Murex Dive Resort Manado

How To Get There

Sam Ratulangi International Airport (also called Manado International Airport) is the nearest entry point and receives flights from all major Indonesian cities including Bali and Jakarta as well as international flights from Singapore. Murex Manado offers airport pickups in private air-conditioned vehicles and it is around one hour to the resort.

Dive Overview

Manado is the largest city (and airport) in North Sulawesi. The diving is spread between several dive regions, including mainland Manado, Bunaken National Park, and Bangka Island. Each has distinctly different diving, keeping divers dreaming of getting back in the water no matter how long their trip. The islands around Bunaken offer some of the best coral reef diving in Southeast Asia, with large numbers of schooling fish racing by on most dives. Some of the best critter diving in the world is nearby Lembeh Strait.

[Read More: Manado & Bunaken Dive Travel Guide]

Accommodation Overview

Murex Manado Resort offers twelve comfortable and spacious garden view bungalows and three ocean and pool view bungalows, all of which have 24-hour electricity, en-suite bathrooms with hot water, air conditioning, either aking size bed or twin beds, veranda, drinking water, and complimentary tea and coffee. Accommodation is on a full board basis with buffet meals served either on the seafront overlooking the ocean or in the indoor restaurant.  

Food & Drinks

Murex Manado Resort offers buffet-style dining which combines a tantalizing mix of International and Asian flavors using fresh local ingredients. The team of western trained chefs is able to cater to special dietary requirements upon request. Selection of wines and local beer are available.

Dive Information & Itineraries

Dive Overview

As the pioneers of diving in North Sulawesi, you can rest assured that you will be diving with experienced and professional dive guides throughout your stay. Not only do Murex Dive Guides have thousands of dives experience in the region, but they also undergo intensive training programs which include marine biology and underwater photography training to ensure that you receive the best underwater experience possible. Just like you, diving is their passion.

Your safety is the number one priority and all Murex boats are equipped with emergency oxygen, full first aid kits, and communications devices. All staff are trained in rescue and emergency procedures.

From arrival in the resort, you wont need to lift a bag or carry or wash your gear as the dive guides strive to anticipate your every need. Dive conditions are checked each day and dives are planned accordingly to take you to the best sites at the right time. Your diving program can be tailored to suit your needs with options for single dives, double dive trips, or full-day excursions with lunch served on the boat.

The stunning walls for which the Bunaken Marine Park is so famous are just 35 minutes away and with warm waters and excellent visibility, diving in Bunaken is suitable for all levels of divers. Highlights include dolphins jumping alongside the boat, two species of turtle, schooling fish, tuna, reef sharks, passing eagle rays, vibrant, healthy reefs, breathtaking underwater scenery, and an abundance of smaller critters and macro-life.

The rich marine biodiversity of the dive sites surrounding Bunaken Island will leave even the most seasoned of divers spellbound and ready for more.

Dive sites around Manado Bay offer great muck, reef, and wreck diving opportunities for all levels of divers. Highlights of diving here include a wealth of some of Indonesias more rare and unique critters including various octopus and cuttlefish species, stingrays, frogfish, seahorses, and an array of nudibranch and crustaceans. These dive sites, along with the Murex Manado House Reef, are excellent macro-photography sites and also offer incredible night diving.

With such a large number of dive sites to explore, ranging topographies and the varied marine life it is no wonder that divers return to Manado time and time again.

Tailor-made packages are available as are night dives, day trips to Bangka, PADI courses, snorkeling, land tours, and combination packages with Murex Bangka, Lembeh Resort, or take a Passport to Paradise and visit all 3!

Manado & Bunaken Dive Sites

Here are some of the dive sites in Manado & Bunaken. Feel free to ask us if you would like to know more about these and other dive sites.

