Stumbling Upon the Beautiful Island of Bunaken
Posted on May 22nd, 2019 by News DroidAbout a year ago I had the pleasure of stumbling upon the beautiful island of Bunaken in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. I came in search of amazing diving and what I got was so much more. I found a place where I could train to become a PADI Divemaster. One year later and I am back…
Giant Frogfish are hard to miss in Bunaken!
Posted on May 21st, 2019 by News DroidThe Giant Frogfish, Antennarius commerson, is an ambush predator so it usually relies on camouflage to avoid detection and they can actually change the hue of their skin to better match their surroundings making them almost impossible to spot. Sometimes though, the Giant Frogfish are hard to miss in Bunaken, growing up to 38cm in…
Grumpy Clown Fish Welcomes Me Back To Bunaken!
Posted on May 16th, 2019 by News DroidMy name is Wilfried. Here is my second diving trip to Bunaken. I made the first one by chance last summer: I’d been in Jakarta and Bogor for a few days but at the end, I couldn’t stand the heat anymore and went to the airport with the Lonely Planet, looking for the first plane…
Meet Vendy
Posted on May 13th, 2019 by News DroidFor May’s entry of ‘Meet the Staff’, we will be introducing Vendy Rinaldy Yusuf, one of our long term restaurant and bar staff. If you have stayed with us before, you will probably know him as the chatty bartender who loves mixing cocktails, football, and showing off his magic skills and card tricks. Vendy was
First Time Spotting Snowflake Moray Eels In Bunaken
Posted on May 13th, 2019 by News DroidWhether you have seen every species of Moray Eel or just the common ones it is always exciting to see them guarding their holes and even better to see them out swimming. For some divers at Two Fish Divers this week was the first time spotting Snowflake Moray Eels in Bunaken. The Snowflake Moray (Echidna…
Scuba Diving Murex Manado House Reef
Posted on May 13th, 2019 by News DroidThere is nothing more leisurely when it comes to diving then making a shore dive, especially when the shore is literally on your doorstep. At Murex Manado (and Murex Bangka) it’s simply a case of strolling down the beach and entering the water. It really is that easy. For divers who are staying with us
Common Critters of Manado Bay
Posted on May 10th, 2019 by News DroidFor divers who are looking to explore new muck diving sites with few other divers (if any) in the water and the chance to really hunt for critters, Manado Bay is rapidly gaining recognition as critter hotspot which is rich in rare and unusual marine life. Here are some of our favorites which we encounter
The Pipefish of Lembeh
Posted on May 10th, 2019 by News DroidHere in Lembeh we have a variety of fascinating creatures under the water. Some of the most interesting are the Pipefish. Pipefish are closely related to Seahorses and Seadragons and are often observed as a straight bodied seahorse. Their bodies are long and slender and have a similarly distinguished snout. They all have a dorsal…
Beautiful Carnation Soft Corals at Bunaken
Posted on May 7th, 2019 by News DroidBeautiful Carnation soft corals at Bunaken are especially nice when the sun hits them and you get to see their vibrant colours. They are found in the Soft coral family (Nephtheidae) under the genus Dendronephthya. They add a flower garden effect to coral reefs and small shrimps, crabs and fish use the soft coral as…
Spotted Eagle Rays – Bunaken’s most elegant fish
Posted on May 2nd, 2019 by News DroidMost divers who visit Bunaken Marine Park are interested in seeing the macro life that North Sulawesi is most famous for, but some dives are more “critterful” than others, and on occasion, all the critters seem to hiding from our guides. Luckily, there are plenty of other interesting things to see so your dives will
A couple of seamoths in Bali
Posted on April 28th, 2019 by News DroidA curious looking couple we met the other day when diving in Padang Bai, Bali. Seamoths are a very unusual looking fish and are often hard to find. The most amazing thing about seamoths is that they form long lasting monogamous bonds with their partner, a real happy love story! Seamoths walk over the bottom…
“Love is in the Air”
Posted on April 28th, 2019 by News DroidThese last few days have been packed full of diving! From assisting Sal in the pool with open water water courses, Discovery scuba dives and running through skill sets. Its now common for me to conduct boat briefings too. On the boat I help set up the dive equipment and assist divers get into their…
Best of Bali diving in Just Three Days
Posted on April 28th, 2019 by News DroidDiving the Best of Bali means: diving the legendary dive sites of Nusa Penida (including Manta Point and Crystal Bay) dive the famous Blue Lagoon for pelagics, or enjoy the muck of The Jetty in Padang Bai swim around the wreck of the USAT Liberty in Tulamben and drift along the nearby drop-offs We can…
Longspined Porcupine Fish seen hunting in Bunaken
Posted on April 28th, 2019 by News DroidIt’s amazing what you see in the mangroves and eel grass in front of Two Fish Divers, even at low tide, if you keep your eyes peeled! This week, amongst other critters, there was a Long Spine Porcupine Fish seen hunting in Bunaken. The Longspined Porcupine Fish (Diodon holocanthus) can often be found hunting on…
Yoga in the Treehouse
Posted on April 28th, 2019 by News DroidWe are always striving to improve our facilities and the services we offer our guests. We know that most guests visit us to experience the exquisite diving and snorkelling that Bunaken Marine Park has to offer, but what about about after you have returned from your boat excursion? We have wanted to offer yoga classes
Diving Nitrox in Lembeh
Posted on April 26th, 2019 by News DroidThis week in Lembeh we have had many divers using Enriched Air (Nitrox) throughout their stay. This always causes discussion between those diving ‘only’ on air. Why should you use Nitrox? Here we will discuss the added benefits of using this enriched air instead of standard air we all learn using. Enriched Air (EAN/Nitrox) is…
Meet Herry
Posted on April 24th, 2019 by News DroidFor Aprils entry of meet the staff, we will introduce you to another of our staff members who has been with us for many years. He is very popular among our guests for his ability to speak German, which is rare in Indonesia. We are of course talking about Herry, our front office tour specialist.
