Dive Review of
Eco-Divers/Tasik Ria in
Indonesia/North Sulewesi

 Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Solomons, Fiji, Truk, Yap, Palau, Cozumel,
Grand Turk, Providentialis,Bay Islands, Hawaii, Belize, Grand Cayman,
Little Cayman, Cayman Brac, St. Lucia, Barbados, USVI (St. John), Bahamas
(multiple locations) 

Dive Conditions

depth limits usually stated as 100 feet but not enforced.  max dive time 60
mimutes  

Large rinse tank for cameras but extremely samll work table but really
posed no problem.  

Overall Rating

We flew on Singapore Airlines sixteen hourse from LAX to Singapore
non-stop.  The trip was made bareable by the superb accomodations, i.e., a
new class of seating called "business-economy" featuring ample
leg room, more reclining seat angle and an entertainment center.  After a
brief layover in Singapore we took a four hour Silk Air flight into Manado,
North Sulewesi, Indonesia.  Following an hour bus ride we arrived at the
Tasik Ria Resort.  Entering its gates is into another world.  Its a
beautiful property with an opulent pool and nice rooms.  Being just a
degree or two north of the equator makes this a pretty hot place, but not
that bad considering.  The daytime highs rose into the high 90s.  The
diving is conducted by Eco-Divers on large, almost liveaboard-type, (80
foot) boats.  Three dives a day, staying out all day and returning at
around 1600.  The dives are mostly wall and top of reef dives with lots of
fish life.  Saw a Manta on the first dive and several Whitetip and Blacktip
sharks throughout the week.  Turtles too.  Both hard and soft corals are in
abundance.  There is a great muck dive on the house reef (accessible only
by boat) with lots of critters.  The diveguides are knowledgeable,
professional, but never overbearing once comfortable with your diving
acumen.  There is a "speciality trip" to Bangka Island (three
hours there, three hours back) that is quite interesting with beautiful
displays of soft corals for an extra $25.00 US (Indonesia money is the
Rupia, about 9K to the US dollar).  Water temps were 81-83 degrees and viz
flucuated between 70 and 90 feet, with thirty feet on the muck dive. 
Sunsets are gorgeous from the resorts seaside Sunset Bar.  Enjoy the
fabulous garlic roasted peanuts along with a Bintang beer.  Get a
legitimate fifty minute massage from lithe Indonesian women for (yes) ten
dollars US.  Lounge in the pool and swim-up to the bar for a relaxing
apres-dive cocktail.  Despite US State Department advisals we found no
evidence of anti-American attitudes in this principally Christine area of
Indonesia.  In fact, churches rather than mosques predominated on the
journey in from the airport.  The people were all genuinely friendly in a
natural, non-commercial sense.  One could only wish for attitudes like this
in Nassau.  This trip was arranged by Patty Shales of Aquatic Images, Inc.
who worked tirelessly before and during the trip to make everybody happy. 
Normally, we are not joiners in group trips nor do we do singalongs.  This
trip was perfectly orchestrated with no forced group dynamics.  Frindships
were made and interactions with other divers was as casual or interactive
as you wanted.  This was a meritorious trip, well worth the reasonable
investment.  From here we went across the island to the Lembeh Resort
located across the Lembeh Straits on an island.  But that's as they say,
another story which you can check out as a separate review. 

Questions?
Send an email to the author of this report

What others have to say about Undercurrent
And get immediate access to ALL 481 dive reviews of Indonesia
and all other dive destinations immediately!