Deluxe cottages
The 10 renovated deluxe cottages feature 24hr electricity, en suite bathrooms, air con, twin or king beds with mosquito nets, a private garden, indoor and outdoor seating plus plenty of charging point.
Murex Resort dive Indonesia
Expected re-opening: May 2022
For a boutique resort of only 15 rooms, Murex Manado packs a big punch. You really are made to feel part of the family. Enjoy the best of both diving worlds - with Bunaken national park only a 35 minute boat ride away and the dark Manado sands on your doorstep. Walls meet critters - and all wrapped up with a wide Indonesian smile.
Murex Manado offers 10 deluxe cottages. Rooms are strategically spread around the landscaped water gardens ensuring a tranquil and relaxing stay for everyone. New for 2023 are the 2 premium deluxe cottages. All can be made up as either twin or double rooms, and have en suite, air con and a veranda. Make your friends and family jealous as you share the views with the free wifi!
The sea is never far away at Murex Manado. The infinity pool boats ocean views. At the end of each beautiful day, tuck into the freshly prepared Asian and International menu. Meals are served al fresco at the beach front restaurant. Relax with a well deserved massage at the Nature spa. Or take a day out of the water. The resort can arrange a selection of cultural and wildlife tours exploring Manado.
Murex Manado offers a range of land tours for those who would like to see more of the culture, landscape and nature of North Sulawesi. All tours are guided by experienced and knowledgeable Tour Guides to enhance your experience. Popular choices include trips to the Tangkoko Nature Reserve, the Minahasan Highlands (markets, villages, lakes, mountains and historical sites), Mahawu Volcano, cultural tours and cooking classes in resort.
New for 2023 premium deluxe cottages
Enjoy a stay in the larger, more luxurious new premium deluxe cottages. Only 2 in resort.
Al fresco dining
Cuisine is varied and combines a tantalizing mix of International and Asian flavours using fresh local ingredients. The team of western trained chefs are able to cater for special dietary requirements upon request
Map
Dive Sites from Manado
Covid Information for Murex Resort
Please ask about the latest in resort covid requirements, where applicable.Country Covid Travel Information
View entry requirements here British Citizens who are entering Indonesia for the following purposes can apply for a visa on arrival at a cost of IDR 500,000: Tourism; Official visit or government duties; Business meeting; Procurement of goods; Official meeting; Transit. This visa is valid for 30 days, and can be extended once (for a maximum of 30 days) by making an application to an immigration office within Indonesia. Ensure that you extend your visa within the initial 30 days to avoid an overstay fine. Visa on arrival is now available at the following airports: Soekarno Hatta DKI Jakarta Ngurah Rai Bali Kualanamu North Sumatra Juanda East Java Hasanuddin South Sulawesi Sam Ratulangi North Sulawesi Yogyakarta Yogyakarta Hang Nadim Batam, Riau Islands Zainuddin Abdul Majid West Nusa Tenggara Updated 16 JUN 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
Location
Indonesia is around 15-20 hours flight from the UK and is made up of around 19 000 islands. It is the largest archipelago in the world straddling the Equator, between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Most travellers will enter Indonesia through Jakarta (CGK), Bali (DPS) or Manado (MDC) airports.
This is the stuff of divers' dreams. This exotic nation is the very definition of bio diversity. Find the big fish in Komodo, Raja Ampat or Kalimantan. Drift lazily along the walls of Bunaken and Wakatobi, watching turtles on coral drenched walls. While away the hours hunting for miniscule macro in Bali, Lembeh or Ambon. Cannot decide? Why not combine two locations into a single trip!
Covid Travel Information
View entry requirements here British Citizens who are entering Indonesia for the following purposes can apply for a visa on arrival at a cost of IDR 500,000: Tourism; Official visit or government duties; Business meeting; Procurement of goods; Official meeting; Transit. This visa is valid for 30 days, and can be extended once (for a maximum of 30 days) by making an application to an immigration office within Indonesia. Ensure that you extend your visa within the initial 30 days to avoid an overstay fine. Visa on arrival is now available at the following airports: Soekarno Hatta DKI Jakarta Ngurah Rai Bali Kualanamu North Sumatra Juanda East Java Hasanuddin South Sulawesi Sam Ratulangi North Sulawesi Yogyakarta Yogyakarta Hang Nadim Batam, Riau Islands Zainuddin Abdul Majid West Nusa Tenggara Updated 16 JUN 2023
Weather and Climate
Indonesia is a vast country, and the weather can be hugely variable. The topography means that weather patterns can be very localised. This is the tropics! For Bali, Komodo & Wakatobi the weather is usually best from April - November, with July and August being some of the best months to visit. Between December and March the conditions can be a bit stormy. November to April is also the wettest month to visit Bunaken, Lembeh and Kalimantan but to a lesser degree than in other locations. October to April is historically the most popular time to dive in Raja Ampat.
