Murex Dive Resort Manado - Bluewater Dive Travel

Murex Dive Resort Manado

4.5833333333333
(3 REVIEWS)

Destination: Indonesia

Jl. Raya Trans Sulawesi, Kalasey, Minahasa Beach, Manado, Indonesia 95361 | Full-board + 2 dives from $211/ppn

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Murex Dive Resort Manado Quick Pitch

This beautiful little resort is set on the seafront amid lush, tropical water gardens with stunning views of Manado Tua volcano and Bunaken Island. From the moment you arrive at Murex Manado, the warm-hearted staff will make you feel like part of the family.

 

Quick Information 

  • No of Rooms: 15
  • Dive Center: On-site
  • Amenities: Air Conditioning, pool, en-suite bathroom with hot water, complimentary tea and coffee
  • Internet: Wi-Fi in public areas
  • Babysitting service: Yes
  • Nearest Airport: Manado Airport
  • Airport shuttle: Yes 

 

How to Get There

Sam Ratulangi International Airport (also called Manado International Airport) is the nearest entry point and receives flights from all major Indonesian cities including Bali and Jakarta as well as international flights from Singapore. Murex Manado offers airport pickups in private air-conditioned vehicles and it is around one hour to the resort.  

 

Dive Overview

Manado is the largest city (and airport) in North Sulawesi. The diving is spread between several dive regions, including mainland Manado, Bunaken National Park, and Bangka Island. Each has distinctly different diving, keeping divers dreaming of getting back in the water no matter how long their trip. The islands around Bunaken offer some of the best coral reef diving in Southeast Asia, with large numbers of schooling fish racing by on most dives. Some of the best critter diving in the world is nearby Lembeh Strait.

[Read More: Manado & Bunaken Dive Travel Guide]

Check Out This Great Video!

 

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Accommodations

Types of Rooms, Amenities and Photos

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Murex Manado Room Overview

Murex Manado offers twelve comfortable and spacious garden view bungalows and three ocean and pool view bungalows, all of which have 24-hour electricity, en-suite bathrooms with hot water, air conditioning, either aking size bed or twin beds, veranda, drinking water, and complimentary tea and coffee. Accommodation is on a full board basis with buffet meals served either on the seafront overlooking the ocean or in the indoor restaurant.

 

Murex Manado Murex Manado

Bungalows in the garden

Murex Manado Murex Manado

Double & Twin Bed Setup

Murex Manado Murex Manado

Duplex Bungalow

 

Room Amenities

  • 24-hour electricity
  • En-suite bathroom with hot water
  • Air-conditioning
  • King-size bed or twin beds
  • Verandah
  • Wardrobe
  • Table and chair
  • Refillable bottles of water
  • Complimentary tea and coffee
  • Ocean-view bungalows have open-air showers

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Resort Facilities

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Murex Manado Murex Manado

Murex Manado's restaurant (LEFT) & pool (RIGHT)

 

Murex Manado Features

  • Restaurant and dining
  • Designated camera room with personal preparation areas, plug sockets, bright lighting, and air conditioning
  • Oceanview infinity pool with sun loungers and pool towels
  • Onsite “Nature Spa” where you can enjoy a relaxing massage or pamper yourself with a range of other treatments
  • Indoor and outdoor dining spaces
  • Flat-screen television for viewing marine life presentations and underwater videography
  • Stand-up paddle-board

 

Murex Manado Food & Drinks

Murex Manado offers buffet-style dining which combines a tantalizing mix of International and Asian flavors using fresh local ingredients. The team of western trained chefs is able to cater to special dietary requirements upon request. Selection of wines and local beer are available.

 

Murex Manado Activities

  • Diving
  • Snorkeling
  • Minahasa Highland Tour
  • Tangkoko National Park Tour
  • Tasik Oki
  • Minahasan Cuisine Cooking Class
  • North Sulawesi Mangrove Tour
  • North Sulawesi White Water Rafting
  • Massage, Pedicure, and Manicure

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Packages & Rates

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accommodation rates

All rates are in USD and per person. Valid from April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025.

Accommodation TypeDouble/TwinSingleExtra Bed
Poolside Cottage$95$129$85
Deluxe Cottage$110$154$85
Premium Deluxe Cottage$130$182$100

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diving rates

All rates are in USD and per person. Valid from April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025.

DivingRates
Guided Boat Dives per dive with Air$58
Guided Boat Dives per dive with Nitrox$64
Full day guided snorkeling (3 sessions)$70
Morning guided snorkelling (2 sessions)$55
Afternoon guided snorkelling (1 session)$34
Private guide / 3 dives or snorkelling sessions$90
Private boat / 8am - 5pm$336
Private boat / 8am - 8pm$417
Large tank / day$11
Nitrox course / person$195
Nitrox a la Carte / tank$7
Night Dive Surcharge (min. 2 divers)$18
Blackwater / Bonfire dive (min. 4 divers)$79

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accommodation & diving packages

All rates are in USD and per person. Valid from April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025.

