Bunaken Mangroves – Not Just Beautiful To Look At
Posted on September 16th, 2019 by News DroidBunaken mangroves are not just beautiful to look at, they are also an important ecosystem that many other systems rely on, they’re excellent barriers for coastline protection against storms and erosion and they have the ability to store carbon. As the world’s coastlines lose more and more mangrove habitats, we need to try hard to…
The Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray
Posted on September 10th, 2019 by News DroidWith thousands of species of fish living within the boundaries of Bunaken Marine Park, it is easy to forget some of the more common species that live on these reefs — no matter how incredibly beautiful these critters might be. So we thought we would highlight not only one of the most common stingrays we
Orangutan crab – Diving in Bunaken
Posted on September 9th, 2019 by News DroidIn North Sulawesi we are lucky to see so much life under the surface. We see so many species of reef fish, corals and pelagics that we sometimes forget how lucky we are. If you love spotting macro critters during a dive too then you have to come to Bunaken to see the orangutan crab.…
The plight of the Immortal Lobsters
Posted on September 4th, 2019 by News DroidThe way lobsters go through life makes them essentially immortal. This is such a bizarre story in terms of biology, we just had to share it… Shrimps, crabs, langustines and lobsters are fascinating creatures. Their insectoid appearance make them a delight to watch during a dive. Shuffling around on the ocean floor or watching the
Meet Sindia
Posted on September 4th, 2019 by News DroidFor our latest entry of ‘meet the staff’, we will be featuring a member of staff who works entirely behind the scenes and away from the guests. While Sindia Salimu — our human resources supervisor — may have very little face time with the guests, she plays an extremely important role in the resort, and
Remarkable Thresher Shark Experience in Bunaken National Park
Posted on September 3rd, 2019 by News DroidI have now reached my two weeks mark, which means I’m already halfway through my Divemaster training here at Two Fish Divers Bunaken and I never want to leave! I can’t believe time is running so fast. At this moment everything is running smoothly with getting up early in the morning, loading the boats with…
Sustainability and Conservation at Murex Dive Resorts
Posted on September 3rd, 2019 by News DroidAt Murex Dive Resorts it is our number one priority to promote conservation and ensure that our reefs, marine life and natural landscapes are protected. As the pioneers of underwater exploration in North Sulawesi we see ourselves as guardians of our ocean. Murex’s founder, Dr. Hans Batuna was pivotal in promoting marine conservation in North
Bunaken Leaf Scorpionfish: Camouflage Experts
Posted on September 2nd, 2019 by News DroidLeaf Scorpionfish in Bunaken In Bunaken the leaf scorpionfish are camouflage experts which makes them very difficult to find – but a treat when you eventually see them! Even when you know it’s a fish, you could still easily believe that it’s a leaf! Taenianotus triacanthus, which is commonly known as the leaf scorpionfish or…
Diving North Sulawesi Bunaken, Fukui
Posted on August 27th, 2019 by News DroidDiving Fukui from Manado The area: North Sulawesi, the island: Bunaken, the diving: fantastic! Only a 20-minute boat ride away from our diving resort in Manado, you can find Fukui. This is a dive site on the south-western side of Bunaken island, and it’s quite a doozy! You’re might be wondering why this site has
Fendy: dive guide and instructor
Posted on August 27th, 2019 by News DroidIn this series of blog posts, we introduce you to our PADI instructors. This week, our resident dive guide, instructor and supervisor Fendy Galeang from Indonesia (30) shares some stories with us… How did you start at Thalassa?I was one of the first students who graduated from the school in Tongkeina, where I learned a
Diving in an underwater sponge forest
Posted on August 27th, 2019 by News DroidDiving our house reef at Manado is an underwater world that’s 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
Sleepy Scorpionfish Spotted on a Bunaken Night Dive
