Swimming in an underwater forest
Posted on August 6th, 2019 by News DroidDiving on our house reef at Manado is always surprising and different. After jumping in the water from our jetty, a swim of 50 meters takes you to the buoy that marks the start of the dive. The first thing you see is our humble little artificial reef, lying next to an old overgrown car
Introducing PADI instructor Satoka Kubo
Posted on August 4th, 2019 by News DroidSatoka Kubo (29) has been working with us at Thalassa since 2017 as PADI instructor, dive guide and marketing manager. She was willing to answer a few questions about her remarkable move from Japan to Indonesia… How did you start scuba diving?During a fancy company trip in 2014 I tried Discover Scuba Diving in Hawaii,
Spot the wonderful wunderpus yourself in Lembeh
Posted on August 3rd, 2019 by News DroidWe can frequently spot wonderful wunderpus on black sand dive sites like TK or Rojos, but when you see one for the first time, you really feel amazed! It is a bit the same sensation when you spot one on your own: a mix of stupefaction, wonderment and pride. Karen is an experienced dive instructor…
Meet Om John
Posted on August 2nd, 2019 by News DroidFor our latest entry of ‘Meet the Staff’, we will be focussing on another long term fixture here at Siladen, Om John — our head grounds keeper, who is the reason why the grounds surrounding the villas and throughout the resort are so well kept. Om John (full name John Wakari) originally hails from a
Back to School
Posted on July 31st, 2019 by News DroidSiladen Island has a small yet very tight-knit community of just a few hundred people — and of course, a number of those are children. Even before we started the planning phase of Siladen Resort & Spa, we have been given full support by this fantastic community, and now almost twenty years later, that support
Hairy Frogfish of Lembeh still a favourite!
Posted on July 27th, 2019 by News DroidThis week the favourite critter from our guest Christophe was the Hairy Frogfish of Lembeh! Christophe, a French federation diving instructor and member of the Biology Commission, came to Two Fish Lembeh with high expectations and as well as the Hairy Frogfish his wish list included Mimic Octopus, Wonderpus, and the Bobbit Worm. He has…
From the garden onto your plate
Posted on July 24th, 2019 by News DroidRegular guests will know we used to have a little vegetable garden at our resort in Manado next to the lounge area. Unfortunately,, the stuff just refused to grow, no matter how much we gave the plants all the TLC in the world. After doing some renovation work on our Hilltop rooms, the surrounding gardens
Student and Family Christmas Special
Posted on July 24th, 2019 by News DroidAt Murex Dive Resorts we understand that for families, Christmas, New Year and family vacations are very special occasions, centered around enjoying quality time together. That’s why we are offering a family Christmas special throughout December 2019 and January 2020 so that you can spend time together creating memories that will last a lifetime. Imagine
Short Finned Pilot Whales
Posted on July 23rd, 2019 by News DroidBunaken Marine Park is well known for its incredibly high levels of marine biodiversity. The walls surrounding the islands are completely covered in life, and there is always fierce, often deadly competition when a space appears. However, between the islands, the water is very deep. Far to deep for us to visit, and far too
Wonder what it’s like?
Posted on July 21st, 2019 by News DroidNote: the following links point to articles written in Dutch. If you have never traveled to our part of the world, and you’d like to know what it’s like to stay with us, the following articles vividly describe a diving trip made by readers of Dutch diving magazine Duiken (“diving”). Magazine staffers Judith Rietveld and
Join our full day Manado Bay diving trip
Posted on July 15th, 2019 by News DroidWhen most people book their diving vacation to Bunaken Marine Park, they picture themselves swimming past dramatic coral covered walls, navigating through colourful schools of fish. This maybe what the diving around the islands is like, but what most people don’t realise is that Bunaken Marine Park is split into two distinct areas that offer
Goby a Crab and Trikora with Two fish Divers Lembeh
Posted on July 15th, 2019 by News DroidAmong the more than 70 incredible dive sites you can encounter in Lembeh Strait, there is one I particularly like … or rather two dives sites. It is the trip Goby-a-Crab and Trikora with Two Fish Divers Lembeh, off course! When you think about Lembeh Strait, you first think about black sand bottoms like the…
First Week of Divemaster Training in Lembeh!
Posted on July 15th, 2019 by News DroidTwo Fish Divers Lembeh was an amazing place to start my journey of becoming a divemaster! While there were many things to learn during my first week of divemaster training, the peaceful jungle setting of Lembeh provided a relaxing balance. The week began with learning how to demonstrate different scuba skills. It’s one thing to…
Diving Bunaken – World Class Dive Sites in Indonesia
Posted on July 11th, 2019 by News DroidHave you heard about the world class scuba diving in Bunaken Marine Park? Do you know where it is and which sites are best to explore? Read on to find out more about the phenomenal dive sites of Bunaken! Overview of Scuba Diving Bunaken The Bunaken Marine Park is a marine protected area in North
Porcupine Fish Are Not so Defenseless in Bunaken
Posted on July 10th, 2019 by News DroidThere is much more to the spot-fin porcupine fish (Diodon hystrix) than those cute big eyes: with many defense mechanisms, porcupine fish are not so defenseless in Bunaken. Being related to the puffer fish they have similar techniques for fending off would be predators. First, they can swallow water to inflate themselves and increase their…
Diverse Marine Life and Diving Bunaken Marine Park
Posted on July 2nd, 2019 by News DroidIndonesia is, by many, regarded as being the best country in the world when it comes to dive sites and the diving Bunaken Marine Park does everything to uphold Indonesia’s prestigious reputation. Bunaken is a small island in North Sulawesi and it is one of 5 islands which make up the Bunaken Marine Park, which
Whip Coral Shrimp in Bunaken
Posted on July 1st, 2019 by News DroidAs Lalo proved it to Nick and Wilfried this week, it’s quite easy for our guides to find Whip Coral Shrimp in Bunaken. His keen eyes spotted one of the least common; the Dragon Shrimp (miropandalus hardingi) which is about 2cm long. Although it looks like the Zanzibar Whip Coral Shrimp (dasycaris zanzibarica) which has…
Bunaken Divemaster Paradise. You’ll Have An Amazing Time!
