The Bunaken Marine Park is home of quite few families of Dolphins. As a matter of fact the species living here are Bottlenose , Spinners and common dolphins. Sometimes even pilot whales appear within the boundaries of the marine park. It is quite difficult but not impossible to see them while diving or snorkeling but very easy to spot them while boat riding to the diving sites. In the video you can watch by clicking on it, I was lucky to see this group of bottlenose dolphins passing by while diving underwater. Great Experience :-).
Recently in Marine Life Category
Here is the King of the pigmy seahorses. This picture was taken on the reef of Siladen Island at just 15 min by boat from our resort.
As you can sea his belly is quite big, that signifies that his pregnant. Yes, for those that they do not know yet, is the male that actually carries the eggs of the female in his pocket. They are marsupial, like the kangaroos.
Pigmy seahorses (hippocampus bargibanti) are quite common in the Bunaken marine park.
Scientist says that the "pimples" growing on their body are actually corals of the same kind of the sea fan where they live in. WOW!!
Found it!!! We were looking for this "pigmy" seahorse .
In my opinion it is the smallest with its 4-5mm. Oh yeah, our divemasters can find even such a small critter with its perfect camouflage. Look at its color and the surrounding seafan, perfect match.
Well done Yannis, to have found it and share with all of us.
This is very rare and it has the small "pimples" like the Bargibanti .Well, well is it a Denise or a new species ? these are the dilemmas that I have to face here in Sulawesi. Anybody has any idea?
For those that have not yet seen a pigmy seahorse of any kind , they are probably thinking that I am crazy ;-) he he hehe ;-)
Can you see the spine on its right cheek?
This beautiful clownfish is a resident on the reef of Siladen. It lives in a Magnificent red Anemone and it has a great drop off view.
The male (picture above) is much smaller in size compared to the female, it can be easily half of her size and normally he is less aggressive while in the other hand the female does not hesitate to come biting and swimming right into the diver's face.
Imaging any clown fish a meter big. Wow, forget about diving in the tropics;-)
The Manadarinefish is well know for its playboy habits, in fact every time sunset is approaching it likes to swim around the red lights suburbs of the marine park. Here at Kima Bajo we are very lucky to have plenty of this hot dive sites were we can see these colorful fish at just 5 min from the Resort.
Make sure when you come to visit us to make at least one of this sunset dives.
Our voyage into the discovery of the critters of Bunaken brings you to the attention of this little tiny seahorse called Pontohi (Ponto's hippocampus). Ponto is one of the dive guide working in the Bunaken Marine Park, the first spotting this little beautiful seahorse.
To find this little critter you need to have an eagle eye, lots of concentration and know where he likes to live.
I am very proud to say that when you will be diving with us we can guarantee you to see it, as long as your eyes can focus on a little cm moving on a colorful background.
Bunaken island is well known for its dramatic deep walls and the pristine coral growth.......but, did you know how many special resident critters you can see in the Bunaken Marine Park?
I have decided to come out with the title "Critters of Bunaken" to let know, the many people that have not yet dived in the Marine Park, how cool for macro is the place where I live. So many times it happened to me to hear sentences such as: Well, I did not know that you had so many critters in this place....... That is right!......... We have plenty to show you and this is what all my dive team is train for......spotting the unspottable.
Therefore, when you will be diving with us the formula will be: Look around and enjoy the thousand of coral fish swimming up and down the wall, look into the blue to see if a Turtle, Napoleon wrasse or reef Shark is passing by and let your divemaster do what he does best by spotting all the little tiny creatures such us the boxer crab in the picture above.
If you are a photographer make sure you do not forget your macro lens when you come to dive the Marine Park.
Bunaken big or small you can have it all.
Hard to decide with what to start.....well, first of all, the weather has been great all day long, the sea was flat and it took us just a bit more than an 1hour to reach Sahaung divesite. The boat ride to the northern tip of sulawesi along the coast line it is so peaceful and beautiful with all the green hills and the volcanoes in the background.
The first dive at Sahaung1 was great, as you can se in the picture we have had a bit of current and current was what we needed to have all the nice soft corals open.
Luckily we often have a bit of current there and sometimes can be quite strong, that is why we recommend to be at least advance diver.
We have made three dives: Sahaung1and Sahaun2 (Bangka Island) and Batu Mandi (Right on the sulawesi coast). we have seen plenty but I have decided to post these 2 pictures as in my opinion they are the symbol of the trip to bangka. The many pinnacles covered by the most colorful soft corals and the huge schools of blue stripes yellow snappers.
In Batu Mandi we have seen also astonishing soft corals and feather stars in all different color variations but also great critters, such as hypselodoris bulloki nudibranch and giant yellow frogfish.
I went all the way down south to explore the coast of Manado, just at about an hour from Kima Bajo.
I was lucky to be with some of the friendliest and funniest guys, Matt & Jason, both professionals photographer. The weather couldn't have been better and sea, like most of the days, was nice and flat. Lovely Sulawesi :-) .
The Giant Frogfish above has been taken during the second dive. It's very nice the way they stay on the sponges. "Look at the nice contrast of colors".
By the way tomorrow we are organizing a day trip to Bangka island (Soft Corals Eden). I am really looking for it!
