Sulawesi and Borneo Snorkelling Safari │ Oct 2019
Explore some of the richest and most diverse marine habitats on the planet with our range of Indonesia snorkeling safaris. Straddling the Equator, Indonesia comprises of over 17,500 islands, mostly volcanic in origin. Only 6000 are inhabited, many are covered in thick jungle and surrounded by pristine beach. Located in the heart of the "Coral Triangle", the most bio-diverse marine environment in the world, home to 76% of all known coral species and over 3000 species of fish. Here one can expect truly pristine coral reefs and an array of marine life that will amaze and excite beyond imagination. Topside we take time to explore the very best of what this vast country has to offer in the areas we visit.
Our trip is split between splendid reefs and rainforests at two of Indonesia’s most unspoilt destinations - the islands of Sulawesi and Borneo.
We begin at the island resort of Siladen where we have 4 days of snorkeling untouched reefs with a chance to see wild dolphins and pilot whales. We then move onto the island of Borneo where we will base ourselves at the acclaimed Samboja Lodge to explore the jungle and see orangutans, proboscis monkeys and sun bears in their natural environment.
For the last part of our journey, we travel to the island of Nunukan for some truly outstanding snorkeling opportunities on the Maratua Atoll. We have many highlights here in cluding good chances to snorkel with manta rays, but perhaps the most curious will be snorkeling amongst the thousands of stingless jellyfish which can be found at Kakaban.
Day 1 - Arrive Manado - Siladen
- Arrive into Manado airport, collect your luggage and make your way through to the arrivals hall where our guide will be waiting to welcome you to Sulawesi
- You will be transferred to the Siladen Island Resort by road and boat transfer
- After check in at the resort you have the rest of the day at your leisure to relax after your journey and to get to know your surroundings
- This evening sit down for a welcome dinner and get to know the rest of the group.
Overnight Siladen Resort & Spa, Garden View on a full board basis
Day 2 - Siladen
- We will spend the morning in the Bunaken National Marine Park - the reef top is shallow at 3-5m before reaching the crest which is lively with fishes and then the wall/drop off.
- Characterised by walls covered in hard and soft corals the reef is inhabited by a huge variation of marine life
- Return to the resort for lunch with an afternoon snorkeling session by boat
Overnight Siladen Resort & Spa, Garden View on a full board basis
Day 3 - Siladen Resort
- Today we will spend time snorkelling around Siladen Island visiting the house reef and other sites around the island
- The reefs around Siladen are colourful, pristine and lively corals where we hope to see both green and hawksbill turtles, groupers, leaf fish and a various of pipe fish to name a few
- The area is also full of macro life and interesting critters and we have a great chance of seeing a range of nudibranchs, lobsters, giant clams and feather stars
- Return to the resort for lunch with an afternoon snorkeling session by boat
Overnight Siladen Resort & Spa, Garden View on a full board basis
Day 4 - Siladen Resort
- Today we travel to Manado Tua which offers us the chance of snorkelling over stunning hard coral reefs, huge barrel sponges, black corals and anemones complete with various types of anemone fish
- Return to the resort for lunch with an afternoon snorkeling session by boat
Overnight Siladen Resort & Spa, Garden View on a full board basis
Day 5 - Siladen Resort
- Morning boat trip to look for wild dolphins & possibly pilot whales in the marine park and we hope to encounter them.
- Return to the resort for lunch with an afternoon snorkeling session by boat
Overnight Siladen Resort & Spa, Garden View on a full board basis
Day 6 - Siladen - Manado - Samboja Lodge
- This morning we check out of the Siladen resort and join our onward transfer to Manado and fly to Balikpapan in Borneo
- We will continue onward to Samboja, a lodge hidden within reclaimed rainforest which is managed by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation
- Enjoy sunset and dinner upon arrival, check into your room and relax
Overnight Samboja Lodge, Queen Suite on a full board basis
Day 7 - Samboja Lodge
- Today we have a full day land tour with visits to the nearby Orangutan and Sun Bear Sanctuary which are within easy reach of Samboja Lodge
- We also make a trip to the Sungai Hitam tidal river where we can see endangered Proboscis Monkeys
- Trekking into the primary rainforest is also available directly from the lodge
Overnight Samboja Lodge, Queen Suite on a full board basis
Day 8 - Samboja - Nunukan Island Resort
- After breakfast this morning we check out of the lodge and transfer back to Balikpapan airport for our onward flight to Maratua Island
- On arrival we will be met by representatives from Nunukan Resort and transferred to the resort by speed boat
- Check into your rooms with the remainder of the day at your leisure to relax
Overnight Nunukan Island Resort, Bungalow on a full board basis
Day 9 - Nunukan Island Resort
- Nunukan has a great range of snorkelling sites; from the house reef which is dominated by a sloping 40m deep wall to the 4km long outer reef which extends from the southern tip of the Maratua atoll
- We expect to see turtles, groupers and eagle rays, we also have the chance to see leopard sharks and nurse sharks which are not uncommon here.