Posted on June 27th, 2019 by News DroidI have spent 7 weeks in this Bunaken paradise and it has been an amazing time! About a week or so ago I completed my Divemaster training with Two Fish Divers Bunaken. As I sit here and write this I can officially say that I am a PADI Divemaster. The first time I went on…
Crustacean Facts and Favorites in North Sulawesi
Posted on June 25th, 2019 by News DroidDivers and especially macro photographers are often amazed by the abundance and diverse range of crustaceans which can be found in North Sulawesi. At some of our muck diving sites the number of shrimps, crabs and other crustacean species can almost equate to the number of fish species! Did you know that crustaceans are second
Bunaken Boasts Beautiful Boxfish
Posted on June 25th, 2019 by News DroidFish come in all shapes and sizes which is why diving in the coral triangle at a place like Bunaken is such a treat. Some species are in an order called tetradontiformes which groups together all the weird shaped fish like triggerfish; pufferfish and even the ocean sunfish (mola mola), but one of our favorites…
Ascidians are beautiful in Lembeh
Posted on June 21st, 2019 by News DroidOften overlooked by divers coming in Lembeh in search of emblematic critters of the area, like mimic octopus, rhinoplasty or Lembeh sea dragons, ascidians are beautiful creatures. The kind of things we can see in each dive site around without realizing how pretty they are. Particularly here in Lembeh Strait, we can observe a huge…
Night Snorkelling
Posted on June 18th, 2019 by News DroidOnce the sun sets, the reefs and sandy slopes surrounding North Sulawesi and these small islands become completely unrecognisable from their daytime appearance. Most of the colourful day fish head deep into the crevices of the reef, hiding from predators, while the nocturnal critters head out into the open to feed. Night diving is very
Nudibranchs on Bunaken Clean Ups
Posted on June 17th, 2019 by News DroidThis week my Divemaster course included some environmental projects including a Project AWARE Dive Against Debris, and we even spotted a blue Ceratosoma Sinuatum or Miamira Sinuata during the dive. We often spot nudibranchs on Bunaken clean ups but this guy was a rare color and a treat to see. An estimated 14 billion pounds…
My DMT Journey Continues in Sekotong after My Two Weeks in Bunaken
Posted on June 17th, 2019 by News DroidHi there! It’s Wilfried again. My DMT journey continues in Sekotong after my two weeks in Bunaken (Sulawesi). During the last two weeks, I’ve been in near the south Gili’s, where are located the South Lombok facilities of TwoFish. As a DMT, the major change is the fact that there is no swimming pool here: the…
AWARE Dive Against Debris in Two Fish Divers Lembeh
Posted on June 14th, 2019 by News DroidOn World Oceans Day, last June 8th 2019, Two Fish Divers Lembeh has organized an AWARE Dive Against Debris on its beautiful House Reef. Marine debris are a major problem for the environment. Every year, tens of thousands of marine animals and sea birds die from ingesting or getting entangled in them. But not only…
What is Muck Diving ?
Posted on June 10th, 2019 by News DroidWe are in Lembeh Strait, the world´s capital of muck diving! However, what is muck diving ? Many times my guests and students ask me about it, and it is time to clarify this term. According to Collins dictionary (US) the word “muck” refers to: moist manure black earth containing decaying matter, used as a…
Meet Meyti
Posted on June 9th, 2019 by News DroidFor June, we will be moving back to the dive centre for our monthly “meet the staff” blog, and we will be introducing you to another member of the staff who has been with us since we starting building the resort nearly 20 years ago. Meyti Bawekes has been an integral part of our team
Lisa Collins – UW Wide Angle Photography Workshop
Posted on June 8th, 2019 by News DroidIt was a pleasure to have Lisa Collins with us once again for her INON UK UW Wide Angle Photography Workshop. Lisa is an award-winning underwater photographic journalist who is a regular major feature writer for many dive publications. “We have been very privileged to run our latest INON UK Underwater Photography Workshop at Siladen
Welcome Leandro and Leandra
Posted on June 4th, 2019 by News DroidEarlier this year, we said goodbye to our dive centre management team, Galen and Romina, who we would like to thank for their hard work and dedication during their tenure. They did a great job running the dive centre along with Teddy, and the dive centre team, resort staff, and guests will miss them. With
Masters of disguise in Bunaken National Park
Posted on June 3rd, 2019 by News DroidCan you spot the fish? Look closer and you can see the crocodile fish hiding in the rubble on one of our local dive sites, Lekuan 3. These relatives of the scorpionfish are masters of disguise in Bunaken National Park and a treat to see if you can! The Crocodilefish, (Cymbacephalus beauforti), sometimes know as the…