Travel
Flight options
Our holidays to Indonesia can be quoted with most major airlines. We are however able to book most major airlines. Popular options for Indonesia include Cathay Pacific, Singapore airlines, Qatar, Emirates, Malaysian, KLM and Gaurda. If you would like to depart from a different UK airport (eg. Glasgow/Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham or Gatwick) or have a specific airline you prefer to fly with, simply let us know in your booking request. A supplement may apply for regional departures. Times and any applicable supplements will be confirmed by your travel consultant before you finalise your holiday. If you wish to make your own flight arrangements to Indonesia, let us know and we can remove the cost of the international flights from your quote. We are unfortunately not able to redeem airmiles on your behalf. Please do not confirm any flight arrangements yourself before your holiday is confirmed by us.
Stopovers
With a huge range of airlines to fly with, you can easily build in a stop over either on your way to or on your way back from Indonesia. Simply talk to your travel consultant about adding a stop over into your itinerary.
Arrange before you go
Regular Entry Requirements
UK Passport holders landing in Jakarta, Bali or Manado are able to obtain a visa on arrival in Jakarta 5000 000 IDR cash. Do ensure your passport has 6 months validity from your return date to prevent any issues with immigration. It is your responsibility to ensure your passport is valid and you fulfil entry requirements. Regulations can change: please review current FCO advice: click here to review
Insurance
Scuba Travel requires all of our customers to have diving insurance. Please make sure that you have appropriate cover for your diving activities. We also strongly recommend you have travel insurance. It's worth taking out travel insurance once you have paid your deposit to ensure you are covered for unforeseen events and cancellation.
Immunisations
Your covid proof of vaccination must match your passport name and flight ticket name. Please speak to your local GP or check out the latest NHS advice on updating your NHS details or for other travel immunisations: click here to go to the NHS
Preparing to fly
Seating
You will also be able to manage your booking online once you have been ticketed (after you have paid your holiday balance). Most airlines will now enable you to select your seating at this point. There may be a small charge for prebookable seating before online check in opens. Please speak to the airline for more information about charges.
Check in
As you are flying with a scheduled airline, you will be able to check in online with your airline. Please visit their website for more information about when online check in opens.
Lounge
An airport lounge is a great way to start your holiday or to while away flight connections in comfort. Scuba Travel works with Lounge Pass to offer a huge range of affordable airport lounges around the world. click here for more info on Lounge Pass
Parking
Prebook your airport parking to save money! If you have a long way to travel, why not also look at booking an airport hotel. These aren't as expensive as you might think. click here for holiday extras
What happens when I arrive?
On arrival in your Indonesia destination, you will need to clear immigration and collect your baggage. You will then be met outside of arrivals by a representative from your liveaboard or resort. Some reps are able to meet you airside. They will be holding a board with either your destination or your name on it. If you have any issues at all locating your rep, please contact us. We have an emergency contact, manned by a member of the team here in the UK. Please call 0044 7747 488 002. We will be able to help your rep locate you in the airport.
Transfers
If you have a hotel en route please follow any specific instructions in your travel documents. Where possible, you will be met by a representative who will assist in taking you to your hotel. If using a shuttle service, please arrange your return shuttle time back to the airport at the hotel check in. Domestic flights are common in Indonesia and run frequently. The major hubs of Jakarta, Bali and Manado all have separate terminals for domestic and international departures. Just follow the signs to move between international and domestic terminals. The service has improved vastly, but there can still be last minute schedule changes. Please ensure you leave plenty of time for check in or transit between flights (usually 4 hours min). Domestic flights can typically only be booked with a 20kgs hold allowance as standard. Excess baggage must be paid for in Indonesian rupiah and costs around $2-$5 per kg per way. Due to local traffic and road conditions, land journey times can be difficult to predict. We recommend you take water with you and keep any essentials in your hand baggage to make your journey as comfortable as possible.
