The Bunaken, North Sulawesi

Within easy reach from Manado, North Sulawesi, are good beaches and coral reefs, and plenty of speedboats or sailboats for hire. Rent a boat to go to the nature reserve of Tangkoko Batuangus. The corals are exceptional and accommodation can be found in Batu Putih village. Beach landings are not uniformly easy, depending on the time of the year.
The Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation (PHPA) has an office in Manado. A permit is necessary to enter the Tangkoko Dua Saudara Nature Reserve. The coral reefs which ring the islands of Bunaken are among the most spectacular in Indonesia and have been rated by internationally experienced divers as on a par with some of the great reefs of the world.
The marine population is among the densest of Indonesia and is of unequalled variety. Along the dramatic drop-offs, riddled with grottos, fissures and arches, downward visibility extends to 30 metres or more and the contours of the reef formations offer limitless diving opportunities for snorkelers and scuba enthusiasts. The islands can be reached within half an hour by motorized outrigger from Malalayang Beach, the jump-off point south of Manado.

Malalayang Beach has a dive-master with licenses from both the Indonesian and Sub aquatic Sport Association (POSSI) and the Paris-based Confederation Mondiale des Activites Subaquatiques (CMAS). Scuba equipment can be hired there, but it is advisable to bring along personal items such as depth gauges and decompression tables. Both are of particular importance, as there is a decompression chamber in Manado.