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Murex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!

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passport to paradise

Are you planning your next tropical diving holiday? With literally the world at your feet and so many different types of diving to choose from it can be tough deciding where to go.

The Indonesian province of North Sulawesi lies at the heart of the Coral Triangle, the most marine rich region on Earth. North Sulawesi offers incredible wall diving in the Bunaken Marine Park; wreck, critters and reef combinations in Manado Bay; colourful coral reefs surrounding Bangka Island; and the world’s best muck diving in the Lembeh Strait. So how do you begin to choose which destination to visit?

Whilst many divers have heard of these world class diving destinations, some may not realize the close proximity within which they are found. Taking a scuba diving holiday in North Sulawesi does not mean that you have to choose between locations – you can see all that is on offer in one trip with a Passport to Paradise.

Dive Your Way from Resort to Resort

The idea of moving from resort to resort can seem arduous and result in wasted diving days – but in North Sulawesi this does not need to be the case. Murex’s Passport to Paradise is a unique concept and an experience unlike any other. Stay at Murex Manado (for diving Bunaken and Manado), smoothly transition to Murex Bangka and then on to Lembeh Resort. You can choose the number of nights you wish to stay in each location (and the order) and boat transfers include two dives along the way. The seamless boat diving transfers ensure that there are no wasted diving days, no time-consuming logistical planning, and no drying and packing gear between destinations. Dive your way, hassle free, from one resort to the next.

Let’s take a look at the beautiful resorts and the world-class diving that awaits you in North Sulawesi….

Stay at Murex Manado Resort

This beautiful resort is set amid lush, tropical water gardens, overlooking the ocean with stunning views of Manado Tua volcano and Bunaken Island. The resort’s landscaped gardens feature lily ponds, koi ponds, spring fed streams, mature fruit trees, tropical flowers and turtles are known to nest on the black sand beach.

Passport to Paradise

Accommodation is a mix of comfortable and spacious Deluxe Cottages and there are two Premium Deluxe Cottages that are even more generously proportioned and include additional storage and beautiful organic decorative touches. All accommodation has ensuite bathrooms with hot water, air conditioning, either a king size bed or twin beds, verandas with comfortable seating, and thoughtful finishes.

When you are not diving, enjoy the infinity pool with sunlounges overlooking the ocean, sea kayaks are available, there is a variety of land tours to choose from or indulge yourself with a relaxing spa treatment.

Passport to Paradise

Diving in the Bunaken Marine Park

Just 30 minutes by boat from Murex Manado Resort lies the world renowned Bunaken Marine Park. The Bunaken Marine Park was one of the first regions in Indonesia to be declared a Marine Protected Area by the Indonesian Government, and it shows! No fishing is allowed on the reefs and this is a no-anchoring zone, utilising mooring buoys instead to protect the corals from anchor damage. Dive sites around this small island are characterized by staggering coral walls that descend into the depths and are teeming with life. The resident population of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) has grown from strength to strength over the years, so much so that at some sites you’ll lose count of the number of turtles you see in a single dive. Hawksbill turtles are also known to frequent the marine park.

Passport to Paradise

Other highlights of diving in Bunaken include phenomenal visibility, huge schools of pyramid butterflyfish and red toothed triggerfish, passing white tip reef sharks, broadclub cuttlefish, an array of nudibranch species, hunting banded kraits, a plethora of macro critters and look out for occasional spotted eagle rays gliding in the blue.

Diving in Manado Bay

Manado Bay is home to wide ranging marine life and diverse dive sites. This area is becoming increasingly recognized for its black sand muck diving sites that are home to an abundance of unusual critters from numerous cephalopod species through to seahorses, nudibranch and crustaceans. The Molas wreck is an exciting wreck dive and also offers a myriad of fish and critters. The Bay is an underwater playground for marine enthusiasts and photographers alike. Another highlight of diving here is night diving, which is when the critters really put on a show! To the south of Manado Bay lays Poopoh, a record breaking site where 385 different species of fish were recorded in one dive.

