning or late afternoon, when the light begins to die and the fish start feeding in earnest, Timur is the diving equivalent of a religious experience. ...
There is more variety on this site, given the right conditions, than I have seen anywhere else in Indonesia. If it's in the fish guidebook, it's on this reef - and it would truly take a whole book to recite the species spotted on even a single dive. ...
Whatever you do and however you dive it, don't miss this spot. If you could do only one dive in North Sulawesi, this would have to be it."
(The dive sites of Indonesia, Guy Buckles, 1995)



The Southern side of the island has beautiful coral slopes in a deep calm bay, as well as vertical winding walls with stronger currents. This side of the island has a high diversity of fishes, corals and sponges, and good spots for snorkelling.

There are huge schools of fusiliers, pyramid butterflyfishes, bannerfishes and damselfishes. Other species you might bump into are reef sharks, napoleon wrasses, hawksbill and green turtles, great barracudas, eagle rays, snappers, scorpionfishes and leaf fishes. Invertebrates include a variety of differently shaped hard corals, black corals, gorgonians, giant barrel sponges, nudibranchs and giant clams.

The dive sites on the western and northern sides of Bunaken are vertical walls abundant with reef fishes, sharks, lobsters, whip corals and giant gorgonians with tiny Pygmy sea horses. You might also see large emperors, red snappers, groupers, dogtooth tuna, eagle rays, giant trevally, turtles and barracudas. Even manta rays, mola mola, hammerhead sharks and whalesharks have been seen around Bunaken.


Siladen

Beautiful coral gardens with colourful reef fishes!

The southern side of Siladen Island has a vertical wall in large steps. The reef top is spectacular with a huge variety of hard and soft corals, and it is therefore an excellent spot for snorkelling, too.

The northern side of the island has a reef flat with sand, gravel and massive corals. Enjoy your dive amongst reef fishes, moray eels, ribbon eels, garden eels, anemonefishes, dogtooth tuna, stingrays and turtles.


Manado Tua

Magnificent walls, big stuff and strong currents!

The dive sites around Manado Tua have stunning steep vertical winding walls with many cracks, canyons and small caves. You can enjoy beautiful hard and soft corals, reef fishes, turtles and reef sharks. Occasional strong currents at some sites bring big schools or barracudas and trevallies together with sharks right in front of your eyes.
Montehage

Unbelievable amount of different coral species!

Here you can expect to see very large schools of blackfin barracudas, giant and big-eye trevally, dogtooth tuna, great barracudas, napoleon wrasses, emperors, turtles, eagle rays and schools of bumphead parrotfishes. Hammerhead sharks have been encountered in the deeper waters. The amount of different coral species on the eastern side of the island has astonished even the most experienced marine biologists!


Nain

Deep canyons and coral gardens!

The island is surrounded by huge fields of hard corals, an amazing diversity of invertebrate fauna, big fishes and deep canyons - to be discovered by you once you get here!


Manado Bay

Muck-diving with strange creatures!

The dive sites on the coast of the mainland, vary from sloping beautiful coral walls, rich with large tabular Acropora sp., reef fishes, nudibranchs, ribbon eels and unusual green tree corals, to sandy bottom environments. There are many excellent muck-diving sites, favourites among uw photographers. Giant frogfish, ghost pipefish, sea horses, mimic octopus, Spanish dancer and many, many more.

The Wreck − Half way to Manado on the coast of the mainland lays a 60-m long W.W.II shipwreck at about 25-40 meters depth. The wreck is covered with colourful soft corals and it is a perfect hiding place for reef sharks and numerous other fishes. Highlights are different colour leaf fishes, scorpion fishes and nudibrachs.
Next to the wreck on a sandy slope you can find an unbelievable variety of coral crabs, shrimps, nudibranchs, pipefish, ghost pipefish, crocodilefish, ribbon eels and garden eels as well as other interesting creatures.