Snorkelling in Bunaken Marine Park
Posted on April 18th, 2019 by News DroidThe stunningly clear waters and sheer abundance of marine life living within Bunaken Marine Park makes it a world renowned scuba diving hotspot. The vast majority of our guests are scuba divers, and they visit Siladen Resort & Spa specifically to explore as much of the underwater world as possible. But, scuba diving is not
Double Award Success at ADEX 2019 for Lembeh Resort
Posted on April 15th, 2019 by News DroidWe are delighted to announce that at this year’s ADEX Blue Green 360 awards Lembeh Resort won the prestigious award for “Dive Operator of the Year”. Not only did Lembeh come in first but Helen, who is in-house restaurant staff, and one of the founding members of the Lembeh Foundation took the title of “Blue
Juvenile Marine Life – Which came first, the fish or the egg?
Posted on April 11th, 2019 by News DroidHave you ever wondered how marine creatures carry their eggs, or where they lay them, or if the juvenile of the species is born live rather than hatched? Here we take a look at a few of the common marine species we see around Bunaken, Manado, Bangka and Lembeh and answer some of these questions
Meet Rakel
Posted on April 2nd, 2019 by News DroidFor our March entry of “meet the staff”, we will be introducing you to Rakel Jacobus, who has had various roles over the years at Siladen Resort & Spa. Her most recent position is as assistant manager in the house keeping department. Rakel was born and raised on Siladen island, and most of her family
Student Family Specials
Posted on March 27th, 2019 by News DroidAt Murex Dive Resorts we understand that diving families know that few activities are more memorable than family dive trips. Imagine discovering pristine reefs together. Dream about exploring an unknown destination? It’s all possible. Kids grow quickly, too quickly, and as children finish high school or enter university, opportunities for your family to travel together
Student Family Specials
Posted on March 26th, 2019 by News DroidAt Murex Dive Resorts we understand that diving families know that few activities are more memorable than family dive trips. Imagine discovering pristine reefs together. Dream about exploring an unknown destination? It’s all possible. Kids grow quickly, too quickly, and as children finish high school or enter university, opportunities for your family to travel together
Join our full day Bangka diving trip
Posted on March 25th, 2019 by News DroidNorth Sulawesi has an incredibly varied underwater world. Many guests who visit the region will break their vacation into several parts, giving them the opportunity to experience all the fantastic diving and snorkelling the area has to offer. The most common combination is Bunaken Marine Park and Lembeh, allowing them to see the world class
Marine Protection for Murex Bangka House Reef
Posted on March 20th, 2019 by News DroidOne of the highlights of diving at any of our resorts in North Sulawesi (Manado, Bangka and Lembeh) is that they are all offer stunning House Reefs. Whichever destination you choose to stay (or all three with our Passport to Paradise), you’ll have a phenomenal dive site just a step off the beach. The shallow
Siladen’s Ongoing Social Commitments
Posted on March 18th, 2019 by News DroidSince Siladen Resort & Spa opened its doors back in 2003, we have been working closely with the residents of the kampung (village) to help further develop the community. Over the years, we have provided building materials for the school, and with the help of many of our generous guests, we have been able to
Up Close and Personnel with Dive Guide Anton Horman
Posted on March 15th, 2019 by News DroidSome of you may be familiar with our “Up Close and Personnel” Blogs where we get to know some of our staff a little bit better. Have you dived with our Dive Guide Anton yet? Here we find out more about Anton, how he came to work at Murex Dive Resorts and why he loves
Hawksbill Turtles of Bunaken Marine Park
Posted on March 9th, 2019 by News DroidBunaken Marine Park is most well known for its abundance of macro life. But aside from the tiny critters photographers love so much, we also have an unusually high number of turtles living here. It is not uncommon to spot as many as 20 turtles during a single dive on one of the walls surrounding
Bangka Lihunu Village Tour and Jungle Trek
Posted on March 5th, 2019 by News DroidDo you like to meet the local people and explore when you are travelling? Are you interested in traditional culture and way of life? As a remote tropical island, the local villagers on Bangka Island live in much the same way that they have for generations. It’s a fascinating experience and extremely rewarding to meet
An Underwater Photography Guide to Diving Bangka Island
Posted on February 28th, 2019 by News DroidFrom the moment you see the white sand beach and crystal clear water as you approach Bangka Island, any underwater photographer will feel their heart skip a beat. This is a truly tropical paradise and while it might seem impossible, underwater it gets even better. Whether you are shooting macro or wide angle; hoping for