Bunaken Diving Guide

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Bunaken is where wall diving in Indonesia is judged against steep drop-offs near shore. Dense coral and varied sites keep a week of daily dives interesting.

Additionally, this bunaken diving guide covers the sites, costs, and logistics. For getting there and non-diving activities, see our Bunaken travel guide.

Quick Answer: Bunaken Diving

• Dive sites: Over 30 named sites, mostly wall dives, plus a few muck and macro spots
• Cost: Around IDR 400,000 (USD 25) per dive once certified; IDR 600,000 for a Discover Scuba first dive
• Best season: May–October for the clearest visibility, though diving happens year-round
• Skill level: A mix of easy drift walls and a handful of advanced current sites — suitable for most certified divers

Signature Dive Sites

Sachiko’s Point, off Bunaken Island, is a vertical wall starting in shallow water and dropping well beyond recreational limits, with vibrant coral, gorgonians, and caves — a good site for intermediate divers, with green sea turtles a near-constant sighting.

Lekuan I, II, and III are three consecutive wall dives known for massive black coral bushes extending past 40 meters, plus turtles, bumphead parrotfish, and Napoleon wrasse in the shallower sections and pelagic further down.

Fukui Point is Bunaken’s rare non-wall dive — a sand slope with hard coral bommies, home to several enormous giant clams and carpet anemones, with deeper sections acting as cleaning stations for passing pelagic fish.

Mandolin Reef sits over water exceeding 600 meters deep, with a stepped wall through whip coral forests that draws both macro subjects like porcelain crabs and larger animals like sharks and tuna.

Celah Celah is a shallower, more sheltered site with reef fissures full of soft coral — a good drift dive when currents pick up, and a reliable spot for pygmy seahorses.

Tanjung Kopi, off Manado Tua, is an advanced site with strong, often unpredictable currents, rewarding experienced divers with dog-tooth tuna, Napoleon wrasse, and excellent macro photography opportunities.

Muck Diving Nearby

If you want a change of pace from wall diving, Poopoh on the Manado mainland offers a well-known muck-diving site. It features black sand slopes and more than 300 recorded fish species.

Additionally, the site hosts ghost pipefish, frogfish, mimic octopus, and seahorses. This makes Poopoh a completely different kind of dive from anything inside the park.

Cost Breakdown

Once certified, a single dive runs around IDR 400,000 (roughly USD 25), typically including a guide and tank; equipment rental is usually extra if you don’t own your own gear. First-timers can do a Discover Scuba dive for around IDR 600,000 without prior certification. Dive centers around Manado and on Bunaken itself offer PADI courses from Open Water up through advanced and specialty certifications — prices vary by operator and are often bundled with accommodation, so it’s worth asking resorts directly about package deals if you’re planning multiple days of diving.

Choosing a Dive Operator

Stick to PADI, SSI, or similarly accredited dive centers, and ask about group size — smaller groups mean more attentive guiding, especially on the current-prone sites like Tanjung Kopi and Mandolin. Operators based directly on Bunaken or Siladen cut out the daily boat commute from Manado, which matters if you’re doing multiple dives a day for several days running.

Best Time to Dive

Visibility peaks in the dry season, roughly May through October. July and August are often the clearest months of the year.

Currents and rougher seas are more common from November through April, particularly around January and February.

However, the park’s sheltered position means diving continues year-round for those with flexible dates.

For a deeper dive, check out our Sulawesi Travel Guide.

Related guides: Bunaken Travel Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a dive cost at Bunaken once certified?

Around IDR 400,000 (roughly USD 25) per dive, typically including a guide and tank; a Discover Scuba first dive for non-certified divers costs around IDR 600,000.

What is the best season for diving at Bunaken?

May–October for the clearest visibility, though diving happens year-round.

What makes Sachiko’s Point a notable dive site?

It’s a vertical wall starting in shallow water and dropping well beyond recreational limits, with vibrant coral, gorgonians, caves, and near-constant green sea turtle sightings — a good site for intermediate divers.

What is Fukui Point known for?

It’s Bunaken’s rare non-wall dive — a sand slope with hard coral bommies, home to several enormous giant clams and carpet anemones.

Where can you go muck diving near Bunaken?

Poopoh, on the Manado mainland, offers black sand slopes with more than 300 recorded fish species, including ghost pipefish, frogfish, mimic octopus, and seahorses.