Recently in Bunaken National Park Category

It's been an exciting few months for the team here in North Sulawesi as we planned our move to a luxury resort and our new dive centre in Manado.

We have our own house reef, right on the doorstep of the southern section of Bunaken National Park, three spacious purpose-built dive boats and, as ever, that special personalized service that makes diving with us that little bit more memorable.

Welcome to our new home in Manado. We look forward to greeting you and giving you the diving holiday of all diving holidays!

Find out much more here and let the photos speak for themselves.

Having closely monitored the situation here over the past days, we can tell you that travelling to and diving with Eco Divers is safe and the diving and resorts have not been affected in any way whatsoever.

Our dive centre at Lembeh is almost 40 kilometres from the volcano and our centre at Kima Bajo, Manado, is about 30 kilometres away.

The airport at Manado is open and neither of our dive centres have had any problems at all. In fact our Managers at Lembeh Cottages, Gary and Lou, only found out about it via the UK press!

Mount Lokon is still growling but mainly with ash and smoke and, as this is a mountainous region, any lava flows cannot affect our centres.

As you can see from this photo by Christian Loader, The Digital Centre Manager, Mount Lokon is well away in the distance with Bunaken Island and Manado Tua on the right.

Congratulations to Emyr and Vito Abdulkadir for completing their PADI Open Water certifications here at Eco Divers Kima Bajo Resort & Spa with instructor Karl ter Vehn Lexell.

The first ever Oceania Dive Expo takes place in Brisbane, Australia, this October.

In connection with this special event, an Australasia-wide Shoot-Out, 2011 Underwater Festival, is taking place with the showcase and awards ceremony happening during ODEX on 07-09 October. This is the world's richest shootout with over $150,000 in prizes.

If you're interested in entering the competition, there are full details here

As major sponsors of 2011 Underwater Festival, Eco Divers, Kima Bajo Resort, Lembeh Cottages and The Digital Centre want to assist Shoot-Out entrants to gain the very best chance of winning in the competition.

Which is why we've decided to run a completely FREE photo workshop in Manado and Lembeh between 02 - 11 September. World-renowed underwater photographers will be on-hand to dive with you and to share their secrets of success.

There's literally nothing extra to pay; just come and stay for as little or long as you like around those dates. Want to shoot wide-angle? Dive Bunaken by staying at Kima Bajo. More interested in macro? Then Lembeh Cottages is for you. Entering the portfolio competition? Maybe do a combo of Bunaken and Lembeh.

Book today and be in with a shot - info@eco-divers.com

This shootout competition is one of the main highlights of Celebrate the Sea 2011. Competitors stand the chance to win prestigious medals for Outstanding Achievement, Merit of Excellence awards and the coveted title for the 'Most Influential Underwater Shoot Out Photographer 2011 with cash and holiday prize of USD 5000.

Joining the panel of speakers & judges, you will discover the splendour of underwater North Sulawesi. Oceanic walls, soft coral canyons, extensive coral meadows and intriguing muck dive locations offer unparalleled photographic opportunities found nowhere else in the world.

Join Eco Divers for our SHOOT OUT PACKAGE from 19-23 September. You can choose from a single location in either Bunaken or Lembeh or get the best of both worlds with a Combo Package for both.

Prices start from just USD 692 per person per double/twin room and includes 4 nights accommodation in air-conditioned room, 3 days diving, with 11 dives as follows - 6 morning dives, 3 afternoon dives, 2 night dives , breakfast, lunch & dinner, tea, coffee, water & snacks, internet access, permits/entrance fees, tax & service and airport transfers. Note: The Combo Package offers a different dive combination.

Book your place today - it's going to be a superb experience - email info@eco-divers.com

19 - 23 September 2011

This shootout competition is one of the main highlights of Celebrate the Sea 2011.

Competitors stand the chance to win prestigious medals for Outstanding Achievement, Merit of Excellence awards and the coveted title for the 'Most Influential Underwater Shoot Out Photographer 2011 with cash and holiday prize of USD 5000. 
 
We will be running a FREE photo workshop throughout the shoot-out period, with world-renowned Guest Lecturers on hand to provide you with helpful tips and advice on capturing the perfect image. Full camera facilities, immaculate accommodation, spas and sumptuous cuisine in both locations round off the perfect vacation. Dive Bunaken or Lembeh, or combine both - with Eco Divers you dive the Best of Both Worlds.