OTHER ACTIVITIES




North Sulawesi has a lot to offer for both nature and culture lovers. Try jungle trekking or whitewater rafting, climb volcanoes, bathe in hot springs or visit friendly Minahasan villages surrounded by volcanoes, lakes and rice fields.

Sulawesi is a unique region of the world, where plants and animals from Asia and Australia mix. Plants are one of the great unknowns of Sulawesi, but botanists nowadays estimate that there are around 5 000 plant species on the island. North Sulawesi's flora may be grouped into three types of ecosystems: beach and swamp forests, lowland rainforests and high altitude moss forests. The fauna is the most extraordinary in all of Indonesia with large numbers of unique mammal species, birds and reptiles.

Sulawesi has 11 active volcanoes; Mt. Mahawu and Mt. Lokon close to the city of Manado as well as the inactive cone of Manado Tua in the heart of Bunaken National Marine Park, are just three of the most stunning in North Sulawesi.

We can help you organise your tours with local knowledgeable guides. Here are examples of some of the things you can experience during your vacation in North Sulawesi.

Tangkoko Nature Reserve This 8 700 ha wide protected area is located in the north-eastern tip of Sulawesi around Mt. DuaSudara. In Tangkoko you can go jungle trekking in a lush, primeval rainforest full of unusual and unique animals. Among the most often encountered animals are Crested black macaques (Macaca nigra), Spectral tarsiers (Tarsius spectrum) and Hornbills.

Minahasa Highland Tour



Make a tour around the highlands and experience the nature as well as the culture of Minahasa. Visit the beautiful mountainous town of Tomohon, the "City of Flowers" and enjoy its refreshing cool weather and vibrant colours from the numerous flower stalls that line the main road.

Climb the stunning Mt. Mahawu. It is only about one-hour trek to the crater's edge where you can enjoy the magnificent view over Manado Bay, see the steaming lake at the bottom of the crater and experience the smell of sulphur from the pools. Take a bath in a hot spring, enjoy the beautiful scenery of the paddy fields of Lake Tondano, have lunch by a goldfish farm and visit the lovely Lake Linow (the changing colour lake).

A kilometre walk to the 60 m high Kali waterfalls near the city of Manado is a fascinating experience. The walk takes you through the friendly village of Kali, its local plantations and beautiful rich vegetation. On the way you may see how locals make a traditional sweet-and-sour alcoholic brew, saguer, out of the sugar palm fruits.

White Water Rafting Experience the exciting rapids of Nimanga River (class II-III) or Ranoyapo River (class III-IV) and enjoy the amazing scenery and varied wildlife along the rivers on international standard boats guided by international standard trained and experienced guides.

Climbing Manado Tua Climb the magnificent inactive cone of Manado Tua Island. This can be a challenging task but the scenery along the way as well as the panoramic view of the Bunaken National Marine Park makes it worth every drop of sweat. If you are lucky, you may spot the Crested black macaques (Macaca nigra) that live in the rainforest on top of the island.

HOW TO GET THERE


From Singapore

Singapore Airlines' regional airline SilkAir flies from Singapore to Manado four times a week - every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The flight takes about three and half hours.


From Indonesia

Manado is well connected with most Indonesian cities. Daily flights arrive from Jakarta and Surabaya in Java, Ujung Pandang in South Sulawesi, Denpasar in Bali, Balikpapan in Kalimantan as well as Sorong in Papua. Connecting flights from other cities fly usually via Jakarta or Ujung Pandang.

The following airlines fly to Manado :

• Batavia Air
• Garuda Indonesia
• LionAir
• Merpati Air
  

From Manado to Bunaken Island

If you let us know when you are coming, we are happy to pick you up from the airport and arrange transportation all the way to Living Colours Dive Resort on Bunaken Island.

In case you wish to come to the island on your own you can get a public boat, which leaves from the harbour at around 2pm every day except Sundays, or you can charter a private boat at any time. The boat ride takes 45-60 minutes. The public boat will drop you off in Bunaken Village from where you can walk (about 30 minutes) or hire a boat to take you to our resort.

The price is subject to change. Please  contact us for more information.