We're back with Celebes Divers Manado once again to find out what their other dive centers have to offer.
At the moment they are offering 30% off bookings made by the 28th of February for the period February-June and September-November.
Could you be considering it for your next holiday? We wanted to find out what this idyllic dive destination has to offer...
You can also check out the dive center's website here.
Where is your Dive Center located and what is special about it?
The Dive Center is located on the Island of Siladen between the two Celebes Divers Resorts Onong Resort (***) and Kuda Laut Boutique Dive Resort (****). Siladen is part of the Bunaken National Park and located in the Coral Triangle close to Manado, North-Sulawesi, Indonesia.
How can I get to your DC and are there special things to organize such as a Visa or permits to dive?
The easiest way to get to our DC is by airplane from Singapore, Jakarta or Bali (Denpasar). From all these destinations you will find direct flights for Manado (MDC). From Manado airport, we offer a transfer service by car and then boat directly to our Dive Center and the resorts, which takes about 45 minutes. Depending on your country of
residence, you get a free Visa on arrival for 30 days. Before you go diving with us, you will be asked to show your diving certification and proof that you have insurance.
Which dive sites can you go to and how are the dives there?
Celebes Divers can take you to 85 dive sites. Mostly we dive in along the beautiful walls of the Bunaken National Park where you can find turtles and jackfish. You can also
find giant Gorgonia with tiny Pygmy seahorses. Some dive spots have nice currents, which are perfect for relaxing drift dives. We also dive on the coastline of Manado, which people often refer to as the new Lembeh. At the sites you will find many critters like shrimps, crabs, nudis, ghostpipefish and frogfish living in the black sandy areas. This contrast of colors makes it an excellent place for photographers, or, if that is not enough, you can book a daytrip to Lembeh, Bangka or Nain Island.
What kind of boats, cars or other transportation do you use to get divers to the dive sites?
Celebes Divers uses 5 fiberglass boats in different sizes. All boats use ecofriendly four-stroke engines and have high safety standards.
What does your DC look like and how many equipment sets do you have? Do I need to bring my own equipment or can I rent equipment at the DC?
Our Dive Center is equipped with Mares dive equipment and a big dry room with personal chambers where you can store your equipment. If you don’t want to bring your own equipment or decide spontaneously to dive during your holydays, that’s no problem for us. As we are well aware of the needs of underwater photographers, we also offer a
modern air-conditioned camera room with 12 workspaces. We offer Air and Nitrox to our customers in 12-liter aluminum tanks.
What are your staff like? Are there instructors who speak different languages? Can they also deal with kids or people with disabilities? Can I carry out dive specialties at your DC?
Celebes Divers employs mostly local staff who speak Indonesian and English. The Dive Center is under European management so we are able to teach in English, German, Italian, Spanish and Indonesian. Our dive guides are specialized to show you a big variety of sealife, and for our courses we have a very nice pool with different depths for all training. All our staff are trained to guide divers with cameras.
What kind of breathing gas is used on your DC and what is available as a safety/back-up infrastructure at your DC or nearby?
We are offer Air and Nitrox. All our boats and the Diving Center are equipped with Oxygen and first aid kits. In Manado there are several good hospitals for emergency situations as well as a Recompression Chamber. Our staff are well trained for emergency situations.
What is the best time to go diving at your DC?
A8: In our Area you can dive all year around! From the middle of December to mid-March is the rainy season. In that time it can rain a little bit more than in the rest of the year!
What else can be done/seen in your area? Are there other sports/cultural activities to see/attend and could I come with family and/or kids?
Our house reef is a great place to snorkel or swim, with a white sandy beach for some relaxing hours. The beach bar offers a big variety of cocktails and a massage therapist can treat your muscles with a bunch of great massages. We also offer several tours like the Dolphin Tour, Minahasa Highland Tour or the Tangkoko National Park Tour with an
overnight stay in our other resort on the Coast of Manado. The island of Siladen is also a nice place to discover. Get in touch with the locals when visiting the small village. With a family cottage available in the resort and the kid-friendly staff, the place welcomes children and families.
What is the strongest argument to convince me as customer to dive at your DC?
If you want a holiday in a small, professional and very personal resort, you are at the right place with us. If you want to discover the area with the biggest underwater biodiversity
in the world you are right with us. If you like to relax and just have some fun you are absolutely right with us. See you soon!
Mares
23rd February 2018
Siladen Island Nort Sulawesi, Bunaken, Manado City, Sulawesi Settentrionale, Indonesia 