SHOOT OUT PACKAGE 19 - 23 September, 2011

SINGLE LOCATION PACKAGE - BUNAKEN

Price = USD 692 per person in double/twin room

To include: 4 nights accommodation in Kimez Studio Room at Kima Bajo Resort & Spa * 3 days diving with 11 dives as follows - 6 morning dives, 3 afternoon dives, 2 night dives * Breakfast, lunch & dinner * High Tea with snacks each day * Bunaken National Park Entrance Fee * Tax & service * Airport transfers

SINGLE LOCATION PACKAGE - LEMBEH

Price = USD 781 per person in double/twin room

To include: 4 nights accommodation in air-conditioned room at Lembeh Cottages * 3 days diving, with 11 dives as follows - 6 morning dives, 3 afternoon dives, 2 night dives * Breakfast, lunch & dinner * Unlimited tea, coffee, drinking water & snacks * Internet access * Lembeh Divers Permit * Tax & service * Airport transfers

5 NIGHT COMBO PACKAGE for BUNAKEN & LEMBEH

Price = USD 993 per person in double/twin room, to include:

Manado: 2 nights accommodation in Kimez Studio Room at Kima Bajo Resort & Spa * 2 days diving with 7 dives as follows - 4 morning dives, 2 afternoon dives, 1 night dive * Breakfast, lunch & dinner * High Tea with snacks each day * Bunaken National Park Entrance Fee * Tax & service * Airport transfers

Lembeh: 3 nights accommodation in air-conditioned room at Lembeh Cottages * 2 days diving with 7 dives as follows - 4 morning dives, 2 afternoon dives, 1 night dive * Breakfast, lunch & dinner * Unlimited tea, coffee, drinking water & snacks * Internet access * Lembeh Divers Permit * Tax & service * One-way transfer from Kima Bajo Resort * Airport transfer

Book direct today! info@eco-divers.com

You can truly capture the feeling of diving Bunaken Marine Park with this
first video by our new Digital Centre manager, Christian Loader of Scubazoo.

Christian spent time in November shooting video and taking pictures
underwater - and the results are simply fantastic! You, too, can learn to
shoot film like this when you dive with Christian through Eco Divers.

Enjoy!

The first Annual "Critter Hunt" with Ned and Anna De Loach is on. Last night we have had the first presentation, introducing what is going to happen during this week and we have had an introduction to the "Coral Triangle area.

Ned with his huge underwater exeperience and great passion
for the marine life have delighted us with an hour of very intrataining talk combined with a great underwater slide show.

The "Citter Hunt" will be from Saturday 17th until Wednsday the 20th.

During the day Ned and Anna will join our boat trip gladly sharing their knowedge with anyone on the boat who would like to know more about marine life behaviour.

In the evening Ned will give an hour presentation about the following subjects:

-Saturday: Introduction to the "Critter Hunt" and presenattion of the Coral Triangle.

-Sunday: Sorting out the see (an introduction to fish & critters identification).

-Monday: Sex on the Reef (the name says it all :-) )

Tuesday: Symbiosis and camouflage ( an introduction to fish behaviour, skills, and their habitat)

Wednsday: The wonderful Cephalopods (Octopus, Cuttlefish and Squids).

 Also our diveguides have joined the presentations as we all understand that we have a wonderful opportuinity to share our knowledge with the bests in the field and get some interesting answer to the many questions we all have.

We are all excited to have Ned and Anna here for the week and we all look forward their presentation but most of all to be with them as they are very nice people.

 

On the 25th of Septmber 2010 it was the international beach and reef clean up day. Eco Divers Team together with the school of the nearby local village Kima Bajo have organized a beach clean up. 40 Kids from age 9 to 11 has received education from our Diving Manager Miho Takeda about the importance of not trowing plastic into the enviroment, then the kids have been divided into smaller group leaded by an Eco Divers team member and went to clean the beach in front of their village. After an hour of collecting we all sit together eating cake and each kid received a PADI Project Aware certificate plus school materials such as notebooks, color pencil, pens etc.....  

In the same time we also had divers going out collecting plastic floating on the surface of our prestine reefs.

Eco Divers is very glad about the enthusiasm that the kids had . We will be back doing these activities with the local community in the hope of helping them to understand the importance of do not litter into the environment.

Thanks very mush to J.P. and her friends from all Eco Divers Dive Team to have been with us diving and especially to have had such a fun and good time. We all wish to see you back here in the future!

All the Best,

Eco Divers Team