What a trip this is going to be!!
We will be staying at the paradise resort of Santika in Manado The resort
The resort of Santika is without a doubt one of the finest in the area . The very well implemented balance between Western demands and local atmosphere is difficult to find in any of the other hotels around.
The resort is built on 7 hectares of lush garden and is an average sized hotel resort. The 2 main buildings, on either side of the Balinese style lobby, house 2 room categories; Deluxe and Premiere rooms. In addition there are also a range of garden bungalows for groups of 4 - 6 prople to share. The prices quoted at the end of this page are for the deluxe rooms. Should you wish to book into a bungalow this can be arranged. There is not much difference in the costs.
The Garden Bungalows are spread out over the premises.  
The Delux room at the resort and the view The Deluxe rooms overlook the beautiful tropical garden with it's free shaped swimming pool and have, besides the usual facilities as air-conditioning, TV, telephone mini bar, coffee and tea making facilities, a hot and cold water shower in the bathroom. The Premiere rooms have a bathtub in the bathroom and overlook the islands of Bunaken National Park . The view of Manado Tua is simply stunning.
The Garden Bungalows have the same facilities as the Premiere rooms, but are slightly bigger and have a private gazebo and terrace.   
Pictures of Bahoo Lodge
The Four star Seaside Resort Santika has 2 restaurants, offering a good variety of Western and Indonesian cuisine. The "Big Tree" restaurant offers you, besides good food, with a glass of wine, a stunning view over the islands and the sea. In the Maleo restaurant, located in the lobby, you are entertained by live music, while enjoying the mainly Indonesian dishes.
There is also a BBQ area where we can arrange our own barbecue for the evening. But no David, you won't need to do the cooking!!!
 
Coffee bar and barbecue area In addition there also two bars in the resort - one in the main lobby, the Pari bar and the one in the swimming pool, the Lumba-Lumba bar. There are a wide range of drinks available from fresh fruit drinks to exotic cocktails, we are unlikely to be able to get pints of Harveys, and worst of all Fine Chardonnay may be lacking. Do you think Denise will still want to come?
Indonesia is a volcanic country which has resulted in some spectacular mountain scenes. The backdrop to this resort is row upon row of rising green peaks that sit facing the volcanic island of Manado Tua, Bunaken and Siladen islands. The nutrient-rich land that volcanoes produce is evidenced by the lush verdant hillsides and the stunning quantities of fresh fruit and vegetables in the local cuisine.
Other facilities at the resort
Besides relaxing around (or in) the free form swimming pool, the hotel offers volleyball facilities, hires out bicycles, and has 2 pool tables.
The Amaryllis Spa, next to the swimming pool offers traditional massages and body treatments. Guests can choose to have their treatment in- or outside in the open air. All masseuses have an official and professional training.
There is also a conference room on site that can provide professional meeting space for up to 250 people. Full audiovisual facilities can be provided as well as the catering for the participants. My Nitrox course should enjoy this facility for a change!!!!
 
Views of one of the pools
Unfortunately the resort does not have a proper beach. To compensate for this, the long jetty and breakwater not only offer a stunning view over the sea and islands, but can also be used to relax and enjoy the sun. For beach lovers that want to feel sand between their toes Thalassa Dive centre organises boat transfers to the islands Bunaken and Siladen.
But what about the diving I hear you ask?
This is what it is all about... and you won't be disappointed. With three quite distinct world-class scuba destinations sitting on its doorstep, diving in Manado alone will keep the most demanding divers happy.
North Sulawesi was almost exclusively discovered by divers. Why, is obvious; it is one of the richest and most diverse areas in the world. Specialists claim that in Bunaken National Park alone, one can find over 58 different genre and sub-genre of corals and an estimated 2000 species of fish. (Andrea will love it !!) This count becomes even higher if you add the extra species that can be found in the Bangka Archipelago and Lembeh Strait.
The world-famous Bunaken National Marine Park off the north east tip of Sulawesi is often quoted among the world's top ten dive destinations and is a mecca for divers of all levels. Very few places in the world offer such bio diversity and that means there is something for everyone; it is the stuff of photographers' dreams.
Just to the east of Manado is the magical muck dive wonderland of Lembeh Strait , with its seemingly endless promises of discovery of rare and unusual creatures. If you've ever watched a National Geographic documentary on some strange underwater creature and wondered where it was filmed, well the chances are high that it was probably filmed here! Then there's Bangka and the Sangihe islands to the north; the third marvel of this magnificent Manado scuba diving trio offers colourful soft corals pinnacles, sloping reefs and a Drowned Village to compliment the steep walls of Bunaken.
