Beyond the Beach – Snorkeling in Bunaken 
Marine Park

North Sulawesi is known throughout the diving community as a world class diving and underwater photography destination, offering those who visit the region a seemingly endless supply of beautiful dive sites filled with all kinds of bizarre critters. Bunaken Marine Park is frequently regarded as one of the best national parks in Indonesia, but because of the enthusiasm of those who dive the park, it is easy to forget there is another way to enjoy the astonishing scenery that lies below, and while almost all divers are nature lovers, not all nature lovers are divers. Some people have certain apprehensions about the sport, or maybe a medical reason prevents them from taking part, and not everyone who tries it actually enjoys it.

Bunaken Marine Park is famous for its bottomless walls, clear waters and variety of marine life. While the walls go down extremely deep, they also rise as shallow as 1 metre with the right tides. Combine that with the healthy coral coverage, marine life and the clarity of the water, and you have the perfect conditions for snorkelling. Snorkelling actually has many benefits over diving. The equipment is very minimal, portable, and doesn’t break the bank. You also don’t need to wait for surface times to be over before you can jump back in the water, and you don’t need to wait for boats to take you to suitable places, you can just walk off the shore.