Sulawesi North: Siladen Resort & Spa - Siladen Island

Siladen Resort & Spa: Discover one of the world's best diving areas and be enchanted by the rich underwater world of the Bunaken Marine Park. Treat yourself to exclusive comfort in an enchanting island resort and enjoy the wonderful tropical ambience that surrounds you.

Location and amenities:
The Siladen Resort & Spa is located on the island of the same name in the middle of the Bunaken Marine National Park in North Sulawesi. Thanks to the natural tranquillity of Siladen Island, the resort offers plenty of space for rest and relaxation. Travel to the resort is typically via Manado International Airport. After around 90 minutes by car and boat, you will reach the 600-metre-long white sandy beach where the beautiful bungalow complex is located. From here you have a fantastic view of the Manado Tua volcano and the turquoise sea, as well as the stunning sunsets every evening.

The resort comprises a total of 25 villas, which are divided into 4 different categories. The 48 m² Garden View Villas are located just a few steps from the beach in a beautiful tropical garden. The Beach View Villas (64 m²) and the Luxury Villas (74 m²), which also have a separate living area and a small pool on the terrace, are located directly on the beach. A little further away are the Two Bedroom Villas (120 m²) - either in the garden or on the beach - which each have two bedrooms and bathrooms. A spacious communal area connects the two bedrooms, making the villas perfect for families or friends traveling together.

All villas are made of wood and have modern furnishings. They are equipped with air conditioning, minibar, safe, TV and a terrace with seating. An open-air bathroom provides an additional tropical island feeling. Glass fronts provide a view of the sea, the beach or the garden, depending on the category. The villas with direct beach access also have sun loungers on a small private beach.

There is a saltwater pool at the heart of the resort. A tree house high up among the treetops is the perfect place for regular yoga classes. It also serves as a venue for lectures on the local marine world and offers breathtaking views of the daily sunset. A library and a pool table in the lounge bar provide extra entertainment. And you can indulge in traditional treatments in the spa and wellness area.

Occupancy: max. 4 persons

Restaurant:

Indonesian, Asian and international dishes are served in the semi-open, cozy restaurant with a view of the beach and pool. A varied breakfast buffet also awaits you there in the morning. Depending on the weather, lunch and dinner are also served on the beach. Barbecue evenings are often held there during the dry season. The chef and his qualified team always endeavor to cater to special dietary requirements in the best possible way.

A few steps from the beach is the lounge bar, where you can enjoy a cool beer, a nice glass of wine or delicious cocktails and soft drinks with a wonderful view of the sunset.

Diving:
The Siladen Resort & Spa is an exclusive boutique diving resort in the north of Sulawesi. Thanks to its special geographical location - between Moluccas & Celebes Sea - a fascinatingly diverse underwater world can be found here, which forms the so-called Coral Triangle. The island of Siladen is also part of the Bunaken Marine Park. It is thanks to the uniqueness of this marine flora and fauna that the area has established itself as one of the world's best diving spots. Over 50 dive sites & 20+ snorkeling spots are located in close proximity to the resort and therefore require only a short drive with more time for diving.

Diving guests are looked after by a professional team of international diving instructors and highly experienced local dive guides. All dives take place as boat dives. The 5 spacious high-speed fiberglass dive boats are equipped with marine toilets, covered seating, dry storage areas for personal belongings as well as 10, 12 and 15 liter aluminum tanks, first aid kits, emergency oxygen and VHF marine radios. Nitrox is available for certified divers.

Diving is done in small groups with a maximum of 4 divers per guide and a long dive time of maximum 70 minutes per dive with 2 dives in the morning and 1 dive in the afternoon. Twilight and night dives are available on request. For those who would like to customize their dives, there is also the possibility to book both dive guide and dive boat privately. The Siladen Resort & Spa also offers PADI diving courses from beginner to divemaster. These can be booked in advance and are offered in German, English, Spanish and Italian.

The Bunaken Marine National Park is located in the middle of the Coral Triangle and covers an area of around 890 km². Only around 3 % is terrestrial, including the islands of Bunaken, Siladen, Manado Tua, Mantehage and Nain. More than 390 species of coral and thousands of reef fish and invertebrates live here. Dramatic drop offs combined with a huge variety of species, especially macro species, have made the area one of the world's leading tropical diving destinations. There is breathtaking visibility almost all year round. Visibility on the walls averages around 30 meters; on a 'good day' it can be over 40 meters. 

Common regulars here include pygmy seahorses, ghost pipefish, lobsters and blue-ringed cuttlefish. Although the area is not necessarily known for larger arenas, the open waters here are home to a number of pelagic species that are often found during dives. For example, the Napoleon wrasse, tuna and giant mackerel. Many dive sites are also home to whitetip and blacktip reef sharks, and white-spotted eagle rays are also common here. However, Bunaken Marine Park is particularly well known for its healthy turtle population. Bunaken Island in particular is home to many turtles throughout the year, and it is not uncommon to see more than ten on a single dive. The most common species are green and hawksbill turtles, but Bunaken Marine Park is also home to olive ridley and leatherback turtles, for example.