Manado, Indonesia Summary

Capital of Sulawesi Utara, MANADO is chiefly of interest as the departure point for spectacular diving and snorkelling at nearby Bunaken Marine reserve. You can either base yourself in Manado and do day-trips to the reefs, base yourself just outside Manado at one of the dive resorts which offer all-inclusive packages or, the cheapest but least reliable option, base yourself on Pulau Bunaken itself. Day-trips from the mainland cost from US$65 for two dives, plus US$30 for full equipment. Blue Banter, Floor 2, Novotel, Jalan Piere Tandeau (tel 0431/862135), has good equipment, facilities and dive crew.