Nights
Diving / Snorkeling
Deluxe CottagePremium Deluxe Cottage
DiverSnorkelerDiverSnorkeler
46$815$632$895$712
58$1,041$797$1,141$897
610$1,267$962$1,387$1,082
712$1,493$1,127$1,633$1,267
814$1,719$1,292$1,879$1,452
916$1,945$1,457$2,125$1,637
1018$2,171$1,622$2,371$1,822
1120$2,386$1,776$2,604$1,994

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ACCOMMODATION & DIVING PACKAGES inclusions

  • Accommodations
  • Roundtrip airport transfers
  • Breakfast, lunch &dinner
  • Morning & afternoon snacks
  • Free-flow mineral water
  • Free-flow brewed coffee & tea
  • Diving with Air & snorkeling sessions (with own equipment) • Wi-Fithroughouttheproperty
  • Welcome drink & fruit platter
  • All taxes

 

RATES & AVAILABILITY 

For information on rates, availability and to book, drop us an email at bookings@bluewaterdivetravel.com or call us today at +1-310-915-6677 and let us help you plan your dream dive vacation!

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Dive Information & Itineraries

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Dive Overview

As the pioneers of diving in North Sulawesi, you can rest assured that you will be diving with experienced and professional dive guides throughout your stay. Not only do Murex Dive Guides have thousands of dives experience in the region, but they also undergo intensive training programs which include marine biology and underwater photography training to ensure that you receive the best underwater experience possible. Just like you, diving is their passion.

Your safety is the number one priority and all Murex boats are equipped with emergency oxygen, full first aid kits, and communications devices. All staff are trained in rescue and emergency procedures.

From arrival in the resort, you won’t need to lift a bag or carry or wash your gear as the dive guides strive to anticipate your every need. Dive conditions are checked each day and dives are planned accordingly to take you to the best sites at the right time. Your diving program can be tailored to suit your needs with options for single dives, double dive trips, or full-day excursions with lunch served on the boat.

The stunning walls for which the Bunaken Marine Park is so famous are just 35 minutes away and with warm waters and excellent visibility, diving in Bunaken is suitable for all levels of divers. Highlights include dolphins jumping alongside the boat, two species of turtle, schooling fish, tuna, reef sharks, passing eagle rays, vibrant, healthy reefs, breathtaking underwater scenery, and an abundance of smaller critters and macro-life.

The rich marine biodiversity of the dive sites surrounding Bunaken Island will leave even the most seasoned of divers spellbound and ready for more.

Dive sites around Manado Bay offer great muck, reef, and wreck diving opportunities for all levels of divers. Highlights of diving here include a wealth of some of Indonesia’s more rare and unique critters including various octopus and cuttlefish species, stingrays, frogfish, seahorses, and an array of nudibranch and crustaceans. These dive sites, along with the Murex Manado House Reef, are excellent macro-photography sites and also offer incredible night diving.

With such a large number of dive sites to explore, ranging topographies and the varied marine life it is no wonder that divers return to Manado time and time again.

Tailor-made packages are available as are night dives, day trips to Bangka, PADI courses, snorkeling, land tours, and combination packages with Murex Bangka, Lembeh Resort, or take a Passport to Paradise and visit all 3!

 

 

Manado & Bunaken Dive Sites

Here are some of the dive sites in Manado & Bunaken. Feel free to ask us if you would like to know more about these and other dive sites.