There are a number of wrecks scattered around the area all in very clear waters The cost of the trip includes 20 dives. You can do more if you wish but obviously they will charge extra. The actual cost varies based on the number you do, but will be around $45 per dive and $55 for a night dive.
There are no dangerous species in the area. Divers and snorkelers should only stay away from sandy patches with Trigger fish in the months May and June, when they are hatching and protecting their eggs. Please also note that Nitrox is not available.  
A giant frogfish and ...er... something else !!
The water current & temperature
The current is light to moderate. At some sites the current can be unpredictable and come up or go down. If you don't feel sure you can handle this, don't be shy to ask for help. The water temperature ranges between 26 and 29 degrees Celsius.
Boats, daily plans
The main thing about this trip is whist we will enjoy some of the best diving of our lives it will be very relaxing. The schedule will not be as demading as a liveaboard, as you can plan the dives to suit yourselves. The boats leave about 4 times a day and you can plan which one, if any you wish to be on. If you plan to bring a non diving partner you will have plenty of time to go sightseeing or just relax together - it is planned to be a very relaxed holiday in a paradise resort
Sightseeing and other things to do 
Remember this is a holiday with diving rather than a demanding liveaboard type trip. If you plan to bring a non diving partner (and they are very welcome). There are plenty of things for you to do together.
North Sulawesi is a great place to take in some Minahasan culture such as the main traditional dances. The most exciting is a war dance called the Cakalele a word derived from the words for "fight" and "shout". That says it all. Warriors bedecked in blood red outfits with an array of hornbill beaks and feathers on their heads stomp around in goggle-eyed fury. They scream and engage each other in a fight which thankfully these days has no more grisly purpose than to entertain tourists. In the south, a little over 11 km from Makassar is the magnificent Ballalompoa Museum which houses a vast display of royal regalia including a remarkable stone-studded gold crown weighing 1,769 grams. This you must specifically request to see. Anti-colonial hero, Sultan Hasanuddin (1629-1690) has his huge crypt along with other kings of Gowa) in a secluded cemetery about 8 km from Makassar . Just outside the cemetery is the Tomaurung stone on which the kings of Gowa were, in all their magnificence, crowned. Nearby is the oldest mosque in the area which was built in 1603. 140 km from the capital you will find the largest cave in South Sulawesi, the legendary cave of Mampu . Amazing stalagmites rise up from the floor and stalactites grow down from the ceiling, and there are innumerable tales to hear about those formations that resemble animals, spirits and legendary figures of the past. The delightful Bantimurung waterfalls are about 41 km from the Makassar . In addition to this fantastic cascade are the brightly-coloured ornithoid butterflies (indigenous to this area) which are considered among the most beautiful in the world. The Moramo Waterfall in the south east is widely believed to be the finest example in Indonesia . It stands at a height of some 100 metres traversing a two kilometre plateau and has 127 separate terraced plumes. In all, an awe-inspiring scene. Only 65 km east of Kendari, Moramo Waterfalls is easily accessible by car, or by making the very pleasant crossing of Moramo Bay by boat. First-time visitors should make sure to take a trip to the Torajan communities of Tan Toraja in the South. Here are the famous Toraja Tombs ; man made caves cut into sheer cliff faces, with eerie effigies on suspended balconies staring out across the jungle. This is a great place to visit but can get busy during funeral high season in July and August.
Health Stuff
As always when travelling to such divers countries it is not advisable to drink water from a tap. Drink only bottled water and peel all fruit. No particular innoculations are required but please ensure your tetanus is up to date and hepatitis A is reccomeneded but not required The Itinerary
Well it is obviously a long way away but it will be worth it.
The flight leaves Heathrow at 0925 on 2nd June arriving in Singapore 0745 the following day (3rd June). The flight is about 12.5 hours and there is a time difference of +8 hours. After a short break at 0925 we catch another plane to take us to Manado landing at 13.05. We will then have a short journey to the resort when we can then unpack and settle in. Because of the flight times and time difference we have 12 night at the resort which we will all enjoy. The journey back departs Manado on 15th June at 13.45 arriving in Singapore at 17:10 on the same day. The flight leaves Singapore at 23.30 landing at Heathrow at 05:55 on 16th June. (please note these flights may change over the next few months) |
