Snorkeling at Siladen

How to get to the Siladen snorkeling location

Siladen Island is located only a few miles from the north coast of Sulawesi Island. The island can only be accessed by boat, usually from the city of Manado located on the main island.

A one-way trip from Manado airport to any hotel on the island usually costs from $60 to 90 for transportation and a 30 to 45-minute boat trip. Some hotels  offer free shuttle service from the airport with scheduled pick-up times.

Bunaken Island is only 2 miles from  Siladen. If you are staying at one of the many hotels in Bunaken, consider taking a day trip and taking a boat. A one-way trip is about $25. Some of the snorkeling excursions leaving from Bunaken also include a stop over in Siladen.

Water entrance for snorkeling Siladen Island

You can enter the water from almost anywhere along the sandy beach but try to take into account the currents, which can change direction several times per day.

If you want to avoid swimming a long distance to reach the drop-off, the recommended snorkel entry is close to the jetty, where the reef is the narrowest.

Siladen Island snorkeling tips

The best snorkeling at Siladen is found at the coral drop-off, which is at a distance of a minimum of 43 yards from the beach near the jetty.  It is about 440 yards from the beach fringing the Siladen Island Resort & Spa.

Once in the water, swim towards the drop-off. On the way, you will explore the reef flat, which is quite shallow (↕2-3 feet/0.5-1 meter). This flat features a mix of sand, small coral and seagrass. Butterflyfish, Moorish idols, damselfish and anemonefish are easy to spot in the shallows.

At the end of the reef flat, you’ll reach a dramatic drop-off that falls from 10 feet down to 30 feet. You’ll see a healthy profusion of corals, sponges and gorgonian that cling onto the flat here.

In this area, you will be amazed by the density and variety of coral. There are dozens of species to observe, including huge leather corals, tabular coral, branching coral, and large red sea fans. Among them, you will notice many giant clams and sea anemones.

More than 30 species of butterflyfish can be spotted on Siladen’s reefs, including pyramid butterflyfish, teardrop butterflyfish, double-saddle butterflyfish and the most common sunburst butterflyfish. (see species list at the bottom of the page)

Of the dozen clownfish species inhabiting Siladen’s shallows, six are easily spotted. Those are not the spot’s only attractions: angelfish, hundreds of chromis, moray eels, lionfish, bannerfish and batfish can also be seen at snorkeling depths.

Sea turtles are occasional visitors to the reef, but they are much less common at Siladen than at nearby Bunaken.

If you want to explore further, follow the reef northwards. When in front of the Siladen Resort & Spa,  swim towards the shore. You will enter a shallow area covered with seagrass (↕1-3ft) which is famous for hosting hundreds of starfish. The horned sea stars, in particular, are abundant in this area.

To fully enjoy your experience, take tide times into account. The sea meadows are too shallow to swim in at low tide, and the ebb tide brings a current driving towards the open sea. Currents occurring along the drop-off can change direction very often, check with the dive shops if you are not sure about the current direction.

Restaurants and accommodation on Siladen Island

There are several accommodation options on the island, including the world-known Siladen Resort and Spa. If you plan a day trip from Bunaken, consider booking your lunch in one of the hotels or guesthouses.