Manado, Indonesia: A World-Class Dive Destination, Featured in “The Ex-File 3”, Budget-Friendly for a Monthly Salary of 4K

Do you know where the top five best snorkeling and diving spots in the world are? Do you know about Manado?

This place has been collectively recognized as the top diving destination by the world’s five major diving organizations. It’s considered the “Mecca of Diving”, boasting a 40-meter deep underwater visibility, over 70% of the Pacific Ocean’s marine life, and a coral coverage exceeding 95%. Today, I’ll reveal the secrets of this hidden paradise.

Manado, located in the capital of North Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, originally known as “Manado Tua”, is blessed by heaven and is one of the most beautiful natural harbors in the world. It’s often referred to as “Bali 20 years ago”, dubbed “God’s Fish Tank”, and is the Mecca of diving for enthusiasts. Many worry about the budget for this hidden gem, but actually, a monthly salary of 4K can easily cover a trip here. The expenses are comparable to those in Southeast Asia, but the quality is 10 times higher!

Departure from Mainland China

【Route】Direct flights to Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado are available from Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Wuhan, etc., with the fastest flight taking around 3.5 hours. 【Cost】Varies depending on the departure city.

Departure from Bali

【Route】 From Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali to Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado. 【Cost】Between 980 and 2230 RMB.

The Mecca of Diving, 70% of the World’s Beauty Lies Here

In the world’s best diving location rankings by the five major diving organizations, PADI, CMAS, SSI, NAUI, and BSAC, Manado ranks among the top alongside the Great Barrier Reef, Maldives, Palau, and the Red Sea. Discovery Channel believes this area of Manado is the origin of life on Earth, with new species emerging on average every 20 years. There are 72 dive sites, each with its unique charm, offering experiences like shipwreck diving, wall diving, day and night diving, and more. Diving in Manado is generally divided into four zones: the Manado Bay near the coast, Bunaken to the east, the Lembeh Strait to the west, and Bangka to the north.

A Diver’s Dream – Bunaken National Marine Park

Recommended Reasons: The essence of diving in Manado. Recommended dive sites: 1. Likuan: A magical underwater cliff and diverse marine life. 2. Mandolin: Stunning scenery for both snorkeling and diving. 3. Black Rock: A paradise for underwater landscape photography. 4. Fukui: A unique underwater world shaped by gentle seabed topography. 5. Mike’s Point: The best spot for wall diving. 6. Kinoko Point: A great place to observe large fish and fish swarms. 7. Alung Banua: Home to “underwater masters of disguise.” 8. Raymond’s Point: Dance with the corals in the ocean current.

Some say there’s no place better for diving than Manado. The crystal clear water, teeming with marine life, guarantees the most perfect diving experience. Many famous dive sites are scattered throughout Bunaken, a world-class wall diving destination. The stunning coral walls, known as the “Underwater Great Wall”, are breathtaking, like standing on a cliff overlooking a deep, bottomless valley. Various marine creatures, parrotfish, sea turtles, humphead wrasse are frequent visitors here.

Operating Hours: 8:00-16:00 Transportation: 1. Speedboat: Take a speedboat from the Manado pier to the Bunaken pier, about 30 minutes. 2. Public Boat: Departs from the pier around 2:30 pm, takes about 1.5 hours, closed on Sundays. 3. Chartered Boat: Departs in the morning and returns in the afternoon. 4. Day Trip: Relatively cheaper, with more reasonable itinerary arrangements.

Finding Life in “Trash” – The Lembeh Strait

Recommended Reasons: The world’s best underwater macro photography paradise. The Lembeh Strait is a narrow stretch of water, 15 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide. This area is home to 70% of the Earth’s marine life and is said to be the origin of marine life. With consistently calm waters and currents brought by the monsoon wind supplying abundant nutrients, this area is a haven for marine life. It deserves its title as the world’s best underwater macro photography paradise, with octopus, squid, pygmy seahorses, and various other magical little creatures serving as perfect models. Operating Hours: 9:00-16:00 Transportation: Day Trip, relatively cheaper with more reasonable itinerary arrangements, about 2 hours.

Following The Ex-File 3, Exploring Lin Jia’s Route

Siladen Dolphin Bay, Dancing with Dolphins

Recommended Reasons: The chance of seeing dolphins here is as high as 99%. Transportation: 1. Public Boat: Take a public boat to Siladen from the pier, about 30 minutes. 2. Day Trip: Cheaper and with more reasonable itinerary arrangements. If you want to release your pent-up sadness, take a boat out to sea. Feel the ocean breeze and experience the speed and excitement. Siladen is very primitive, with clear water and abundant wild dolphin populations. When the weather is good, you can see hundreds of dolphins leaping and diving on the surface of the sea. They chat with their companions with long whistles. It’s a joy to race across the ocean with these lovely creatures. Perhaps you can also follow Lin Jia’s footsteps and chase after the free-spirited dolphins in the water.