- We will also spend today visiting the house reef sites which is made up of colour hard corals, sea fans and soft coral
- Return to the resort for lunch with an afternoon snorkeling session by boat
Overnight Nunukan Island Resort, Bungalow on a full board basis
Day 10 - Nunukan Island Resort
- Half day trip to South Maratua Atoll which is 20 minutes away by speed boat; here we have untouched colourful reef with lots of schooling fish, sting and eagle rays, sloping reef and wall sites with bump head parrot fish munching on the hard coral
- Return to the resort for lunch with an afternoon snorkeling session by boat
Overnight Nunukan Island Resort, Bungalow on a full board basis
Day 11 - Nunukan Island Resort
- We will spend today visiting Sangalaki and Kakaban islands which are around 60 minutes away by speed boat; the shallow slope at the front of Sangalaki is a feeding ground for manta rays
- There are also several cleaning stations for these gentle giants where small cleaner wrasse clean parasites from their bodies. Over the sand and coral bommies are schools of brightly coloured fish
- Kakaban offers snorkelling over a steep wall alive with soft corals and fish. The main attraction here is the inland jellyfish, lake which is a short 10 minute walk from the jetty. We will snorkel in the tree lined lake which is full of stingless jellyfish
Overnight Nunukan Island Resort, Bungalow on a full board basis
Day 12 - Nunukan Island Resort
- Today we will make a land excursion to Maratua to visit a hidden lagoon, secret lake as well as a local village
- We will take lunch on Nabucco Island Resort which is around 30 minutes by boat
- Afternoon snorkeling around Nabucco which gives us the chance of seeing various shark species and other pelagics like tuna, barracuda and jacks
Overnight Nunukan Island Resort, Bungalow on a full board basis
Day 13 - Nunukan Island Resort
- We will spend the day snorkelling the different sites of the House reef
- The reef here is divided into seven distinct sites which gives plenty of diversity with our planned snorkelling
- Lunch back at the resort Afternoon snorkeling session
Overnight Nunukan Island Resort, Bungalow on a full board basis
Day 14 - Nunukan Island Resort
- Morning and afternoon snorkeling sessions
- A farewell dinner is included on your final evening together to celebrate a fulfilling trip
Overnight Nunukan Island Resort, Bungalow on a full board basis
Day 15 - Fly to Balikpapan
- After breakfast this morning we check out of the resort and bid farewell to Nunukan
- We will be transferred back to Maratua for our onward flight to Balikpapan
- Domestic flights in Economy Class with 66 Ibs of luggage allowance
- Group transfers throughout
- Accommodation and full board (all meals)
- Services of Snorkel Venture guide throughout
- Entrance fees & Marine park fees
- Snorkel boat sessions specified in itinerary
- Land-based tours as specified in itinerary
- International flights (booking available on request)
- Snorkeling equipment
- Tips
- Travel insurance
- Soft drinks and alcoholic drinks, laundry and general sundries
- Spa services
Siladen Resort
You will be staying at the Siladen Island Resort which is located in the Bunaken National Marine Park, which offers huge biodiversity and rare and endangered animals. The 343 square miles of protected marine park boasts an astounding variety of hard and soft corals, beautiful fans, seven species of giant clams, 33 types of butterflyfish, Bumphead Parrotfish, a huge population of turtles and a massive variety of other fish species.
When it comes to an exclusive island experience Siladen Resort is hard to beat. Your private, well-appointed accommodations are meters from a white sand beach with beautiful garden views. The resort has a pool, lounge, and a spa to pamper yourself with a massage or scrub.
Samboja Lodge
Samboja Lodge is a beautiful jungle lodge nestled in the rainforest canopy, offering magnificent views of the dense tropical jungle with stunning wildlife viewing opportunities of orangutans, proboscis monkeys, macaques, sun bears, monitor lizards and hornbills. Tastefully decorated and comfortably furnished, the lodge has eleven rooms which have been built using recycled materials.
The lodge is part of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, which rehabilitates and reintroduces orangutans to the wild, rescues sun bears, and preserves and rebuilds the rainforest.
Nunukan Island Resort
Nunukan Island Resort is located at the southern end of the Maratua Atoll in Borneo, directly at the outer reef. The snorkeling from Nunukan is fabulous and includes direct access to the house reef. Many rare critters, as well as healthy colorful coral teeming with tropical fish and turtles, can be found on the four kilometer stretch of reef that runs alongside the island.
The environmentally conscious resort has been built in harmony with the islands native ecosystem and is run predominantly on solar power and collected rainwater.
The resort is comprised of a restaurant, bar and dive center which all overlook the long jetty and have unobstructed views of the ocean. Beautiful gardens surround the twenty-two beachfront bungalows and the spa offers various traditional massages and treatments to try.
The tour starts in Manado and ends in Balikpapan. In terms of the flights, you would need to do one of the following:
There are many flight options leaving from the UK to Indonesia's two major airports - Bali, Denpasar (DPS) and Jakarta (CGK), all of which fly indirectly via Singapore (SIN), Dubai (DXB) or Hong Kong (HKG) with an average travel time of 15-17 hours. From the US flights also route indirectly via Hong Kong (HKG) or Tokyo (HND) with an average travel time of 18-22 hours.
Enquiry for Sulawesi and Borneo Snorkelling Safari │ Oct 2019
