Back in 1996, a pair of schoolteachers from Idaho in the United States decided to spend summer vacation visiting their son in North Sulawesi, where he was working as a dive guide. They filled their backpacks with diving gear and guidebooks and set off on an adventure to Indonesia and the unknown. What they discovered on the other side of the world was more than just a dive resort, but a sense of home.

 

Now, nearly 30 years later, Bob and Janis are back where it all began – returning to Murex Manado for a trip down memory lane and a new chapter in their globe-trotting adventures. The resort has changed a lot since they were last here – with new cottages, improved dive facilities, and an upgraded fleet of dive boats – but one thing has remained constant: the sense of belonging that brought them back.

 

Planning the Return

 

Now retired, Bob and Janis had been wondering whether to hang up their fins for good. They hadn’t been abroad since before the pandemic, but decided it was now or never. They dusted off their BCDs, took a refresher course in dive safety, and decided there was only one place they wanted to go. 

 

Planning a long-haul trip can be daunting, especially for Janis, who admits that she “gets a little OCD about making plans” and needs to ask a lot of questions before she flies anywhere. She says the team at Murex made it easy – from clear travel advice online to thoughtful service over the phone, every detail was handled with care. Her first port of call was the website, which gave her much of the information she needed. 

 

“It’s an incredible website,” says Janis, “I love the FAQ page that tells you what you have to do and which airline you need to fly with, and there are links to everything you need to get ready.” Next, making contact with the Murex reservations team really put her mind at ease and helped make their dream trip into a reality. 

 

“They were very helpful,” she says. “I figured if the reservations team is this customer-oriented then the rest of our trip would just follow along—and it has. I think it’s exceeded my expectations. Honestly, I feel quite pampered.”

 

“We Are Finally Here”: Then vs. Now

 

After 2 long days of travel, Bob and Janis arrived to a warm welcome – Bob noted how everyone from the security gate to reception and housekeeping staff already knew their first names and greeted them with smiles. Then, after a well-deserved rest in their cottage, the adventure could really begin. “The first morning we woke up here I just walked around the resort with my camera, taking it all in,” says Janis, before adding: “it’s just a magical place to be. I said to myself: Yes, we are finally here.” 

 

One of the first things they noticed was how much Murex Manado has grown and developed in the time they’ve been away. Their memories from that first visit backpacking trip in the 90s are of basic wooden accommodation and modest dive gear. Today, Murex has expanded with upgraded facilities, a brand-new dive center, a restaurant and adjoining bar/lounge, a pool, and a range of room categories—but the spirit of adventure and family ethos remains unchanged.

Diving Back In: The Wild and Wonderful Nature of North Sulawesi

 

Another major difference Bob and Janis noticed was the health and biodiversity of the underwater world on Murex’s doorstep. Both of them were impressed by how clean the water is, and how many incredible species they were able to spot on dives. “The diving here has exceeded all our expectations,” says Janis. “I don’t have enough room in my dive log to write everything down!”

 

Luckily, they had help in that department. Their designated dive guide for the trip was Rein, who helped them spot different species underwater and then recap what they saw at the surface. “This young man has been the best guide we’ve ever had,” says Bob. “He’s very methodical and safety conscious, and is constantly asking: Are you okay? How’s your air? That makes you feel very comfortable and confident, because you know you’re in good hands.”

 

Whether it was spotting rare species or simply enjoying calm, uncrowded dives, every moment underwater was memorable for Bob and Janis. On their very first dive, they saw a coconut octopus, a blue spotted stingray, a juvenile lionfish, a crocodile fish and a pair of frogfish. When asked how this trip compares to their other dive adventures, Bob is unequivocal: “I’d give Murex ten out of ten,” he says, adding that “it’s the best by far.”

So Much More Than Diving

 

It wasn’t just the underwater world that left a mark on Bob and Janis. From delicious meals and cultural excursions to the community ethos behind the scenes, they were reminded from day one why Murex is so special.

 

“The food is so good here,” says Janis. “You could take a trip just to come and hang out and eat the meals – you don’t even have to be a diver when you come here – you can do all the other things that Murex offer.”

 

Bob also pointed out that virtually everyone at Murex Manado is a local. “That’s wonderful,” he says, “because it shows you that the resort is providing in a lot of ways to the community.” Janis agrees, and thinks this emphasis on nurturing homegrown talent helps create a safe, family-friendly atmosphere. “There’s a real sense of security here,” she says, “and a sense of really honest people.”

A Home Away From Home

 

In all their many years of backpacking around the world and diving in new destinations, Bob and Janis have never gone back. But for Murex, they made an exception. “This is the only place where we’ve dived more than once,” says Janis, before adding that “what you see here, this is the best in my book.” 

 

With their trip nearing its end, Bob and Janis agreed that their return to North Sulawesi had exceeded their expectations and reignited their love for diving. When asked if they’re finally ready to hang up their fins, Bob says, in his typically understated way: “It’s quite possible you’ll see us again soon.”