Manado Accommodations

[Laine]

HI,
Going to do a liveaboard in Raja Ampat in Feb. 2010. We are planning a land based add on for four nights in Manado and hope to dive two days of 3 dives each of those two days. I would like to have suggestions on the which resort to stay at during our land based portions prior to departure to Sorong from Manado? We would stay on Bunaken if we were going to do a longer add on, but we have decided on diving right from Manado.
Thanks. Laine

 

[Wisnu]

Laine,
Thalassa dive center Thalassa Dive Center Manado, North Sulawesi operating from 4-star hotel Santika probably the nearest onland resort from Bunaken island; very professional operation.
Tasikria is the furthest in the south; the diving operation run by Eco diver Diving Manado, Bunaken and Lembeh Strait with Eco Divers Manado & Lembeh in North Sulawesi
they have nice big boat, so an hour traveling time is not bad at all. Good lunch after second dives at the boat. Eco diver also operate from Kima bajo resort; seem very cozy but never been there.
If you looking for more luxury resort; the choice will be Sedona manado with Euro dive. Never been there and not many report; do not know good or bad.
Other resort with good reports in this forum are Lumba-lumba and Cocotinos.
None of the above resorts are in Manado city. If you really want to stay in menado city; Ritzy hotel is a good choice, walking distance to mega mall - not a diving resort but blue banter tour and diving center oulet at 2nd floor can arrange dive trip to Bunaken or lembeh.
While in the area you should also look for lembeh for great muck diving.

cheers

 

[blenny]

Hi Laine,

We just returned from that area, spending 10 nights at Seabreeze Resort on Bunaken and 4 nights at Mapia Resort near Manado. We found the diving near Manado so disappointing that we gave up and did land-based tours instead. Mapia had nice bungalows, pool and landscaping, but it didn't make us feel like we were anywhere special and the mosquitos were horrific. It was also expensive.

Seabreeze resort has more basic accomodations but it has a wonderful atmosphere, excellent food and fantastic diving. The owners do all they can to make their guests happy. It's only a 45 minute boat ride from Manado.

If you like reefs either stay or do day trips to Bunaken. For good muck diving I'd relocate near Lembeh Straits (about 2 hours driving, I believe). Manado itself has some shopping and lots of restaurants but is not anywhere we need to visit again (orther than to get to Bunaken!).

Hope this helps,

 

[Darnold9999]

If you are planning to stay at Monado I would dive Lembeh. Did a liveaboard at Raj Ampat in December - stayed 4 nights at Divers Lodge Lembeh. Great diving highly recommend it. Excellent accommodation great food and the dive guide was very good. Lots of operators in the area - others on the liveaboard did the same thing at a couple of other resorts and were also very happy. The only down side to Divers Lodge was that it took 20 min or so to get to the dive sites so we stayed on the boat for the entire day - whereas some of the other lodges are much closer so they go back to the lodge between dives.

Can't really imagine staying in Monado with a choice of many many dive resorts and great diving just outside of town.

 

[gchild]

Laine,
(...)
Tasikria is the furthest in the south; the diving operation run by Eco diver Diving Manado, Bunaken and Lembeh Strait with Eco Divers Manado & Lembeh in North Sulawesi
they have nice big boat, so an hour traveling time is not bad at all. Good lunch after second dives at the boat. Eco diver also operate from Kima bajo resort; seem very cozy but never been there. (...)

Actually Eco-Divers are no longer at Tasik Ria, they are up at Kima Najo now. I think Tasik Ria may be looking after their own dive ops now under the banner Tasik Ria divers. I have only had drinks in the bar their so I can't comment on the dive ops.

The new place at Kima Bajo is closer to Bunaken than at Tasik Ria, plus much better proximity to the northern dive sites. Also a bit closer to the airport.

My vote remains Lumbalumba however.

 

[Wiggsy]

Consider also Siladen Resort and Spa - absolutely fantastic resort - I took a group of 30 there last year and have another group (many travelling a second time) back to this glorious island in early July. I would be totally depressed staying more than one hour at Manado, when I could be staying offshore on this magnificent island. The food is superb and the diving and snorkelling is wonderful. A very professional dive operation and a 4.5 star resort at 3 star prices.You'll find my trip report somewhere in this forum.

 

[chewie999]

From my experience, I find that Murex runs a very professional operation with accommodations as well. They are quite near to town and next to Sedona (in house operator is Euro Dive).

Euro Dive is a new outfit and more expensive. I had the experience of diving with their leaky boats and was not impressed. If I ever go there again, I would opt to stay at Sedona and dive with Murex.

Thalassa and Eco Divers are bit further so I don't prefer them although they are very good as well. I've tried Blue Banter a few years ago and it is a run-down operation. I don't know whether it's still the same or not.

I like to stay near town so I have good access to the local restaurants, seafood or otherwise.

 

[Laine]

Hi,
Thanks for all the information. I would do Lembeh also, but we did that two years ago on the Agressor liveaboard and also Bali on that trip. For the four day add on next year my husband would rather not do muck diving, but do the reef diving near Bunaken. He would like to stay at a Manado area resort rather than stay on Bunaken because we want to do some land tours also and he does not want to go back and forth. My first choice was the Kim Bajo Resort(they responded right away to my questions), but their quote was $600.00 more per couple than the Tasik Ria. Since this is an add on prior to the Peter Hughes Raja liveaboard we need to watch the expenditures for this leg of the trip. I keep hearing not so good things about the Santika's food and that was a turn off for part of the group, otherwise their location sounded wonderful. I emailed Lumbalumba and never heard back from them. So right now even though they are farther away from Bunaken and longer boat rides (but larger boats) Tasik Ria is in the running.

Thanks for the advice also about diving Bunaken and not local Manado diving. That was are plan also.

Laine

 

[pelan-pelan]

We have dived with Diving Bunaken / Manado with Lumbalumba Diving, North Sulawesi - Diving Bunaken with us a number of times and their cottages and gardens are beautiful. They now have a pool on-site. The dive operation is professional and personal. Run by a Dutch couple. English is totally fluent.

Many of their dive guides have been with them for years. Diver to guide ratio is usually 2 guests to 1 guide, sometimes 2 to 2 - with a snorkelling "look-out" up top directing the guides to unusual things at the muck sites. They are based outside of Manado and have a brilliant dive-site at their jetty, as well as close access to other good Manado-side sites, and obviously they go across to Bunaken.

It is unfortunate that you did not get a reply but please be aware that internet and email are still fragile out there. They say on their web-site to email again if you do not get a reply. I would suggest you try again.

Would we go again? Oh yes - already booked.

 

[Laine]

Hi,
We did try to email them again. This time we received a very timely response. They had many additional questions for me before they would quote for our stay. I am in the process of returning their email. Thank you for they review of Lumbalumba as it does sound like a great place? How is there food?
Laine