One of the tourist attractions in Indonesia, which is famous for its rich marine biota and the variety of fish that live in the waters, is Bunaken Marine Park. This place can be your tourist destination during the year-end holidays with friends, family, and loved ones. Before getting there, first, equip your knowledge about Read more about top 50 national parks the history of Bunaken Marine Park in Manado.
One of the World Heritage Sites
Bunaken Marine Park is one of the world heritage sites that became known in 1975. This place was discovered us national parks attractions by divers Nusantara Diving Club (NDC), who conducted a diving expedition in Bunaken.
Bunaken is one of the ecosystems that have the most diversity of marine life in the world. Therefore, this area is designated as a national park. The Indonesian government has also registered Bunaken as an original Indonesian world heritage site to UNESCO starting in 2005. According to experts, Bunaken’s sea depth is about 4,000 feet inhabited by more than 2,000 species of fish, and there are about 500 species of coral that have never been found before. All of which is more than enough for divers to witness its beauty.
The underwater beauty of Bunaken and its surroundings exceeds the beauty of the seabed of the Antilles Islands, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, and Eastern Canada. No wonder the visit to Bunaken increases every year.
The Origin of the Word Bunaken
Bunaken was first inhabited by residents who came from the migration of the Bowontehu kingdom in Manado Tua, which was founded in 1400. Its territory includes the northern coast of the Minahasa Peninsula, Bunaken Island, Siladen, Mantehage, Naen, Talise, Ganges, and Bangka Island.
Around 1850, the residents of Tanjung Parigi moved to the southeast, on the coast opposite the city of Manado. They founded a new country with the name “Wunakeng,” abbreviated from the word “Kinawunakeng” which means a place to live.
In subsequent developments, the word “Wunakeng” was changed to Bunaken, which was abbreviated from the word “Pamunakeng” which means (landing place). This means that people from the Bowontehu kingdom in Manado Tua landed by boat on Bunaken’s island.
The Underwater Beauty
Bunaken National Marine Park is located in the bay of Manado, Sulawesi, Indonesia. This tourist spot in Manado is famous for its underwater beauty, which is worldwide and a favorite for tourists visiting Manado. Diving into the underwater beauty of Bunaken National Park is one of the activities that you must do when visiting Manado. Bunaken Island is one of five islands in the Bunaken National Park. The other four islands are Siladen Island, Manado Tua Island, Mantehage Island, and Nain Island.
Bunaken marine park is one of Manado’s mainstay tourism objects. Here you can see the beauty of coral reefs that are still well-maintained and various types of fish. This tourist spot in Manado is one of the best dive sites in Indonesia, so tourists from Indonesia and abroad who visit here should still maintain its natural preservation by not polluting or damaging this marine park.
Bunaken Marine Park has 39 dive points with varying depths of up to thousands of meters. In addition, what is unique about Bunaken Marine Park is the existence of great underwater walls or hanging walls that stand vertically and curve downwards at a depth of 25-50 meters.
This coral wall is also a source of food for fish in the waters around Bunaken waters. There are other options to enjoy this underwater paradise in Bunaken for those of you who can’t swim. In addition to diving or snorkeling, you can rent a submarine that has been specially designed with the ship’s walls in the form of transparent glass so that you can freely see the scenery under the sea in the waters of Bunaken.
The best time to dive in Bunaken waters is between May-August. The water here is clearer at this time, so you can more clearly see the variety of marine life in Bunaken Marine Park. In addition, the air temperature here is also ideal for those of you who want to dive.
Bunaken Underwater Tour Rates
To be able to enjoy this Underwater Tour, you only pay Rp. 350.000,- by using the boat that you rent at Pasar Bersehati at a rate of Rp. 300,000, – up to Rp. 400,000, – an. If you are from Marina, the fare is around Rp. 600,000 – Rp. 800,000. But if you want cheaper, you can use a traditional boat at a rate of Rp. 50,000 per person. To enter this tourist area, you have to buy an Rp. 25,000 – Rp entrance ticket. 50,000, which can be purchased in Manado or directly at Bunaken National Park.
Before you plan a trip to Bunaken, be sure to read more about Bunaken and Indonesia by visiting Wonderful Indonesia.