Strolling on White Sand Island, Encountering the Most Beautiful Sunset

Recommended Reasons: Crystal clear water, endless coral reefs, Nemo right at your fingertips, like a fairytale world. Transportation: 1. Public Boat: Rent a boat, usually departing in the morning and returning in the afternoon. 2. Day Trip: Cheaper and with more reasonable itinerary arrangements. White Sand Island is an uninhabited island with no signs of development, only a small family entrusted to maintain the island’s environment and clean up the trash. Stroll along the endless white sand beach, and occasionally groups of giant crabs will pass by in a line at your feet. You can even catch arm-length octopus through the shimmering seawater. The water here is sometimes calm, sometimes full of waves, but the only constant is its clarity and azure blue. Coming here, any heartbreak will be healed.

Immerse yourself in Manado, Live Like a Local

Half Sea, Half Fire: The Paradise of Tomohon

Recommended Reasons: Apart from being a diving paradise, there are also two awe-inspiring active volcanoes, worth visiting. Transportation: All the following attractions are accessible by car. Attractions are scattered, with a distance of 30 minutes to 1 hour between each. There are two awe-inspiring active volcanoes in Tomohon: Lokon Volcano and Mahawu Volcano. The scenery around the volcanoes is beautiful, and their abundant hot springs attract many visitors for vacations. Nearby, there is the famous “Horror Market” selling all sorts of strange and wonderful food ingredients. Coming to Tomohon, you can not only enjoy unique natural landscapes but also experience unparalleled cultural experiences.

Lokon Volcano

A famous local tourist spot, spewing smoke year-round. From afar, its shape resembles Mount Fuji, with a majestic and beautiful appearance, and its scenery is breathtaking. There’s a sulfur lake in the crater, the surface is serene, surrounded by tranquility, and the lake water reflects the dazzling light and shadow like a mirror.

Five Color Lake

Ascend to the Five Color Lake, visit the sulfur lake, and appreciate the colorful changes of the lake surface created by the refraction of sunlight. Different weather and seasons present different colors of the lake water, which is captivating. Experience the natural underwater hot springs; the scenery and feeling are unforgettable!

World’s Second Largest, Asia’s Largest Jesus Statue

Recommended Reasons: As the world’s second largest, Asia’s largest Jesus statue, it’s worth seeing. Address: Located in the Ciputra area, 1 hour away from the Manado city center. Operating Hours: Free admission, open 24 hours. 90% of Manado’s residents are Christian, and churches are scattered throughout the city. This is also why the people are so simple and sincere; you’ll be invited to take photos with them when chatting on the street. This statue, built in 2007, is 30 meters tall, making it the second largest Jesus statue in the world and the largest in Asia. Unlike traditional Jesus statues, the one in Manado is open-armed and in a flying pose, symbolizing embracing every visitor who comes to Manado.

A Culinary Paradise, A Haven for Adventurous Eaters

Wild shellfish, sea urchins, abalone, lobster, and over a thousand varieties of fish are yours to choose from. There are also wild chickens, ducks, wild boars, geese, and yellow deer, all kinds of wild game, fried, baked, steamed, grilled, making your taste buds tantalize! The mountains and the sea have created Manado’s rich culinary culture. Anything you can imagine, you can find here. Local specialties include spicy kawaok (fried “forest rats”), spicy dog meat with tough meat and strong odor, stewed bats, and congee, delicious and nutritious!

Horror Market – If You Dare, Come On In

The “Horror Market” is actually part of the Tomohon Market in Manado, selling food that the Minahasa people, Indonesia’s earliest indigenous people, traditionally eat. This includes snakes, bats, rats, and more. Because the animals sold are too bloody and eerie, those with weak stomachs are advised to avoid it. But aside from that, the Tomohon market is just a regular local market, selling vegetables and fruits, seafood, spices, daily necessities, clothing, and more. Address: Located in the Ciputra area, 1 hour away from the Manado city center. Operating Hours: 6:00-12:00.

Note: More pictures may cause reader discomfort, so they are not included in the guide.

The Mountain City Market – The Best Place to Buy Souvenirs

The Mountain City Market is a great place to buy souvenirs, the most worthwhile mountain products are: Coconut Sugar (purely natural, light and pure, rich in flavor, with the aroma of coconut and brown sugar), spices, freshly ground coffee, etc. No matter what creature or insect has legs, no legs, flies in the sky or crawls on the ground, the locals dare to eat it! So in this market, you can see many “specialty grilled meat stalls”, such as grilled bat meat, snake meat, dog meat, beef, or field rat meat, with special sauces.

There’s no hustle and bustle of crowds here, no signs of excessive commercialization, only endless beaches and a clear blue ocean. Manado, this blue gem in the Pacific Ocean, has healed countless souls and soothed countless hearts. However, most people have never heard of this beautiful place, even fewer have been there! I hope this guide can help you understand Manado, this world-class diving destination that can be explored with a monthly salary of less than 4K!