Cocotinos Resort- Manado
We spent the last December week at the Cocotinos Hotel. Although it was rainy season and it did rain a lot we felt very comfortable and enjoyed our time there.
It was our fifth visit to Manado/Bunaken/Lembeh and we know a lot of hotels there such as Mapia, Minahasa, Living Colours, Onong, Bastianos and Lembeh Resort. We must say that Cocotinos offers an outstanding value for money! The rooms are spacious, very nicely furnished, bathrooms clean and spacious as well and the food is execellent. For the first time in five years in Manado area we could even enjoy TV with various english channels - which we have never missed before but if you are there during the wet season it is a nice feature when it is pouring rain in the evening.
The diving was very well organised. The dive team labels your gear and takes it onboard for you. Two tank dive trips started at 8:00 am to Bunaken and returned at 1:00pm with lunch at the resort. Alternatively, there were days with three dive trips and a lunch box on board, returning to the resort at 4:00pm. But not only Bunaken is there to be discovered but also the dive spots near the resort on the mainland are worth to be seen. Staff is very friendly and helpful , the dive crew is well organised and punctual.
The Cocotinos Resort is conviniently located. It only takes 25 minutes to the Airport what makes it a nice stop if you plan to go somewhere else ( we traveled to Sorong , Raja Ampat ) and take a break from the long journey. Don´t expect any tourism around the hotel. There are two villages surrounding the hotel, one christian and one muslim (in some rooms you will here the muezzin calling if you have a light sleep) but there are no shops and pepople stare at you if you want to buy some cookies or coke there at one of the small kiosks. So don´t forget anything and bring all medicine with you!
We can recommend this resort and it will definitly be our first choice for our next stay in the area
