ExploreTravel GuidesMy Trips
    de|en
    All Places & RegionsAbout FernwehFAQPrivacy PolicyImprint
    ExploreTravel GuidesMy Trips
    Bunaken
    Island

    Bunaken

    Bunaken is a small island off Manado and the core of the Bunaken Marine National Park. The coral walls drop steeply into the deep offshore; turtles and reef fish are already seen while snorkeling.

    More
    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Indonesia
    7. North Sulawesi
    9. Bunaken
    Bunaken is a small island off Manado and the core of the Bunaken Marine National Park. The coral walls drop steeply into the deep offshore; turtles and reef fish are already seen while snorkeling.
    Bunaken is a small island off Manado, lending its name to the marine park, which also includes Manado Tua, Siladen, Mantehage, and Nain. It is famous for its steep wall reefs that drop sharply from the shallow reef edge. Here you'll spot turtles, reef sharks, schools of fish, and vibrant corals. Most guests reside in dive resorts on Liang and Pangalisang beaches. Snorkeling is rewarding directly off the beach at high tide. A marine park fee applies.

    Sights in Bunaken

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Bunaken Marine Park
    Chriswan Sungkono / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
    National Park

    Bunaken Marine Park

    Protected area with five islands and wall reefs. Known dive sites are Lekuan, Fukui and Mandolin.
    Open in Google Maps
    Liang Beach
    Attraction

    Liang Beach

    Beach on the southwest coast with resorts and warungs. Just offshore, the reef flat starts, with access to the drop-off.
    Open in Google Maps

    Sights in Bunaken

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Bunaken Marine Park
    Chriswan Sungkono / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
    National Park

    1Bunaken Marine Park

    Protected area with five islands and wall reefs. Known dive sites are Lekuan, Fukui and Mandolin.
    Open in Google Maps
    Liang Beach
    Attraction

    2Liang Beach

    Beach on the southwest coast with resorts and warungs. Just offshore, the reef flat starts, with access to the drop-off.
    Open in Google Maps

    Restaurants in Bunaken

    Dining and Drinks

    Dining at Resort

    Most accommodations offer full board with Indonesian dishes and fresh fish.

    Village Warungs

    Simple eateries at the harbor with Mie, Nasi Goreng and grilled fish.

    Culture

    On Bunaken, fishing families live in two villages, many residents now work in the resorts. The marine park was founded in 1991 and is co-managed with the villages.

    Getting Here and About

    ArrivalPublic boats depart in the afternoon from Manado harbor, taking 45 to 60 minutes; they do not operate on Sundays. Otherwise, charter a boat; most resorts offer private transfers.On the IslandThere are hardly any roads; you walk or travel by boat to the dive sites.

    Day Trips

    Manado Tua

    Volcanic island next to Bunaken with its own dive sites.

    Siladen

    Small island with white sandy beach and a few resorts.

    Accommodations in Bunaken

    Find perfect stay in Bunaken

    Booking.com* (Affiliate link)
    Search Hotels
    Agoda* (Affiliate link)
    Search Hotels
    Airbnb
    Vacation Rentals

    * Affiliate link: if you book through it, we earn a small commission. The price stays the same for you.

    Nearby

    Manado
    Sakurai Midori / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0

    Manado

    Manado is the capital of North Sulawesi and a gateway to Bunaken, Lembeh, and the Minahasa Highlands. The predominantly Christian city is known for its spicy cuisine and views of Manado Tua volcano.
    Tomohon

    Tomohon

    Tomohon is located in the Minahasa Highlands between the Lokon and Mahawu volcanoes. This small town is cooler than Manado, famous for its floriculture and a base for crater hikes and Lake Linow.
    North Sulawesi

    North Sulawesi

    North Sulawesi is primarily a diver's paradise: Bunaken's sheer walls and the macrofauna-rich Lembeh Strait are among Southeast Asia's best-known dive sites. Inland, volcanoes and the Tangkoko Rainforest lure with tarsiers and crested macaques.
    Lembeh Strait
    Sakurai Midori / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.5

    Lembeh Strait

    The Lembeh Strait, between the port city of Bitung and Lembeh Island, is considered one of the world's best sites for macro diving. On dark volcanic sand live octopus species, frogfish, and nudibranchs that are rarely seen elsewhere.
    Wayag-Inseln

    Wayag-Inseln

    The Wayag Islands in the northwest of Raja Ampat are a labyrinth of forested karst cones in turquoise lagoons. The view from the summit of one of the rocks is the iconic view of Raja Ampat.