Situated off the northern tip of Sulawesi, Bangka Island is renowned for its spectacular underwater topography and nutrient rich waters, which feed lush coral gardens and a vibrant marine life. The Murex Bangka Dive Resort boasts a beautiful location on a pristine stretch of beach, with a private, crystal clear lagoon stretching out in front and a house reef just steps away.

It is a family-friendly resort affiliated with the Murex Dive Resort on mainland Manado, who have established themselves as pioneers in diving across the region. Parents can take advantage of their local babysitting services so they can spend as much time below the surface as possible, while the white sands and shallow waters of the lagoon offer an idyllic getaway for non-diving family members.

Accommodations

The Murex Bangka Dive Resort offers 6 ocean-front cottages built from natural timbers in Minahasa style, which are ideal for couples or two divers traveling together. They also have two ocean-front duplex bungalows which are perfect for families, with adjoining rooms connected by double doors that can be left open or closed, depending on how much privacy you want. Both styles of room offer spacious verandahs overlooking the white sandy beach, as well as private open air hot showers with views up towards the starry night sky.

There are also three ocean-view, hotel-style rooms which are located closer to the dive center and have indoor showers. All rooms are air conditioned during the night (5pm-7am) and have either a king or two twin beds, as well as a desk and wardrobe for storage.

Amenities

The Murex Bangka Dive Resort has a laid-back, island atmosphere, with its remote location meaning there are no power lines connecting them to the mainland and silent generators being the main means of power. Murex Bangka is the only resort on Bangka Island which harnesses solar power to provide hot water bathrooms, AC throughout the night and 24 hour electricity. The installation of 38 solar panels ensures that the restaurant, camera room and spa have power throughout the day.

Food

Meals at Murex Bangka Dive Resort are served in their dining hall and lounge area, with both indoor and outdoor spaces for guests to relax in as they mingle with other divers. Breakfasts include cereal, bread, tropical fruits and juices, cooked-to-order eggs and pancakes, as well as a local Indonesian dish to try.

Both lunch and dinner are served buffet-style, with an abundant selection of meat, fish and vegetable dishes, as well as soup at dinnertime. Once a week the Murex Bangka Dive Resort holds a barbecue banquet on the beachfront, which includes chicken, pork, fish, prawns and traditional Minahasa dishes.

There’s complimentary tea, coffee and iced water available throughout the day and afternoon snacks are provided to ensure you never go hungry between dives. Soda, juices, bottled wine and Bintang beers are also available from the bar.

The Murex Bangka Dive Resort is happy to accommodate any special dietary requirements, provided advance notice is given.

Diving

The Murex Dive Resort team is responsible for discovering many of the region’s dive sites and are completely committed to their protection. Their instructors and divemasters have years of experience diving throughout Northern Sulawesi and go out of their way to find the most fascinating marine life they can for each and every guest. They provide comprehensive briefings and are eager to offer divers new experiences and share with them their passion for the region’s amazing biodiversity.

Scuba dives are tailored to the individual diver’s experience and desires, with small groups to ensure the best experience possible. The diving day normally starts around 8:30am, with two boat dives before returning to the resort for lunch. A third dive normally departs around 2:30pm, with a night dive at around 6:30pm either on the house reef or just a short boat ride away. Three-tank day trips to Lembeh Strait are also possible to experience its world renowned muck diving.

Strong currents around Bangka Island bring up nutrient waters, with plenty of soft corals, sponges and sea fans, as well as vibrant hard corals which attach to the pinnacles and bommies for which the waters are known. In addition to schools of Blue Striped Snapper, you can expect to see a colorful selection of nudibranchs, pygmy seahorses, frog fish and blue ringed octopus. There’s also some exciting gorges and swim-throughs, and dugongs are occasional visitors to the region.

The Murex Bangka’s dive boats are spacious and powered by two four-stroke engines for a quieter, more fuel-efficient ride. They are fully equipped with toilets, communication devices, first aid kits, life jackets, guest towels, rinse buckets and oxygen, with private dive boats and private guides available on request.

The Murex Bangka Dive Resort has an onsite PADI dive center who partner with Aqua Lung to provide high quality equipment rental. Certification courses can be arranged with prior notice, although the resort advises guests to do their pool components at their sister resort, Murex Manado.

The Murex Bangka’s dive center provides high quality air and Nitrox, with all of their tanks cleaned and serviced annually, with up-to-date hydrostatic testing. All of their compressors and filters are also routinely serviced, with no corners cut when it comes to diver’s health and safety. A re-compression chamber is located at Manado General Hospital and was initiated by the founder of Murex Dive Resorts.

Other Activities

When you’re not exploring the underwater world of Bangka Island, the Murex Bangka Dive Resort is sprawled along a beautiful private beach where you can relax on the sands or in one of their ocean-side hammocks with a good book. If you are traveling with non-divers or children, then the house reef offers excellent snorkeling, and the local village women are happy to play and look after young kids while you are out diving.

The Murex Bangka Dive Resort works with the local community to protect the island and its surrounding ecosystems from mining and other threats, with guests welcome to participate in the Bangka Conservation Fund to ensure the continued success of their ongoing projects.

Click here for more information about diving in Indonesia.

Click here for information about our Passport to Paradise dive package, which combines Bunaken National Park, Bangka Island and Lembeh Strait for an unforgettable dive vacation.