  • Lekuan 1 (Bunaken Island) - Green Sea Turtle at Lekuan Lekuan 1 is the most famous dive in Bunaken national park. The huge wall is covered with enormous sponges, soft and hard corals and offers both macro-and wide-angle opportunities. The wall goes down to about 40m where it slopes out. You will find swarms of Pyramid Butterflyfish just off the wall and an occasional shark and eagle ray will pass by out of the blue. Those keen on macro will find Pygmy Sea Horses, Orang-Utang crabs, Nudibranchs, and much more. Highlights include: A colorful wall overgrown with Barrel Sponges and soft corals; Plenty of Green Sea Turtles in all sizes
  • Sachiko’s (Bunaken Island) - Sachiko’s Point is a beautiful wall dive on the north side of Bunaken Island. It is covered with Gorgonian Sea fans; Barracudas, Black Tip Reef Sharks, and Napoleon Wrasses are often spotted in the blue water. The reef shallows are perfect for snorkeling and a group of Bumphead Parrotfish is often seen feeding on the hard corals.
  • Bunaken Timur (Bunaken Island) - Timur means “East” in Indonesian and so, of course, this dive is located on the east side of Bunaken Island. It’s a 40m deep wall, covered with hard and soft corals. The reef shallow is the most pristine reef around Bunaken Island and offers the best snorkeling around the island. Some of the highlights are: Pygmy Sea Horses; Plenty of Turtles, both Green Sea and Hawksbill Turtles; Eagle Rays (if you are fortunate)
  • Pangulingan or Tanjung Kopi (Manado Tua) - Located on the northern side of Manado Tua, this is an advanced dive because of the strong currents that can sweep you across the reef. The reef plateau starts at 5m deep and slopes down slowly to 30m. At 30m the wall drops down to greater depths. Due to the current, you can often see bigger fish here. There are resident schools of Batfish and Jackfish that hang out in the current and often Napoleons make an appearance.
  • Ron’s Point (Bunaken Island) - Located on the most southern tip of Bunaken is Ron’s Point. Because two currents meet each other and we often dive to 35m, this is an advanced dive. But there are excellent rewards below: you can find Black Tip Reef Sharks patrolling the bottom and huge Tunas hanging out in the current. On the reef, you can find Leaf Scorpionfish, Pontohi Seahorses, and many other macro subjects.
  • Murex House Reef (Manado Bay) - The Murex House Reef is easily accessible from our beach. Up to a depth of 12m, you will find a coral slope with beautiful table corals and lots of macro subjects. Below 12m, you find a sandy slope with patches of corals and several reef balls that are nicely overgrown with corals and sponges. Several underwater trails make it perfect to explore by yourself. Night diving is especially interesting on the house reef. On night dives, you’ll find Spanish Dancers, Starry Night Octopi, and other creatures of the night.
  • Tanjung Bulo (Manado Bay) - Just south of Murex Resort is a sloping reef called Tanjung Bulo. This site is famous for the number of Nudibranchs it has. These tiny and colorful critters are everywhere and it is not unusual to spot over fifteen species in one dive. Next to that, you will see Cuttlefish, Ribbon Eels, Sea Snakes, and, when you are lucky, your dive guide will show you the fabulous Harlequin Shrimp.
  • Molas Wreck (Manado Bay) - Located just north of Manado is the Molas Wreck. This is an old Dutch cargo ship that sunk just after WWII when it, unfortunately, struck a reef. Because of its depth (24 – 40m), this is an advanced dive. You will spend the first part of the dive discovering the wreck and its soft corals and sponges. When your bottom time on the wreck is finished, you will swim to the neighboring reef to finish your dive.

Murex Manado

 

Passport to Paradise

Diving three distinct destinations in North Sulawesi (Bunaken – Bangka –Lembeh) couldn’t be easier than with a Passport to Paradise. Imagine seeing all of the highlights of the area with no missed diving days and the added opportunity to dive in areas which no one else visits. Passport to Paradise is a unique diving experience and the only one of its kind in Indonesia. Are you ready?

Let us transfer you between Murex Bangka, Murex Manado & Lembeh Resort on spacious, purpose-made dive boats, all you need to think about is having a great time relaxing and diving or snorkeling along the way. By taking a Passport to Paradise, you’ll explore all of North Sulawesi’s hot spots and see the areas incredible underwater diversity, from the pristine walls of the Bunaken Marine Park to the kaleidoscopic colored reefs around Bangka Island and the world’s highest concentration of rare and unusual critters in the Lembeh Strait.

Traveling from resort to resort is seamless and stress-free. You just get on the boat in the morning to go diving and finish up at your next destination –what could be simpler? You won’t need to worry about transfers, you just carry on diving and the rest is left to us. We understand that this is your holiday and we want to make sure that it is everything you dreamed of.

You’ll explore Bunaken Marine Park which is home to some of Indonesia’s best wall diving sites and so many turtles that you’ll lose count, Bangka Island which offers such an explosion of color it will leave you spellbound, and the Lembeh Strait which has the undisputed best muck diving the world.

Why limit yourself to one destination when it is so easy and effortless to enjoy all three? You’ll never need to carry your gear or change your tanks as our professional dive crew will do it all for you. All you need to do is explore, discover, dive, and relax!

Please note that safety is a priority and all boats are equipped with emergency oxygen, full first aid kits, and communications devices. All Murex staff are regularly trained in emergency procedures.  

