Safety in Manado

[Jelf]

Hi, returning diver here. 17 long years ago life got in the way of diving. My wife and I had selected where we would dive next and then..........Anyway, for our first trip since I found the very place we would have visited next - TwoFish Divers in Manado. Unfortunately my wife has just read the Swiss travel advisory for Indonesia and is freaking out She is convinced we will be :-
kidnapped
arrested for being in possession of aspirin
infected with rabies, typhoid, yellow fever, monkeypox, malaria
robbed
Obviously any combination or even all of the above are likely..........
Could anyone who has had a good or bad experience at Manado Airport or a resort please let me know so I/we can reassure her.
Ta v. much
Jelf

 

[Scubagermany]

It will probably happen in quite this order....

 

[Luko]

Indonesia is a very very large country, it could easily compare geographically to Europe (I mean Europe as a continent not even EU) : imagine one country covering Porto to Moscow, including Stockholm and Istanbul.
Banning Indonesia from traveling is like saying you shouldn't travel in Madrid or Oslo because there is war in Ukraine, or a meningitis outbreak in Greece, etc. Your location says MittelEuropa : aren't you scared? No, why? well that's the same for Indonesia.

Some parts of Indonesia may not be advised to travel to by the Swiss gvt or health organization because of unrest (maybe deeper into the inland of West Papua), occasional rabies (less than a 100 cases in a population of 300 million people : just don't pet monkeys or wild dogs) or malaria, fear of religious fanatics (that might have been the case some years ago ) but other parts are completely safe.

Manado North Sulawesi might probably be one of the most peaceful and safest place in Indonesia : no unrest around, a mostly christian area, many people know how to speak english and a lot of them are working in a tourism oriented industry, it's also a big city with all the amenities you can think of (hospital, international airport, etc.). FWIW I have been probably 10 times in Manado, never ever anything happened to me except sometimes a scratchy mosquito bite, a slight sunburn, the worst was my ear aching after 4 days diving that was solved with Otopain eardrops I bought at the local pharmacy for less than 4USD.

Go there, you neither your wife won't regret it.
A big warning though, you'll then get infected with a very bad disease which is called the IDA (aka. the Indonesia Diving Addiction). I got it 25 years ago I couldn't get rid of it, I have to get a dose twice a year, getting even worse this year I will have to go for my third.

 

[JustinJRL]

I just left Manado yesterday!

I felt safe enough in Lembeh to leave my door unlocked. I'd say the biggest risk is traffic! One of my taxi drivers lived life on the edge.

Yes mosquito born illnesses are a thing - something to talk to your doctor about (but in reality , very few people i met were taking anti malarial etc). In 6 trips to indonesia I've never been so much as pickpocketed. I've talked to many, many, divers, and have not heard stories of crime. Be alert and aware, don't be an idiot, and have fun

 

[Jelf]

Indonesia is a very very large country, it could easily compare geographically to Europe (I mean Europe as a continent not even EU) : imagine one country covering Porto to Moscow, including Stockholm and Istanbul.
Banning Indonesia from traveling is like saying you shouldn't travel in Madrid or Oslo because there is war in Ukraine, or a meningitis outbreak in Greece, etc. Your location says MittelEuropa : aren't you scared? No, why? well that's the same for Indonesia.

Some parts of Indonesia may not be advised to travel to by the Swiss gvt or health organization because of unrest (maybe deeper into the inland of West Papua), occasional rabies (less than a 100 cases in a population of 300 million people : just don't pet monkeys or wild dogs) or malaria, fear of religious fanatics (that might have been the case some years ago ) but other parts are completely safe.

Manado North Sulawesi might probably be one of the most peaceful and safest place in Indonesia : no unrest around, a mostly christian area, many people know how to speak english and a lot of them are working in a tourism oriented industry, it's also a big city with all the amenities you can think of (hospital, international airport, etc.). FWIW I have been probably 10 times in Manado, never ever anything happened to me except sometimes a scratchy mosquito bite, a slight sunburn, the worst was my ear aching after 4 days diving that was solved with Otopain eardrops I bought at the local pharmacy for less than 4USD.

Go there, you neither your wife won't regret it.
A big warning though, you'll then get infected with a very bad disease which is called the IDA (aka. the Indonesia Diving Addiction). I got it 25 years ago I couldn't get rid of it, I have to get a dose twice a year, getting even worse this year I will have to go for my third.

Thanks Luko! Me saying much the same had not much effect, but anxiety is very real, but also very illogical too! Funniest thing is that she also looked up Maldives, Phillipines, Carribean etc. and remarked that Manado had a better rating Tee Hee! We will take your advice re: IDA ! Maybe we'll see you there! Jelf

 

[Jelf]

I just left Manado yesterday!

I felt safe enough in Lembeh to leave my door unlocked. I'd say the biggest risk is traffic! One of my taxi drivers lived life on the edge.

Yes mosquito born illnesses are a thing - something to talk to your doctor about (but in reality , very few people i met were taking anti malarial etc). In 6 trips to indonesia I've never been so much as pickpocketed. I've talked to many, many, divers, and have not heard stories of crime. Be alert and aware, don't be an idiot, and have fun

Thanks v. much! "Be alert and aware, don't be an idiot, and have fun" That is always, always good advice Justin! Hope your trip was a good one! Jelf

 

[Jelf]

It will probably happen in quite this order....

 

[Jelf]

Thanks for your help people!!! Researching flights to Manado right now........
Jelf

 

[boqurant]

You could always compare to the UK FCDO travel advice (Indonesia travel advice) which tends to be slightly less ** paranoid and scaredy-cat

** (but not by much - lets be honest - it's still civil-service wusses after all)

 

[Centrals]

Manado is the Chtistian strong hold in the country and much much safer than the seedy Phuket in Thailand. There is nothing to worry about.
Enjoy the trip.