South-East Asia
MANADO SOLOS/MANADO GIRLS TOGETHER
Have you ever wanted a wonderful diving holiday but have no buddy to go with you? Are all your friends non-divers? Well worry no more, because these are special trips for solo divers who would like to travel with like-minded solo companions. Here you can meet new, like-minded friends and not have to worry about the hassles of travelling alone, sitting in the restaurant ‘toute seule’ etc. And you can avoid the dreaded single supplement if you are willing to share accommodation.
Solos are for both sexes. Girls Together trips are all-female.
The holiday features accommodation at Santika Seaside Resort and diving with on-site Thalassa Divers of Manado on the starfish-shaped island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, home to some of the best diving in the world. The diving package includes 20 dives which can be taken across a maximum of 9 diving days, with the option locally of adding in extra dives, night dives, and trips to the world-famous Lembeh Strait or the Bangka archipelago. There is no set agenda on this trip. Once the diving day is over relax and enjoy getting to know your new dive buddies, review your photographs together or head for the hotel bar and restaurant. Dive centre staff know the best local restaurants and night spots, so if you want to get a flavour for the local nightlife they would be more than happy to tell you about the good places to visit. Local taxis are safe and inexpensive. For full details of Santika Seaside Resort and the diving in the Bunaken Marine Park, please see our general Manado holiday description.
Non-diving activities can be booked locally through the dive centre. The Bunaken Sightseeing Tour is a half day trip to Bunaken Island. Take a walk around the island, visiting local markets and villages, and meeting the local people. The island has some stunning scenery. Enjoy a picnic at Liang Beach. The Minahasa Highland Tour is your opportunity to visit the mountainous hinterland of Manado. The uplands are covered with clove trees, vanilla trees and rice fields. Tinoor is the first stop: at 500m above sea level this offers great views of the Manado area. Next it is on to Tomohon, or 'Flower City' located between two volcanoes. Here you can visit a colour-changing lake (sometimes red, sometimes blue, sometimes green) and a traditional pottery-making village. After lunch, continue to Tondano, the capital of the Minahasa regency. A day trip to Tangkoko Jungle Reserve gives you the chance to see indigenous macaque monkeys and sweet, goggle-eyed tarsiers (a tiny, primitive primate) as well as huge hornbills and other birds. The jungle slopes down all the way to the beach. The tour involves a hike of around 3 hours after which there is a meal in a local restaurant.
OUTLINE ITINERARY
Day 1: Singapore Airlines morning flight from London Heathrow or Manchester bound for Manado via Singapore.
Day 2: Afternoon arrival in Manado. Transfer to Santika Seaside Resort for 10 nights.
Days 3-11: Up to 9 days of diving the Manado region.
Day 12: Morning at leisure before transferring to Manado airport for a Singapore Airlines afternoon bound for London or Manchester via Singapore.
Day 13: Morning arrival at London Heathrow or Manchester.
£813 Manado/Manado (2010 price; price in 2011 may increase).
Includes: Airport transfers; 10 nights room and breakfast on a twin/share basis in a Deluxe Room at Santika Seaside Resort; 20 boat dives, dive guide.
Room Upgrade: £56 for a Premiere Room; £93 for a Garden Bungalow (2010 prices; prices in 2011 may increase).
Single Occupancy Supplement: £214 in a Deluxe Room, £245 in a Premiere Room or £252 in a Garden Bungalow (2010 prices; prices in 2011 may increase). You can avoid paying the supplement if you are willing to share and a room-mate is available.
Deposit: £200 for Manado/Manado arrangements
Flights: From about £768 to Manado.
