questions about diving and staying on lembeh and bunaken

[dedhed]

i will be diving with sulawesi dive quest on both islands and will have a choice between mc homesay,panorama or randy cottages as accomodations on bunaken. does anyone have an idea which is better? what dive sites shouln't i miss at both places and should i make an efforrt to go to banka islands ?
peace,
dedhed

 

[scoobamax]

hello

i will be heading to Manado this Saturday and staying at Tasik Ria.. I have some questions on currency exchange..is it better to change before i get there or change when i am at Manado?

pls advise if anyone has been there...

thanks

 

[clan_wong]

dedhed once bubbled...
i will be diving with sulawesi dive quest on both islands and will have a choice between mc homesay,panorama or randy cottages as accomodations on bunaken. does anyone have an idea which is better? what dive sites shouln't i miss at both places and should i make an efforrt to go to banka islands ?
peace,dedhed

Just got back from a N. Sulawesi dive trip 2 days back and apparently they're experiencing some really awful weather in the Bangka region. A group had to be brought back from Bangka coz' conditions were just too awful for them to stay/ dive in that area. Do check with the locals once you're there bout' Bangka conditions.

As for Bunaken.....I reckon if you can convince your dive op to bring you to the Nain Island dive sites (Batu Kapal + one other one) you have the best chance of seeing some serious pelagics there. Otherwise for a splendid variety of coral and reef life I would say most of the sites off Siladen Isle and Manado Tua are equally rewarding!

Lembeh....lovely diving here. The diversity of marine life that can be found here is incredible. I don't know how many days of diving you have in Lembeh BUT the sites here are limited and let's say 4 dives a day.....couple of days...... do them all I say

Have a good time...I sure did!

 

[clan_wong]

scoobamax once bubbled...
hello
i will be heading to Manado this Saturday and staying at Tasik Ria.. I have some questions on currency exchange..is it better to change before i get there or change when i am at Manado?
pls advise if anyone has been there...
thanks

There are no shortage of currency changers in various parts of Manado town....but you need to arrange transport to get there. Your resort is a good hour's drive at least away from the nearest "civilized" spot
If I'm not mistaken there are NO $$ changers at the arrival-segment of the airport...it's a very small op.

As for rates...I doubt they're very much different from wat you can get locally in Singapore or Malaysia for that matter. Bring USD if you dun want to change rupiah beforehand.....the Singapore or Malaysian dollar is HIGHLY NOT RESPECTED here
Changers will either not want it or will give you a really crap rate.

Hope this helps!
Cheers

 

[Santa]

As for rates...I doubt they're very much different from wat you can get locally in Singapore or Malaysia for that matter. Bring USD if you dun want to change rupiah beforehand.....the Singapore or Malaysian dollar is HIGHLY NOT RESPECTED here
Changers will either not want it or will give you a really crap rate.





...And remember that washed-out old backpacker dollars trade a different rate than crispy new tourist ones

 

[pelan-pelan]

Just come back - and as always there are problems with exchanging US$.

The notes must be high value clean, new and preferably unfolded. Moneychangers offer better rates than the hotels - but will look at every single note, the slightest mark - they will not take it. They also will not touch some notes with some serial numbers.

However - they do seem to be better disposed towards euros - preferably clean and new of course.

Ride into Manado from Tasik Ria is less than an hour and taxis have meters and have clear blue and white paint style and clear labelling, and generally quite new. There are loads of them in Manado. For Tasik Ria they may negotiate a rate - between 40,000 and 50,000 rupiah is fine (I think that's about 4 - 5 dollars to you).

Email ecodivers at Tasik Ria - they will give you good advice about currency. Assuming you are diving with them you may need to know how they would prefer to be paid. Sandra at Ecodivers will reply promptly - if you get no reply, please re-send because the telecomms connections into Manado can drop out and they don't always receive their mail.