Dive Bali, Raja Ampat and Sulawesi
There are many resorts both in Bali and North Sulawesi to suit all budgets, and just a handful in Raja Ampat. Whether you are looking for somewhere simple and inexpensive or prefer to dive from a luxurious accommodation with all the pampering you would expect of Indonesian hospitality, we can offer something suitable for your requirements.
Select a destination for information on dive resort packages, suitable for all budgets:
• Bali dive resorts
From mighty sunfish to secretive seahorses, Bali has a rich tableau of reefs, walls, pinnacles and exposed islets, with some adrenaline-pumping currents and fantastic visibility. The island is a picturesque setting with volcanoes, mountains and rice terraces. Click here for all you need to know about Bali scuba diving.
The choice of destinations within Bali is endless, however many of the more obvious places to stay do not have high quality scuba diving nearby. We recommend you divide your time between Lembongan and Tulamben, the locations of Bali’s two premier diving regions. This will ensure you see the best of the island in comfort and without the long and tiring daily road or boat journeys that are involved in staying in the south of the island and travelling to the sites.
The island of Lembongan is home to some of the best hard coral reefs around, plus there are some great manta ray encounters on offer. In addition, it is the world’s best place to see Mola Mola in season which makes for an unforgettable vacation. There are a few different resort options in Lembongan from beachside simplicity to spacious villas with stunning views, and all close to the diving. Staying in Lembongan is like staying in Bali 20 years ago before the larger hotel chains moved in, so to stay here is to opt for island charm, far from the hordes of tourists.
Tulamben on Bali’s north east coast is home to the Liberty wreck as well as many other high quality dive sites. It has grown into a little village to cater to the demand for divers and there are now a range of accommodation options all very close to the main sites. It is here where local women will carry your scuba gear on their head, a feature that is common both to the cheaper accommodation options and the high-end, but still quite small resorts.
• Bunaken – Manado diving resorts
Sulawesi is the most popular Indonesia scuba diving destination. Reputedly home to a higher number of animal and plant species than any other seas in the world, it is clear why the deep walls of Bunaken Island are famous attractions for naturalists and photographers the world over. Find out more about diving at Bunaken Island.
To dive Bunaken means you must stay either in resorts on the mainland around Manado or on the island of Bunaken itself. Either way, you will dive the walls and reefs of the park which enjoys excellent conditions and impressive marine bio-diversity. Resorts around Manado have more land to use and therefore tend to be larger and more luxurious than those on Bunaken. From the mainland you may have longer boat journeys but normally better facilities and a professionally run place to stay from which there are a few properties to choose. Dive resorts on the island of Bunaken tend to be smaller and either more simple in the flashpacker sense, or boutique and with a family atmosphere.
• Lembeh Resort
The magical, fairytale wonderland of the Lembeh Strait macro diving and reefs, with its seemingly endless chapters of rare and crazy critters, keeps enrapt divers coming back for more. Every site promises new and exciting creatures, so no two dives are ever the same. You may not believe your eyes when you dive in Lembeh!
Lembeh resorts are split between the mainland near the town of Bitung and the island of Lembeh. However, the island is larger and more mountainous than Bunaken and some of the resorts here, particularly the more deluxe ones, do feature facilities such as swimming pools. Diving at Lembeh, you can chose from a range of prices, from small and simple to glamorous luxury.
• Raja Ampat Resorts
This region of Indonesia combines stunning topside scenery and exceptional bio-diversity, making it a fast-growing destination for scuba divers seeking only the best. Unbelievable macro encounters abound in Raja Ampat as well as huge schools of fish in varieties that mean, regardless of your experience, you will and you will almost certainly chalk up plenty of first-time sightings. Read more about the amazing diving in Raja Ampat.
Due to the remoteness of this area, all consumables and materials need to be shipped or flown in on a regular basis. This makes the prices of the resorts in Raja Ampat relatively high. You should expect to pay anything from moderate to high rates, with a choice of accommodation in the north (at Cape Kri) and the south (near Misool Island).
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Got a question?
Have a look through our Frequently asked questions
Indonesian Resort Diving Specifics
Indonesia diving offers everything from professional, luxury accommodations to frighteningly haphazard cowboy operations. Our recommendations are based on extensive fact finding trips. We provide quality, value and choice so that you can select a place to stay that is right for you.
This means that you can avoid the pitfalls of the uninformed. You won’t find yourself forced to make long and awkward road journeys every day because you’ve booked into a Bali dive resort miles from the best sites, or be paying prices higher than nearby, superior Sulawesi resorts charge – common complaints from first time visitors.
Indonesia diving resort package prices:
Are based on two sharing and normally include dives, accommodation, catering, non-alcoholic drinks, transfers, weights and weight-belts, tanks, guides, and all taxes. As each resort differs, please see the individual packages for exact details of what’s included in each package. Your shortlist quote will include no ‘hidden extras’.
We recommend that all our customers take out insurance to cover scuba diving and travel activities, including trip cancellation. See our insurance programme for a competitive quote.
If you require hotel accommodation you can get the best value rooms with hotelscombined.com, our affiliated hotel reservation specialists.
Getting there:
Bali International airport is located in the south of the island. To get to Lembongan you take a cab to Sanur and a boat transfer to the island which takes 30 minutes to an hour. Tulamben is a 3 hour taxi ride from the airport and may, depending on your resort choice, be included in the price.
Manado is the starting point for North Sulawesi resort stays. To dive Bunaken you will stay in accommodation around Manado (land transfer of up to 30 minutes) or on Bunaken island itself, a 45 minute boat ride from Manado. Lembeh resorts located on the mainland are around 1 hour by road from Manado. Those based on Lembeh island itself involve an extra boat transfer of between 5 and 15 minutes.
Sorong is the main hub for resort stays in Raja Ampat. You can fly here from Jakarta or Bali and the dive resorts provide transfers to their properties from Sorong too. The boat journey time from Sorong can be anything from 2-4 hours, depending on the location.
Dive The World rating system:
The customer rating displayed for each resort package is an indication of our customers’ satisfaction. 5 star is excellent, 4 star is very good, 3 star is good, 2 star is average, and 1 star is below average. We ask each and everyone one of our customers to rate their Indonesian resort package, and the rating earned by each is an average of the ratings received from our customers over the last season. That way, we ensure that our ratings and recommendations are truly impartial and reflect up to date performance based on the most important indicator – your satisfaction!
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