Source: www.indonesia.travel
When it comes to marine tourism in Indonesia, Bunaken National Marine Park can be said as one of the best. This park is located in Bunaken Island, Manado, North Sulawesi, which was founded and became official in 1991. Bunaken National Park covers 3% of land which is only around less than 80,000 hectares, and 97% ocean consists of five islands, that are Bunaken, Manado Tua, Montehage, Nain, and Siladen.The park was also known to be amongst of initial growing system of marine parks in Indonesia. Making it as part of Indo-pacific region with the richest marine biodiversity on earth.
Geographically, the location of the Bunaken National Park is included in the “Golden Triangle” water area, namely the sea waterway that connects the Philippine sea, the Papuan sea, and the Indonesian sea. It is estimated that there are more than about 3000 species of fish in Bunaken. The beauty of the very popular Bunaken marine park makes national and international non-governmental organizations work together to conserve coral reefs and mangroves here.
The Uniqueness of Bunaken National Park
If you talk about this National Park, it is indeed closely related to diving activities. There are 40 dive sites, and around 12 dive spots are the most attractive options on Bunaken Island. And usually, world divers dive into these spots.
The dive depth is quite varied, and the deepest level is 1,300 meters deep. One of the most famous spots in the world is the great underwater walls or hanging walls, which are giant vertical corals that are curved at the top. The giant vertical coral is filled with beautiful colorful soft corals and is a place for beautiful fish, plankton, and several types of marine flora that are very interesting to see.
Then from its position in the World Coral Triangle, which began to spread from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and the Solomon Islands, Bunaken National Park is a habitat for 390 species of coral reefs and 3000 species of fish, reptiles, mollusks, and marine mammals.
Bunaken Marine Park Diving Spot
In Bunaken marine park, 40 dive sites are rich in various stunning coral reefs and tropical marine fish. Tourists who dive in the Bunaken marine park area could encounter 150 species of fish from about 58 genera of fish and coral reefs. In addition, you could also see many kinds of algae species such as Caulerpa, Halimeda, and Padina, as well as seaweed species such as Enhalus acoroides, Thalassia hemprichii, and Thalassodendron ciliatum.
Bunaken National Park also has various fish and wildlife species, including marine mammals, reptiles, birds, and mollusks. About 90 species of fish live in the waters of this park region. Therefore, many tourists who come to visit this park automatically will do diving around the diving spot areas belonging to Bunaken National Park.
Entrance Fee to Bunaken Marine Park
To make an entry to Bunaken National Park, each visitor will be charged IDR 50,000 per person for one entry. And IDR 150,000 per person is valid for one year. So if you buy a valid ticket for 1 year, you will be given a badge made of plastic instead of a ticket.
Going to Bunaken National park is accessible through the available local transportation such as motorboats which can be found at the coast of Manado Bay, for those of you who want to dive in this park. For facilities and accommodations in the Bunaken area, you can stay at hotels in the Bunaken area, available with various choices. Several hotels near Bunaken Marine Park that can be your options are Bunaken Island Dive Resort and Bunaken Divers Sea Breeze Resort. Both hotels are located on Bunaken Island.
Whether your trips take you on a long stroll on beaches, delicious cuisines, relaxing spasone and resorts, or urban attractions, additional research will give you the best experience for your visit. Get to know more about Bunaken by visiting Wonderful Indonesia.