Departures
At the end of your holiday, your return transfer details will be advised locally. As of Feb 2015, the departure tax for all domestic and international flights is built into your flight ticket price.
Info
Tipping
Tipping is entirely at your discretion. We do not make recommendations as to how much to tip. Should you wish to leave a tip for the staff and crew, it should reflect the level of service you have enjoyed.
Currency
Local currency is the Rupiah however cash payments made in Euro or US Sterling are subject to daily exchange rates determined. Incidental payments may be settled with credit card or cash. Please be aware you may be charged a surcharge to pay by card transactions in Indonesia and VAT is applied to all local purchases.
Phone coverage
Phone signal is usually good at Murex Manado from most areas of the resort. Free Wi-Fi is offered at Manado resort but please be aware that it can be slow and unreliable
Plugs and electricity
Indonesia operates on a system of 220v/50Hz electrical outlets for 2 pin plugs. Electricity is 24 hour at Murex Manado
Extras
Hire equipment
A full range of scuba and snorkelling equipment is available on site - please ask for a local charge price list
Extras
PADI dive courses can be arranged - please ask for more information about pre-booking
Souvenirs
Murex Manado has a small shop, which sells basic toiletries (shampoo and shower gel is also provided in your room), snacks, souvenirs and some dive accessories
Nitrox/Gas
Nitrox can either be prebooked as part of your diving package or paid for in resort at the end of your stay
Payments
Deposits and Balances
A typical deposit for a holiday to Murex Resort is £400-£800 per person, although this will depend on your exact flight option and travel class. Larger deposits may be required for some flight options (eg premium economy/business class).
Ways to pay
We accept mastercard and visa debit or credit cards. If you would like a pay by link to complete check out via email please let us know and it can be set up for you. We do not take AMEX. All non sterling card payments and UK business debit cards will be subject to the 3% surcharge. Alternatively, you are welcome to pay via bank transfer. Overseas bank transfers must add £8 to the sterling total to cover international handling fees. We are not able to accept PayPal transactions or personal cheques.
Group Payments
If you have booked as part of a group, you can still call and pay directly without needing to go via your group leader. Please have your trip reference number to hand to help us locate your holiday as quickly as possible. You will receive a transaction receipt - your group leader will forward your ATOL certificate and booking confirmation
Discounts
Repeat Guests
Are you one of Scuba Travel's repeat customers? Over 60% of our customers trust Scuba Travel to book their next diving holiday, time after time.
And we believe you deserve a huge thanks for your ongoing support over the years, which is what our repeater discount is all about! Travel with us again in either 12 months or 24 months and you will qualify for a discount. That's all you have to do. No forms, no numbers to remember, no fuss, just a good honest price reduction.
Included
Our standard package includes 7 nights full board Bungalow accommodation. Tea, coffee and water are included along with 3 meals 15 AIR dives, all are fully guided with 12lt tanks, air fills and weights Return Manado airport transfers are included
Excluded
A 10% VAT is applied to all local purchases. Any additional services in resort (spa, land tours, laundry) are paid for in resort. Alcohol and some soft drinks are an extra charge. Additional dives, kit hire, private guides and special trips are organised and paid for locally. There is a one off Bunaken Marine Park entry fee of IDR 150,000 per diver / snorkeler Tipping is entirely at your discretion. We do not make recommendations as to how much to tip. Should you wish to leave a tip for the staff and crew, it should reflect the level of service you have enjoyed. Please ask for a quote to add international flights from the UK to your holiday. We can book most major scheduled airlines including regional UK departures to Manado.
Staggering coral walls in the Bunaken Marine Park, muck diving and sand / reef slopes around Manado Bay and a 60m long wreck - the diving from Murex Manado is endlessly varied, with bags to offer all diver experience levels. There's even a house reef for when you just want to roll out of bed and into the water! Murex dive boats are purpose built for your comfort, safety and to deliver a smooth ride. With 7 boats in the fleet, which range in size, we are able to offer flexible schedules and cater for private boat options as well as for larger groups of families and friends. You'll never need to carry your gear or change a tank as it's all part of the service - all you need to do is enjoy your dives at some of Indonesia's best dive sites!
