Dive Review of
Gangga Island Resort in
Indonesia/Northern Sulawesi

Throughout Asia-Pacific, Australia, Galapagos, Carribean, Indian Ocean

Dive Conditions

No restrictions other than common sense. Dives are guided but with as much
flexibility as you want.  

On-shore there is a large and well equipped facility for charging and
camera maintenance.  On the boats there are plastic tubs filled with fresh
water.  

Overall Rating

This was my seventh trip to Gangga Island Resort (GIR) over the last three
years.  The resort continues to maintain a high quality of accommodation,
food, and diving operations.

GIR is almost unique in Northern Sulawesi in that it supports people who
are non-divers as well as divers.  The resort has white sand beaches with
lots of shaded areas with lounging bales.

Diving from GIR is very diversified given its location off of the tip of
Northern Sulawesi.  In the area of GIR there is diving at Bangka and
Talisan Islands as well as the coast of Northern Sulawesi. These areas
offer dives at locations such as Batu Gosoh (Bangka), Batu Tiga (Bangka),
and Pulisan (N. Sulawesi) that provide environments that are extremely rich
in invertebrates - soft corals, sponges, tunicates, etc.  Other dive sites
provide muck diving opportunities such as HBO Point and Paradise Reef.

All of the dive sites provide a broad range of creatures to include
Frogfish, Leaf Scorpionfish, many diverse species of nudibranchs, Orangutan
Crabs, pipefish, etc.

Diving is done from boats built by GIR on the island.  The boats are
comfortable and fast.  Four boats have on-board toilets and fast/quiet four
stroke engines.  Since the resort is effectively located between Bunaken
and Lembeh Straits they are able to offer day trips providing divers three
dives at either of these locations and reach them in one hour.  This makes
GIR a viable location for divers that want to sample these three different
areas of Northern Sulawesi diving.

The ratio of guests to dive guides, anywhere from 1 to 4 guests per guide, 
which means that different styles and interests are accommodated.

They are in the process of installing an in-house Nitrox system as well as
satellite based WiFi.  Both of these capabilities such be in place by the
end of 2007.

GIR is reached by flying to Manado. Most people fly direct from Singapore
on SilkAir - a three hour flight.  It is then a 1+ hour drive and 20 minute
boat ride to the resort. 

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