Bunaken Village Resort

Helllo to All,

We are back to Manado on Sulawesi after a week on Bunaken Island and no Internet,  there was internet WIFI at the resort, but we aren't travelling with our own computer, so we were 'INCOMMUNICADO' as the Jimmy Buffett song goes!

Bunaken Island was absolutely beautiful, at least the parts we saw.  The village and the homes are kept with pride, and the people, as everywhere in Indonesia, very friendly.

Most people go to Bunaken to dive, so the resorts there are mostly 'inclusive' with lodgings and three meals.  We stayed at Bunaken Village Resort, in a lovely cottage with a big deck and hammock.  Meals were served in an open dining area, where all the guests sat down to eat at a table together.  The resort had a nice little pool, with saltwater, as fresh water is a precious commodity on Bunaken.  The inn is run by Jochem and his wife Angelina.  Jochem is originally from Holland, and Angelina is from Java.  They are expecting there first baby, and poor tiny Angelina is only 7 months pregnant along with an uncomfortably HUGE belly!    We hope for the very best for them with the new baby!

We also met Vim & Corry, a couple from Holland, who are frequent travellers, and had some great stories to share.  They are retired now, so they travel as much as they can, as the list of places still to visit is long!!!  We wish them long lives, good health, and happy travels.  I hope that our paths will meet again!

We had heard from diving friends that Sulawesi was a great Diving destination, and I must say, it is without a doubt the most incredible diving that we have ever done!  Not a lot of BIG stuff in the places we dove, although we did see a few sharks and some HUGE sea turtles.  The sheer volume & variety of corals, anenomes, fish, and strange 'critters' was astounding.

And David, here is one for you, we saw a bright yellow frog fish actually moving!!!  We watched him sort of waddle along the wall for a few feet by sort of gripping the wall with his stubby little fins and moving himself along.  It was a very exciting find.  When OPOS, our dive master told the guys back at the shop, they didn't believe him!  For those of you who have never seen a frog fish (or angler fish as they are sometimes called)  they pretty much just sit like a bump on a log in the same place, blending in with background, and are very difficult to see.  Often, they will stay right there in the same place for weeks or months, so seeing one actually moving from one place to another is indeed rare!  (I know, we divers are a bit weird, the things we get excited about!)

For both friends and strangers who may have found this post, we highly recommended BUNAKEN VILLAGE RESORT for both diving and relaxing, if you happen to be heading to Sulawesi, Indonesia.  Beautiful, clean, relaxing, & the greatest staff ever!

Cheery Wave,
Carrie