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Dive Center Information

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Murex Manado Murex Manado

 

Murex Manado Dive Center Overview

As the pioneers of diving in North Sulawesi, you can rest assured that you will be diving with experienced and professional dive guides throughout your stay. Not only do Murex Dive Guides have thousands of dives experience in the region, but they also undergo intensive training programs which include marine biology and underwater photography training to ensure that you receive the best underwater experience possible. Just like you, diving is their passion. The dive center also offers equipment hire, Nitrox, PADI courses, and tailored schedules to suit your requirements.

 

Diving Facilities & Services

  • Full dive equipment rentals.
  • Equipment rinsing/drying facilities only steps from the boat
  • Charging stations
  • Dive courses
  • The boats are spacious, covered, and all have an onboard toilet
  • English speaking dive crew 

 

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Other Information

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Practical Information

  • Time zone: GMT+8:00
  • Language: English, Indonesian, Dutch, German and French
  • Electricity: 220V
  • Payment methods: Visa or MasterCard, Indonesian Rupiah, Euro or US Dollar

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GOT QUESTIONS? READY TO BOOK?

Call us today at +1-310-915-6677 or email us bookings@bluewaterdivetravel.com

And let us book your dream vacation!

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Underwater Gallery 

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Murex Manado Murex Manado

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Reviews (3)

5
4
4
5

I was only at the Murex Manado Resort for one overnight from 12 am to 8 am, but I left entirely impressed by my experience.

After a delayed flight, a patient transfer driver stopped for me at an ATM and SIM card provider, I arrived to a light midnight supper and retired to my large air-conditioned garden-facing room. I noted plenty of outlets to recharge my devices and was provided a crate to load my dive gear for the next morning.

After a short comfortable sleep, I awoke to a lush garden with its own river and water features and met the owners Danny and Angelique. A delicious breakfast was provided, a huge buffet of fresh fruits, juices, cereals and pastries, with eggs cooked to order. The team were well organised and incredibly friendly, all coming to see me and the other guests off for our 2 dives and transfer to Murex Bangka, the second leg of the Murex Passport to Paradise.

The Murex Passport to Paradise offers 3 resort locations, allowing guests to experience the entire North Sulawesi dive areas of of Manado, Bunaken, Bangka and Lembeh without missing a dive day or needing to pack up your dive gear or disassemble your camera. Your seamless transfers include dives along the way to your next resort.

The boat transfer from Manado to Bangka takes about the same time as an airport transfer by road and then boat, but during the 2-hour boat transfer, you can enjoy a couple of dives along the way.

Visited on 09/2023 - Submitted on 01/15/2024
5
5
5
4

I love going to Murex and have been taking groups there since 2001.

I think I like going to the resort as much as I like diving the Manado area. The resort itself, which is now under the ownership of Danny & Angelique Charlton (Angelique's father, Hanny Batuna, founded Murex) is delightful and charming, set amongst the woods up against the shoreline, with nice accommodations, good food, and a wonderful staff.

The diving is also fantastic with a great range from beautiful vertical walls over at Bunaken Marine Park to muck sites that not only include the Lembeh Starits (a 90-minute drive away) but also sites only minutes from Murex's beach/launch area. It's a place I'll definitely visit again.

Visited on 07/2014 - Submitted on 09/28/2014
5
4
5
4

I traveled to another resort before booking at the last minute my stay at Murix Bangka, so I traveled by boat from Lembeh resort, diving along the way to the resort. I was warned ahead of time hat it is basic and limited electricity, and no internet. I am so glad I did not let this stop me!! Frogfish, seahorses, pipe fish, shrimp, stone fish, eels, I could go on and on. When I say frog fish I mean many on each dive. Ok, let me get on with this review, I also traveled by boat to catch my taxis to the airport in Manado. All went smoothly and I was taken care of very well.

The accommodations: Basic, you will need bug spray and don't read in bed because you will have a lot of bugs in bed with you, and yes you have a mosquito net. The bed was very comfortable and clean, shower was solar heated. You have a small deck on the front of the hut to enjoy the ocean and relax on.
The food was just a few selections, not sure if they could make special diets, it was hot, tasty and plenty to fill you. I don't use oil in my diet so they cooked me vegetables each day, enough to share with my table of new friends. Bring your own adult beverages, they were out when we were there.

The dive operations: The boats had plenty of room, nitrox and water was available. My dive guide was very helpful in finding critters and a hand with your gear if you need it. I think this was the best diving I have done in all of Indonesia, except for the muck diving at Lembeh. It is not muck diving, very nice corals and plenty of fish every where. I repeat best wide angle diving I have done in all Indonesia, so the rustic conditions are worth it. Electricity is from 6pm- 5 am, so you can run the air-conditioning and charge batteries. A generator is used, but I could not hear it from my room.

Visited on 11/2013 - Submitted on 03/03/2014

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