- 3 custom built dive boats
- Ideal for underwater photography
- Easy house reef can be explored with or without a guide.
- 28 - 29 degrees year round
A typical day starts with 2 boat dives in the morning at Bunaken National park. Only 35 mins from the resort and you will be diving these lavish coral drop offs. Stunning walls and hard corals. Lose count of the number of turtles in a single dive. Look out for reef sharks, schooling fish, sea snakes, passing eagle rays, sting rays, abundant critters and macro life, resident dolphin and pilot whale pods alongside the boat, occasional dugongs, seasonal sperm whale sightings, vibrant and colourful corals..
Head back for an afternoon dive in Manado Bay. A mix of black and white sand muck and reef diving which is home to some of Indonesia's rarest and most unique critters including mimic octopus, squid, flamboyant cuttlefish, sea horses and numerous crustacean, nudibranch and frogfish species. For macro underwater photographers Manado Bay dive sites are treasure troves full of opportunities.
Want more? Take a full day 3 tank boat trip or night dives on request.
Lekuan 1,2 and 3
Skill level: All levels | Ave Depth: 20 | Max Depth: 40+Impressive walls covered with huge sponges, soft and hard corals home to small and large critters including a good number of green turtles . The walls go down to about 40m before sloping out. Occasionally an eagle ray or a reef shark will pass by out in the blu. Pygmy sea horses, orangutang crabs, and nudibranchs live among the corals.
Sachiko’s
Skill level: All levels | Ave Depth: 15 | Max Depth: 30+Beautiful wall dive on the north side of Bunaken Island. It is covered with sea fans and we often spot barracudas, black tip reef sharks and Napoleon wrasses in the blue water. The reef shallows are perfect for snorkelling and a group of bumphead parrotfish is often seen feeding on the hard corals.
Bunaken Timur
Skill level: All levels | Ave Depth: 15 | Max Depth: 30+A 40m deep wall, covered with hard and soft corals. The shallow reef top is one of the most pristine around Bunaken and offers the best snorkelling around the island. This is also a great site for green and hawksbill turtles, occasional passing eagle rays and an array of macro critters
Mandolin
Skill level: All levels | Ave Depth: 15 | Max Depth: 30+A stunning hard coral reef top makes this one of our favourite spots. Clouds of small, colourful reef fish occupy the corals including butterflyfish, angelfish, damsels, anemonefish and parrotfish. Looking out to the blue there are often schools of fusiliers and mackerel, passing turtles and occasional eagle rays.
City Extra – Manado Bay
Skill level: All levels | Ave Depth: 10 | Max Depth: 20+City Extra is a true muck diving site and the sea grass laden shallows boast seahorses, ghost pipefish, flying gurnards and other critters. Going deeper on the sandy slope will give you the opportunity to spot different species of frogfish, flamboyant cuttlefish and even the elusive mimic octopus.
Pangulingan
Skill level: Advanced | Ave Depth: 18 | Max Depth: 40+this is an advanced dive because of the strong currents that can sweep you across the reef. The reef plateau starts at 5m deep and slopes down slowly to 30m. At 30m the wall drops down to greater depths. Due to the current you can often see bigger fish here. There are resident schools of batfish and jackfish that hang out in the current and often Napoleons make an appearance.
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Three plentiful buffet meals a day are served in our open-air dining area on the beachfront.
Restaurant
Cuisine is varied and combines a tantalizing mix of International and Asian flavours using fresh local ingredients. The team of western trained chefs are able to cater for special dietary requirements upon request.
Camera room
Designated camera room with personal preparation areas, plug sockets, bright lighting and air conditioning.
Spa
Onsite “Nature Spa” where you can enjoy a relaxing massage or pamper yourself with a range of other treatments
Need our help?
We are more than happy to help you, with any question you may have. Our travel advisors are waiting for your call or you can send us a message
Click here to MESSAGE us 01483 411590dive@scubatravel.com
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Hose Reef
Skill level: All levels | Ave Depth: 15 | Max Depth: 20Just off the beach in front of the resort. At 12m there is a coral slope with table corals and lots of macro life. From there you will find a sandy slope with patches of corals and several artificial reef balls overgrown with corals and sponges. Night diving is especially interesting and common sightings include Spanish dancers, starry night octopus and a host of other species.