Bunaken Siladen

Siladen Island Resort and Spa is amazing! My trip report follows - Ever been anywhere that totally lived up to the glossy brochures and the glamorous websites or promotional DVD's? Neither had I...until I took a group of 30 plus to SIladen last July 2008. Siladen was the perfect small group diving holiday destination. The beach is superb, the views across to the dormant volcano , Manado Tua are stunning, and the snorkelling 5 minutes walk down the beach to Siladen jetty is among the best I have ever experienced. This is an awesome place - we were totally impressed from the moment we arrived until our sad departure from this heavenly island.

The resort quality is quite upscale - the manager is ex-Sheraton, and this is reflected in huge 5 star buffets that left us all concerned for our waistlines. And yet the food is so healthy - masses of Asian vegetables, fruits, seafood, pork, chicken. beef and lamb options, that we didn't gain one kilo! Desserts at luchtime and dinner....but again healthy and delicious low fat options were always available. We had a villa on the beach - a huge timber lined room (a little dark - as is typical of timber lined rooms) with every possible comfort and luxury. Four poster king bed, outdoor lounge and daybeds and a very cool outdoor private bathroom that was such a great idea we want to build one for our home! The spa does a great massage and coconut scrub - I have never, ever been so totally relaxed!

But we were there for the diving - and this is also a top notch dive operation - with the luxury of 1 dive guide for every 3 or 4 divers. Dives are guided at such high ratios so that you get an individual guide to show you all the tiny critters like pygmy sea horses and crinoid crabs that wouold otherwise go unnoticed. The biodiversity of the Bunaken marine park is remarkable and there was so much to see - dives typically last an hour - you don't use much air when drifting with the gentle currents. They also have en excellent instructor who taught 6 of our group to PADI Open Water standard - they were in very good hands indeed.

The village nearby is a gem - we visited the school (even thought they were on holidays they all came in to meet us!) and we learnt (since forgotten) how to count to 10 in Indonesian.

I cannot recommend this place strongly enough - if anyone finds anywhere better (or even as good) then please let me know. I have travelled at least once a year to dive resorts for the last 20 plus years and this is my new favourite. I now have the tough job of finding somewhere as good next year!