Bunaken National Marine Park, off Manado in North Sulawesi, is one of Indonesia's oldest marine parks (1991), famous for sheer coral walls that plunge to the seabed, a thriving resident population of green sea turtles, and some of the highest reef-fish diversity on Earth at the centre of the Coral Triangle.
Destination info
Conditions, highlights, and the resident marine life.
Conditions
Water and air temperature across the year.
WaterAirDryShoulderWet
Description
Gazetted in 1991 and among the first of Indonesia's marine national parks, Bunaken National Marine Park covers 890.65 km² off the coast of Manado in North Sulawesi, of which roughly 97% is marine habitat. The terrestrial 3% comprises five islands—Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain, and Siladen—the largest of which, Manado Tua, is an inactive volcano rising over 600 m above the sea. The park sits near the centre of the Coral Triangle, the global epicentre of marine biodiversity, and protects about 390 recorded coral species and roughly 2,000 fish species; it is claimed to hold seven times more coral genera than Hawaii and more than 70% of all fish species known from the Indo-Western Pacific. Bunaken's signature feature is its vertical coral walls: plateau reefs that drop off abruptly from a few metres of water to depths of several hundred metres, encrusted with giant sponges, gorgonian sea fans, and soft corals. Green and hawksbill turtles are exceptionally abundant—dozens can be seen on a single wall dive—alongside Napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish, reef sharks, eagle rays, and pelagic schools. Conditions are generally moderate, with warm 27–30°C water and 15–35 m visibility year-round, and the sheltered position keeps most sites diveable in any season. Access is easy: dive sites are a 30–45 minute boat ride from Manado, served by Sam Ratulangi International Airport.
Highlights
What makes this dive worth the trip.
Bunaken National Marine Park was established in 1991 and covers 890.65 km², of which about 97% is marine habitat across five islands (Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain, and Siladen). Sitting near the centre of the Coral Triangle, it protects around 390 coral species and roughly 2,000 fish species—claimed to be seven times more coral genera than Hawaii and over 70% of all fish species known from the Indo-Western Pacific.
Bunaken is defined by its world-class wall diving: plateau reefs end in steep drop-offs that plummet from the shallows toward a seabed lying up to nearly two kilometres beneath, with the coral wall itself densely covered in giant sponges, gorgonian sea fans, and soft corals from less than five metres of water down past recreational limits.
The park holds a thriving resident population of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas)—seeing several on a single dive is routine, and on one dive at the famous Lekuan wall 39 turtles were counted. Turtle numbers continue to increase thanks to egg-protection projects that pay islanders to report nests rather than sell the eggs.
Marine life
40 species you’re likely to encounter on a dive here.
Dive sites
5 signature sites at this destination.
Lekuan I, II & III
The most famous dive sites in Bunaken Marine Park, on the island's southwest shore, where three sections of sheer coral wall drop from the shallows to about 40 m before sloping away into deeper water. The walls are draped in enormous sponges, gorgonian sea fans, and soft corals, with overhangs and ledges riddled with crevices. Green sea turtles are abundant here—often counted in the dozens on a single dive—alongside pyramid butterflyfish, anthias swarms, bumphead parrotfish, and Napoleon wrasse, while macro hunters find pygmy seahorses, orangutan crabs, and nudibranchs on the wall face. Calm conditions and a gently varied profile make it suitable for divers of all levels.
5–40 mbeginnerDay boatLightVisibility 15–30 m
Mandolin
A scenic wall on Bunaken's west coast facing the volcanic cone of Manado Tua, where a vertical reef descends in large steps with small caves in its deeper sections toward water reaching some 600 m. The reef top is varied and rich, and currents can be strong—conditions that draw pelagic action. Huge schools of plankton-feeders gather here, including fusiliers, pyramid butterflyfish, bannerfish, and damselfish, while schooling bumphead parrotfish, Napoleon wrasse, whitetip reef sharks, turtles, sea snakes, and jacks pass along the wall. Black coral, large gorgonians, and ascidians cover the deeper face.
5–40 mintermediateDay boatModerateVisibility 15–30 m
Fukui Point
One of the few Bunaken sites without a vertical wall, on the west coast of Bunaken Island, where divers descend onto a gentle sand slope dotted with hard corals. Impressive staghorn and cabbage coral formations sit around 15 m, alongside schools of spadefish, goatfish, and batfish; a famous row of about five giant tridacna clams lies along the slope, followed by a small plateau of carpet anemones and enormous barrel sponges. A cleaning station draws larger fish including Napoleon wrasse, trevallies, and big snappers, with garden eels, red-toothed triggerfish swarms, and white-spotted moray eels rounding out the scene.
5–30 mbeginnerDay boatModerateVisibility 15–25 m
Sachiko's Point
A classic wall dive on the northeast side of Bunaken Island, regarded as a showcase of the park's world-class walls. The coral-encrusted drop-off begins in less than five metres of water and extends past recreational limits, with vibrant coral growth in the shallows giving way to large gorgonians and caves on the deeper face. Its exposed position and sometimes strong current bring bigger pelagic action than the more sheltered southern sites—barracuda, blacktip reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse, blue-fin and giant trevally, and batfish—while green turtles, bumphead parrotfish on the reef top, and blue-spotted stingrays are also seen.
5–40 mintermediateDay boatModerateVisibility 15–30 m
Siladen Wall
A pretty wall dive around the small island of Siladen on the northeast edge of the park, where a coral-covered drop-off falls away from a shallow reef top. The wall and adjacent slopes are known for ribbons of schooling fusiliers, cuttlefish, turtles, and a strong cast of macro subjects including nudibranchs, making it a versatile site combining wide-angle wall scenery with critter hunting. Conditions are generally mild, and the sheltered setting suits a relaxed dive for mixed-experience groups.
5–30 mbeginnerDay boatLightVisibility 15–30 m
Where to dive & stay
Local dive centers, resorts, and hotels.
Featured operators coming soon
Verified dive centers, resorts, and hotels around Bunaken will list here — pricing, photos, and direct contact.
