Diving Bunaken: Walls, Turtles, and What to Expect
Carolyn Bryan Nov 01, 2026
Diving Bunaken: Walls, Turtles, and What to Expect
Most reefs slope. Bunaken drops.
Picture swimming along a coral-covered cliff with open blue on one side and nothing but depth below you. That's the Bunaken experience, and it's the reason this spot in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, keeps showing up on divers' bucket lists.
It's also one of the three stops on our May 2027 trip, Passport to Paradise. Here's what you can expect from the Bunaken part.
What Is Bunaken, Exactly?
Bunaken National Park sits just off the coast of Manado, on the northern tip of Sulawesi. It became a protected marine park in 1991. It covers about 890 square kilometers, and 97% of that is sea. The rest is five small islands: Bunaken, Manado Tua, Siladen, Mantehage and Nain.
The park is part of the Coral Triangle, the stretch of ocean around Indonesia, the Philippines and nearby countries that holds more marine life than anywhere else on Earth.
The Walls Are the Main Event
Bunaken is mostly wall diving. Some walls have a bottom you can see below recreational dive limits. Others have no visible bottom at all.
The sea between the park's islands is deep, somewhere between 200 and 1,840 meters. You won't go anywhere near that, of course. But it explains why the walls feel so dramatic.
The most famous stretch is the Lekuan walls. Lekuan is split into three dive sites, and together they're considered the park's best. Other names you'll hear are Mandolin, Sachiko's Point and Barracuda Point.
What You'll Actually See
The numbers on Bunaken's marine life vary depending on who you ask. Coral counts of more than 390 species come up a lot. Fish estimates range from about 1,000 to nearly 3,000 species. Either way, it's a lot.
Here's what to look for:
- Sea turtles resting on the walls. Divers report them everywhere.
- Schools of fusiliers, surgeonfish and snappers streaming past in the current.
- Napoleon wrasse, reef sharks and eagle rays passing by the reef.
- Tiny stuff on the walls: nudibranchs, anemonefish, frogfish, shrimp and orangutan crabs.
Look closely. The big views get your attention, but the small critters are why people stay down until their computer says to go up.
Conditions in May
You can dive Bunaken year-round, but the best conditions run from April to October. Our trip dates, May 3 to 15, land right inside that window.
Typical water temperatures are 81 to 86°F (27 to 30°C). Visibility is usually 66 to 115 feet (20 to 35 meters). Bring a lightweight wetsuit, not a thick one.
Currents can pick up at some sites, especially along the Lekuan walls. That's part of what brings the fish in, and it's one more reason to dive with a guide who knows the water.
Is Bunaken Good for Newer Divers?
It can be. The walls look intimidating, but many sites have shallow reef tops where you can spend most of your dive in comfortable depths. You still need good buoyancy control. Drifting down a wall without noticing your depth is easy to do.
If your buoyancy needs some polish, now's a great time to brush up. Ask us about options before you go.
How Bunaken Fits Into Passport to Paradise
Bunaken is one of three stops. Passport to Paradise runs May 3 to 15, 2027, and covers three different dive areas in one trip:
- Bunaken, for the walls and the big reef scenery.
- Bangka, for reef color.
- Lembeh Strait, for an incredible concentration of marine life.
You'll spend 4 nights at Murex Manado, 4 nights at Murex Bangka and 4 nights at Lembeh Resort. The trip includes 26 guided resort boat dives, plus 4 boat dives on the transfer days between resorts. You also get unlimited self-guided house reef dives from 8 AM to 4 PM, and the first dive at each resort is guided.
Meals and snacks, airport transfers and taxes are included. Airfare isn't. See the trip page for the full list of what's in and what's extra, and for current pricing.
Good to Know Before You Go
- Bunaken National Park charges an entrance fee of IDR 153,000 per person, paid in Manado. It isn't included in the trip price. It goes toward protecting the park.
- The Indonesian visa is about $35 per person and can be paid on arrival.
- Nitrox can be added to your dives. Let us know if you want it.
- Dive and travel insurance is not included, and we strongly recommend both.
Bunaken's rules are simple and they matter. Don't touch the coral, don't stand on it, and don't collect shells or marine life. The reefs are in good shape because people follow them.
Ready to Dive It?
Passport to Paradise is a May 2027 trip, which sounds far away until you start looking at flights to Manado. If you want to go, talk to us early so we can help with the travel plans.
Call us at 303.988.6725 or email staff@uwphantaseas.com. Or head to the trip page for details and booking.
