Bunaken Oasis Dive Resort and Spa

We spent ten days here in November, and the diving blew me away. The sites were beautiful and full of life, with loads of turtles and puffers. We even saw baby sharks sleeping. We had three kids with us, and all of them are now certified divers who absolutely love it. The instructors were first class. If you want to fall in love with diving, or help your friends and family do the same, this is the place.

The dive team were patient, kind, experienced, and sharp-eyed. Every dive master we went out with was great, and we’d happily return. We had a wonderful dive holiday. The cottages, food, and staff all went beyond what we expected. I did recreational dives while my partner combined recreational and technical diving, and the resort handled our different needs seamlessly. We always shared the same boat, and he could switch between the two styles as we wanted to shape the trip.

The dive center is excellent, with knowledgeable instructors and guides, good equipment, and a clear focus on safety. The dive sites are stunning, with an amazing range of marine life. Kelly, Simon, Sandy, and the whole team will look after you well. We had a fantastic stay at Bunaken Oasis Dive Resort. The Indonesian-style villas are thoughtfully designed, comfortable, and full of character. The food was lovely, and the cocktails were very good. Staff were genuinely kind and charming, and their attentive service made us feel at ease.

We stayed at Oasis for 12 nights and wished we could have stayed longer. The resort, with just 12 cottages, felt private, and the grounds were immaculate. The spacious cottages, tidy paths and pool area, and beautifully kept gardens all look out toward the sea and Manado. The care started before check-in. While we were still in Manado, the team helped arrange a National Park tour and changed our transfer. From our first greeting, they knew us by name and gave us very personal attention. Great communication meant staff always seemed to know where we were and what our day looked like. We’d lie by the pool and soon be offered iced tea. At dinner they asked about sharks we’d seen on a dive, and after a lunchtime chat, the managers invited us jogging the next morning. We’d never had this level of thoughtful attention on a holiday. It went well beyond ordinary hospitality and made the stay feel luxurious. The food was another highlight: varied, creative, and always delicious. The kitchen adjusted dishes to suit us, made local food like Gado Gado, and even created a tempeh burger. A tasting menu was phenomenal. Small touches, like changing the napkin folds, remembering what we liked, and taking a real interest in chatting, made meals special. Diving felt luxurious too. Often the boat was just for us, and sometimes one other cottage joined. We had the same guide for the whole stay and could choose where to go each day. We loved the range of dives, from night dives and wrecks to Turtle City, with breathtaking coral and biodiversity. PADI courses were easy to book, and successful participants even got a small gift from the hotel. A huge thank you to managers Simon and Kelly, including for the 6 a.m. jog in 30 degrees Celsius. Thanks also to Susi and Poolboy for the wonderful singing, Gusti, Morten, Angga, Susi, Leni, Raldy, and all the service staff for their hospitality, Sandy and Mei and the whole boat crew for unforgettable dives, and André, Chika, Mel, and the reception team for their quick, thoughtful help. The housekeeping and gardening teams behind the scenes helped make our stay special, too. We felt completely at home at Oasis. You can be proud of what you do each day and what you give your guests. We’ll never forget this holiday.