Bunaken

Climate

Bunaken is barely a degree above the equator and thus tropical. The wet season, from November to mid-April, brings frequent rains sometimes in storms lasting for several days which freshen the air nicely but also reduce marine visibility. The dry season is from May to October, when temperatures climb to a roasting 35° and visibility reaches a maximum.

Bunaken receives less rain than the north Sulawesi mainland and is well ventilated with sea breezes.

History

Bunaken was formally established as a national marine park in 1991.

Flora and fauna

Bunaken has a quite stunning biodiversity including:

No less than 70 different genera of coral

five species of sea turtle

an extraodinary range of fish - 70% of all fish species that exist in the Indo-Western Pacific Ocean are found here

white tip and black tip reef-sharks are common

wonderful resident dugongs

barracuda and tuna make regular appearences from more pelagic waters

occasionally saltwater crocodiles

Understand

Bunaken is one of Indonesia's most famous diving and snorkeling areas and it draws visitors from all over the world. In addition to banana-shaped Bunaken Island itself, the 890 km2 of marine national park includes the neighboring islands of Manado Tua a distinctive cone-shaped extinct volcano, Siladen, Mantehage, Nain, and Nain Kecil.

Some 20,000 local inhabitants make their living from the waters in the Bunaken National Marine Park, and this has inevitably led to some conflicts. By and large though, the co-operation between national and local government authorities, conservation groups, business owners and local communities has been very successful here. This has led many to cite Bunaken as a model example of how Indonesia should be preserving its natural marine treasures.