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TRAVEL
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April15
I
f you’re anything like me, you’ll be
on the lookout for some genuinely
amazing and pristine snorkelling
within a short flight from Singapore.
Kid-friendly, easy and adventurous at the
same time. Guess what? I’ve found it.
Bunaken Island is off the northeastern
tip of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.
With the help of TripAdvisor, I chose a
resort that looked suitable for our family
of five, with kids aged ten, seven and four.
After that choice, everything was easy.
The flight from Singapore took us
direct to Manado where our resort
driver met us. While it’s a small city of
only 500,000 people, Manado is the
real deal. Traditional horse-drawn carts
are still used for transporting people
and attempt to hold their own against
thousands of motorcycles and rusty,
exhaust-belching trucks. In a sure sign of
a city without adequate disposal options,
we were faced with the depressing sight
of garbage cascading into the oil-slicked
port. Snaking its way through boats large
and small, it ominously floated out to sea
to begin its evil turtle-choking work. At
that point, I wondered about my choice.
Arriving at Bunaken
Happily, as soon as we pulled away from
the port, the garbage diminished and
the archipelago of the Bunaken Marine
Park presented a fascinating picture.
The island of Manado Tua towers above
the ocean, complete with its own wisp of
cloud masquerading as an exhalation of
volcano smoke, an echo of its fiery past.
Bunaken Island, the little sister of
Manado Tua, is crescent-shaped and
relatively flat. It consists of vertical
A relatively unvisited Indonesian
island proves a perfect getaway
des t i na t i on for CAROLYN
BEASLEY and family.
Bunking Down
in Bunaken
greenery, with a smattering of small
villages and dive lodges clinging to
its edges. Our resort, Bunaken Cha
Cha Nature Resort, came into view
with its white façade and roofline built
in the local Minahasan style. As our
boat slowed and we puttered closer,
the vibrant, living reef became visible
through the crystal clear waters.
First, we tiptoed over the reef flat
in our resort-issued booties to our
accommodation. Set in a lush garden,
our two rooms were linked by a private
verandah, complete with loungers and
an amazing ocean view. The rooms were
charmingly rustic, with everything we
needed including air-conditioning and
an open-air shower.
Full board is included in the price at
Bunaken Cha Cha, and Raf, the Irish-
Italian owner, had most meals with us at
the large communal table. He was happy
to chat and answer all our questions too.
The food was fresh and delicious – a
mix of local Sulawesi dishes and the
occasional Western item.