/// Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Yes, you may need to walk through shallow water to get from the boat to the resort. Please pack a pair of shorts and sandals or dive booties at the top of your luggage in case they are needed.

Electricity is 220v, plugs are 2 x small round-pins, and every cottage has at least 1 plug point and an international adaptor.

The local currency is Indonesian Rupiah (Rp). The exchange rate fluctuates a lot, currently the rate is around Rp9,000 to 1US$.

For most nationalities, yes and you can purchase this on arrival in Indonesia. Payable by cash only: US$10 for a 3 day or US$25 for a 30 day visa.

There are 11 countries whose citizens are granted the 30-day visa-free facility on arrival: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, Hongkong Special Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region, Chile, Morocco, Peru and Vietnam.

Citizens of countries not eligible for the visa on arrival or visa free lists will be required to apply for a visa before entering Indonesia. These countries do change so it is best to contact your local Indonesian embassy or visit http://www.embassyofindonesia.org/consular/voa.htm.

It is possible to get a 60 day visa, where the 30 day visa can be extended for another 30 days at the immigration office in Manado. This costs US$25-40, takes 3-4 days and needs to be planned. The visa cannot be extended more than once.

Here is a report from one of our guests about the process:

You will need photocopies of your passport (photo page, visa page and the little entry exit card they give you) all on separate pages. You will also need a photocopy of your flight schedule for leaving Indonesia.

When you go to immigration the first time, you will need to buy a red folder from them for INR25,000, this is used by them to hold all your documents together. You fill in the visa-extension application form (leave the sponsor section empty), once they have all this in the folder they will ask you to come back in a few days (I specified which day was good for me and they were fine with that).

The second trip takes a bit longer than the first. You are initially directed to a room upstairs where you will need to pay INR50,000 administration fee, then you are sent back downstairs to the original desk where you will need to pay INR250,000 for the extension…. And then you wait… for a while (was about an hour and a half for me – take a good book!). Eventually they will call you over and hey presto the visa is done.

Tip – there is a photo-copier across the road from immigration that you can use, it is cheap but takes small notes.

TF Guest

The air temperature in north Sulawesi stays around 29-32c all year-round. Dry season is from April to November, the best time for blue skies, calm seas and sun, also the best visibility: 20-25m in Bunaken (sometimes 30m+) and 10-15m in Lembeh. Wet or rainy season is from December to March the cooler north-west winds can bring heavier rains and rougher seas in February. The wind and rain can reduce the viz slightly.

Please don’t let the term “rainy season” deter you. We do not get the typical monsoons that they experience in other parts of Asia and it is unusual to have continuous rain during the day. The norm is blue skies and sun in the morning, cloudy in the afternoon, and rain at night. And the rain never spoils a dive!

Shorts and t-shirts are sufficient for the and light trousers at night, perhaps with a long-sleeve shirt for bugs ‘n mosquitoes.

Disease

Malaria – north Sulawesi is tropical, so malaria cannot be discounted, but there is no malaria in Manado, Bunaken Island or Lembeh. If western medical advice is to take malaria tablets then this should be followed when visiting this area.

If you are going to take malaria tablets and you will be diving, we do not recommend taking Larium as there is some advice from diving doctors that this is not safe. We suggest you follow your doctor’s advice regarding malaria tablets.

There are some mosquitos, not too many but there are NO other biting insects such as sand-flies. We recommend that you bring some anti-mosquito spray for your arms and legs but we can provide mosquito coils for your cottages.

Dengue fever – the odd case of dengue fever has been reported in North Sulawesi, though these tend to be in the villages where rubbish is sometimes not properly cleared.

Doctors

There are plenty of chemists in Bali, Manado and Lembeh which can provide most drugs. If you require a doctor, you can go at any time of the day to the hospital. If you are not feeling well inform one of our staff and we will help with any arrangements or recommendations.

Most doctors leave the hospitals at the end of the day and open up their own private practices between 6pm-9pm. These are generally located behind the pharmacies so if you need a doctor at night then try the pharmacies.

There is no public health service, and everyone has to pay. Be prepared by taking money with you, it is pretty cheap and Rp200-300,000 should be enough for a basic consultation and medicine.

Terrorism

There are always many reports of problems in Indonesia and this is very frustrating for those of us who have lived and worked in this country for many years. There are probably more murders in any major city in the US than the whole of Indonesia but this does not stop embassies from recommending not traveling here.

We believe that it is very safe travelling to Indonesia and in particular the areas in which Two Fish are based. Bunaken Island and Lembeh are in the province of north Sulawesi which is 90% Christian, and there has been no trouble in this region that has caused any risk to tourists.

Yes, you can purchase internationally valid dive insurance here: daily €3.14, weekly €14.90, monthly €28.15 or annually €57.96. Insurance is included for all students on Discover Scuba Diver, Scuba Diver and Open Water Diver courses.

Download Annual policy by Clicking Here

Download Daily Policy by Clicking Here.

With water temperatures between 26-29c, not too much thermal protection is required. We suggest a 3mm shorty, or a 3mm full-suit which also provides protection against any stinging hydroids and a hood for those night dives. If you tend to get cold we would recommend a neoprene vest to go underneath.

Yes, let us know what you are after and we’ll get a price for you. We keep some stock but can also order most things on a 3 day delivery.

Yes, the price is €4/fill for one-nine tanks and €3/fill for 10+ tanks.

Bali – yes
Lembeh – we can offer unguided diving on our house reef at €10 per dive.
Bunaken – there is no shore diving in Bunaken due to the ever present current which can make exiting very difficult.

Of course – we can organise day trips from our resort on Lembeh and occasional from Bunaken in the dry season! Banka is one hour from Lembeh or two hours from Bunaken. It makes for a great day trip, we normally have a picnic lunch and manage to get 3 dives in. There is a fuel surcharge of US$25 per person on top of the price for diving.

Our tanks only have yoke fittings, if you use DIN we do have a few adaptors available. However, you cannot buy them here easily so it is better to bring your own adaptor if you have them to make sure that there is one available for you.