Posted on August 26th, 2019 by News DroidAmazing Critters on a Bunaken Night Dive… We see some amazing critters at Two Fish Divers, especially on a night dive, like this sleepy scorpionfish spotted on a Bunaken night dive. Mike Toupin found the subject in the photo above and got this great shot when he was diving with dive guide Geraldo last week.…
A diving holiday in North Sulawesi
Posted on August 26th, 2019 by News DroidA diving holiday in North Sulawesi is something truly unique. In this blog article I will try to explain why I think this place is so special… Hello mister! As I’m walking through the street of Manado, almost every five minutes I hear a cheerful “Hello mister, how are you?” Of course I answer back:
Spotlight on Fukui
Posted on August 21st, 2019 by News DroidWhere is Fukui? Only a 20-minute boat ride away from our resort in Manado, you can find Fukui on the south-western side of Bunaken island. Can you spot it? Refer to this great illustration by Machiko Kagii to familiarize yourself with the site: Machiko Kagii Starting the dive Descending from the boat, you first arrive
Diving in Bunaken with the Pontohi Pygmy Seahorse
Posted on August 19th, 2019 by News DroidThe Pontohi Pygmy Seahorse is a highlight of diving in Bunaken but it is a master at hiding so you need to have a very keen eye to spot them. Luckily for us, our guides have great spotting skills and know just where to look to find the elusive pygmy. Hippocampus pontohi or Pontoh’s pygmy…
Good Times In Bunaken
Posted on August 13th, 2019 by News DroidI’m already a week into my PADI Divemaster training at Two Fish Divers and it is good times in Bunaken! Every day has been different with something new to learn all the time. In the beginning, it was mostly getting used to the early mornings with filling the boats with the right tanks and finding…
Our statement regarding direct flights from Singapore to Manado
Posted on August 13th, 2019 by ArjenThe route from Singapore (SIN) to Manado (MDC) is currently operated by Silk Air, who announced in November 2018 that they would be transferring this route, along with others, to Scoot Air. Scoot are a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines and to date, two of the planned routes have already smoothly transitioned to Scoot’s operations. The
Lizard fish watch the world go by in Bunaken
Posted on August 13th, 2019 by News DroidResting on the sandy slopes, Lizard fish watch the world go by in Bunaken. Their sand coloured patterning camouflages them perfectly into the background. Sometimes they bury themselves under sand or mud to hide even more. When small fish or invertebrates swim by and come too close they make a surprise attack. Lizard fish are…
The Mantis Shrimp – A Record Breaking Critter
Posted on August 12th, 2019 by News DroidThe Mantis Shrimp (of which there are numerous species) is a small, aggressive marine Crustacean, that can be found at all of our dive sites, including both muck and coral reef sites, around Bunaken, Bangka and Manado Bay. Mantis shrimps may be small, beautiful and boast vibrant colors, but they are also deadly and are
Japanese Guest Relations at Murex Bangka
Posted on August 12th, 2019 by News DroidWe are delighted to welcome Satoshi Morimoto to our team here in North Sulawesi. Satoshi, who is a PADI Scuba Instructor has joined us as our Japanese Guest Relations Officer for Murex Bangka. Satoshi originates from Tokyo and comes to us after spending the last three years working in Cairns, Australia on the Great Barrier
Introducing Fendy Galeang — supervisor, instructor & guide
Posted on August 12th, 2019 by News DroidIn this series of blog posts, we introduce you to our PADI instructors. This week, our resident diving supervisor Fendy Galeang (30) shares some stories with us… How did you start at Thalassa?I was one of the first students who graduated from the school in Tongkeina, where I learned a lot from Ibu Simone in
Guide to Muck Diving in Manado Bay
Posted on August 7th, 2019 by News DroidHave you heard other divers and underwater photographers talking about “muck diving”? Do you know what it is and why this is such a popular growing trend? Did you know that Manado Bay is growing in recognition as a muck diving and critter hotspot? Here we explain all you need to know about muck diving
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