• Lekuan 1 (Bunaken Island) - Green Sea Turtle at Lekuan Lekuan 1 is the most famous dive in Bunaken national park. The huge wall is covered with enormous sponges, soft and hard corals and offers both macro-and wide-angle opportunities. The wall goes down to about 40m where it slopes out. You will find swarms of Pyramid Butterflyfish just off the wall and an occasional shark and eagle ray will pass by out of the blue. Those keen on macro will find Pygmy Sea Horses, Orang-Utang crabs, Nudibranchs, and much more. Highlights include: A colorful wall overgrown with Barrel Sponges and soft corals; Plenty of Green Sea Turtles in all sizes
• Sachikos (Bunaken Island) - Sachikos Point is a beautiful wall dive on the north side of Bunaken Island. It is covered with Gorgonian Sea fans; Barracudas, Black Tip Reef Sharks, and Napoleon Wrasses are often spotted in the blue water. The reef shallows are perfect for snorkeling and a group of Bumphead Parrotfish is often seen feeding on the hard corals.
• Bunaken Timur (Bunaken Island) - Timur means East in Indonesian and so, of course, this dive is located on the east side of Bunaken Island. Its a 40m deep wall, covered with hard and soft corals. The reef shallow is the most pristine reef around Bunaken Island and offers the best snorkeling around the island. Some of the highlights are: Pygmy Sea Horses; Plenty of Turtles, both Green Sea and Hawksbill Turtles; Eagle Rays (if you are fortunate)
• Pangulingan or Tanjung Kopi (Manado Tua) - Located on the northern side of Manado Tua, this is an advanced dive because of the strong currents that can sweep you across the reef. The reef plateau starts at 5m deep and slopes down slowly to 30m. At 30m the wall drops down to greater depths. Due to the current, you can often see bigger fish here. There are resident schools of Batfish and Jackfish that hang out in the current and often Napoleons make an appearance.
• Rons Point (Bunaken Island) - Located on the most southern tip of Bunaken is Rons Point. Because two currents meet each other and we often dive to 35m, this is an advanced dive. But there are excellent rewards below: you can find Black Tip Reef Sharks patrolling the bottom and huge Tunas hanging out in the current. On the reef, you can find Leaf Scorpionfish, Pontohi Seahorses, and many other macro subjects.
• Murex House Reef (Manado Bay) - The Murex House Reef is easily accessible from our beach. Up to a depth of 12m, you will find a coral slope with beautiful table corals and lots of macro subjects. Below 12m, you find a sandy slope with patches of corals and several reef balls that are nicely overgrown with corals and sponges. Several underwater trails make it perfect to explore by yourself. Night diving is especially interesting on the house reef. On night dives, youll find Spanish Dancers, Starry Night Octopi, and other creatures of the night.
• Tanjung Bulo (Manado Bay) - Just south of Murex Resort is a sloping reef called Tanjung Bulo. This site is famous for the number of Nudibranchs it has. These tiny and colorful critters are everywhere and it is not unusual to spot over fifteen species in one dive. Next to that, you will see Cuttlefish, Ribbon Eels, Sea Snakes, and, when you are lucky, your dive guide will show you the fabulous Harlequin Shrimp.
• Molas Wreck (Manado Bay) - Located just north of Manado is the Molas Wreck. This is an old Dutch cargo ship that sunk just after WWII when it, unfortunately, struck a reef. Because of its depth (24 40m), this is an advanced dive. You will spend the first part of the dive discovering the wreck and its soft corals and sponges. When your bottom time on the wreck is finished, you will swim to the neighboring reef to finish your dive.

Dive Center Information

Murex Manado Resort Dive Center Overview

As the pioneers of diving in North Sulawesi, you can rest assured that you will be diving with experienced and professional dive guides throughout your stay. Not only do Murex Dive Guides have thousands of dives experience in the region, but they also undergo intensive training programs which include marine biology and underwater photography training to ensure that you receive the best underwater experience possible. Just like you, diving is their passion. The dive center also offers equipment hire, Nitrox, PADI courses, and tailored schedules to suit your requirements.

Diving Facilities & Services

• Full dive equipment rentals.
• Equipment rinsing/drying facilities only steps from the boat
• Charging stations
• Dive courses
• The boats are spacious, covered, and all have an onboard toilet
• English speaking dive crew

Practical Information

• Time zone: GMT+8:00
• Language: English, Indonesian, Dutch, German and French
• Electricity: 220V
• Payment methods: Visa or MasterCard, Indonesian Rupiah, Euro or US Dollar