This was the first time that a company was flying me to a supposedly high-class resort and it was curious what I would discover there.
Background
Bunaken is one of Indonesia’s most famous diving and snorkeling areas and it draws visitors from all over the world. In addition to banana-shaped Bunaken Island itself, the 890 km2 of marine national park includes the neighboring islands of Manado Tua (a distinctive cone-shaped extinct volcano), Siladen, Mantehage, Nain, and Nain Kecil.
Bunaken Oasis Spa and resort provides a 5-star experience whilst keeping their ecological footprint to a minimum. The resort offers 12 large, traditionally-built villas, a free form infinity pool, with sun-loungers and easy access to the bar.
Many guest amenities can be enjoyed here; including a chill-out cocktail bar, a full-service restaurant serving Indonesian and international cuisine, an air conditioned library, and a fully-equipped classroom in the Dive Centre with 4k flat-screen TV.
(Sources: https://www.bunakenoasis.com/ & Wikitravel)
We flew in from Singapore and landed at Sam Ratulangi International Airport situated in Manado – Capital City of North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Lo and behold, serious-looking SUVs were parked along the road, ready to bring us to the jetty where a ferry would transport us to Bunaken Resort.
The ride there (and back) was an experience on its own as we were the only people occupying the entire boat. Almost everyone started to take selfies inside the boat, outside the boat, and the bow, and even on top of the cabin.
We were greeted with the clearest, sapphire-blue waters ever as the boat arrived at Bunaken Island, and you could see the bottom of the sea just beneath the jetty. Reception was at a lushly decorated lobby and we were given a short introduction to the resort by the General Manager.
Truth be told, our boss flew us out here for a company function, which means some meetings and interviews were to be had; but aside for that, a series of programs were prepared for us to enjoy the resort as well.
Diving (Snorkeling or Scuba)
Well, the main attraction of the resort was naturally the crystal clear waters which you could enjoy by snorkeling or scuba-diving. We spent 3 consecutive mornings jumping into dive spots in close proximity to the island and were treated to incredible underwater views of reefs, playful sea turtles, and a plethora of fish beneath us – amidst that serenity of floating in the vast blue ocean without a care in the world.
The reef fell sharply off into the depths just meters from the shore, so we were also treated with a stupendous vista of coral cliffs stretching dizzyingly into the blue depths.
Back at the resort, they had private pools for people who wanted a simple swim or learn scuba/snorkeling. They provided pretty good diving gear as well.
Dolphins
The second most enjoyable activity we experienced was on the first morning, when we woke up really early so that the boat could bring us out in time to meet a merry school of dolphins. They started out by swimming beside the boats; and of course we (the landlubbers), went amok, trying crazy hard to photograph them.
Later, some of them became less shy and danced/jumped out of the waves to the delight of everyone, and it was really a glorious sight to behold.
Sunset Cruise
On the second evening, we had a sunset cruise, where the boat took us out to the sea to watch the sun set behind the great Bunaken volcano. The play of lights from the setting sun turned the waters bright orange and we experienced one of the most perfect evenings while having drinks, listening to the staff singing and taking tons of pictures.
Food and drinks
Oh, the food here was fantastic. They had splendid menus for local (Indonesian), Western and even Italian cuisine. (but I personally felt that their Indonesian sambal chilli concoction was the superstar of the entire show). Their bars were well-stocked and sitting there, we witnessed incredible views of the blue sea and clear skies – making them the best places to chill and admire those stunning sunsets.
I felt that this was a brilliant get-away for the company, as the staff was able to unwind and bond in a gorgeous, natural spa-like environment. The rooms given to us were 5-star luxurious and we were given the VIP treatment everywhere we went.
Looking forward to coming back here in the future!
Wanderer's Anthology 