Passport to Paradise

Stay at Murex Bangka Resort

Situated on a palm-fringed white sand beach, Murex Bangka Resort offers a truly tropical island experience. When staying at Murex Bangka you won’t see a single road or vehicle, just a beach, the ocean and bright blue skies.

Accommodation options include Oceanfront Cottages, Premium Oceanfront Cottages, and Hillside Deluxe Cottages. All accommodations have ensuite bathrooms with hot water, verandas, either a king size bed or twin beds, and comfortable seating. Deluxe and Premium accommodations are beautifully appointed and more generously proportioned with additional daybeds and storage space. All Oceanfront accommodations offer stunning sea views and Murex’s Oceanfront cottages are an ideal option for solo travelers.

Passport to Paradise

Bangka’s cottages have 24/7 electricity, powered largely by solar). Rooms are fan cooled during the day with air conditioning running from 5pm – 7am to ensure a comfortable night’s sleep. Murex Bangka’s Dive Centre has individual gear lockers and boasts an impressive spacious camera room – a major plus for underwater photographers.

Passport to Paradise

Diving Bangka Island, North Sulawesi

Bangka is as beautiful underwater as it is on land.  Dive sites around Bangka Island feature pinnacles, sea mounts and white sand muck. Bangka offers a spectrum of critters combined with schooling snappers and larger species including reef sharks. If you are interested in underwater photography, you’ll be spoiled for choice whether your preference is wide angle or macro.

Passport to Paradise

Bangka’s pinnacles are a major highlight. Every available surface is adorned with kaleidoscopic soft corals – expect an overload of colour! Some of Bangka’s most notable dive sites include Sahaung, Batu Goso, and Batu Mandi.

Passport to Paradise

Some of the unique critters you’ll find here include 3 species of pygmy seahorse, harlequin, tiger and mantis shrimps, a treasure trove of nudibranch species, octopus including blue rings, long arm, and mimic octopus. For those who prefer larger marine life, Bangka is also known for being one of the best places in North Sulawesi to have the chance of a dugong sighting.

Stay at Lembeh Resort

Known as Lembeh’s premier and most luxurious dive resort, Lembeh Resort is located in a secluded bay on the banks of the Lembeh Strait. At the heart of the resort is the architecturally impressive main restaurant, swimming pool, dive centre, camera room and esteemed Backscatter Authorized Photo Centre.

Lembeh Resort’s accommodation, as one would expect, is spacious and thoughtfully finished with absolute comfort in mind. Choose between 3 types of accommodations: Garden View Rooms, Hillside Luxury Cottages, and Premium Luxury Cottages.

Passport to Paradise

For those seeking a truly exclusive experience, Lembeh Resorts boasts a beautifully appointed Cliffside Villa. The villa is perched on a green hillside with a floral garden, private swimming pool and offers 180° views of the Lembeh Strait below.

All accommodations include ensuite bathrooms with hot water, hairdryers, air-conditioning, king-size bed or twin beds, hot and cold drinking water, complimentary tea and coffee, mini-bars, Wi-Fi, and electronic safes.

Passport to Paradise

Diving in the Lembeh Strait

Over the years, the Lembeh Strait has been named as the ‘Critter Capital of the World, a ‘Muck Diving Mecca’, and the ‘Twilight Zone’. All names of which Lembeh Strait is certainly worthy!!

It’s undeniable that Lembeh is one of the most unique places to dive on the planet. While ‘muck diving’ might not initially sound so appealing, do not be deceived. This is any marine life enthusiast’s dream.

Passport to Paradise

Lembeh Strait’s sheer abundance and density of rare and unusual critters is unrivalled anywhere on earth. Just a few of the highlights include; 3 species of pygmy seahorses; flamboyant cuttlefish; mandarin fish mating; 8 species of frogfish; tiger, mantis and harlequin shrimps; Bobbit worms; stargazers; multiple species of ghost pipefish; bobtail squid; octopus species including mimic, wunderpus, blue ring, coconut, hairy, longarm, and starry night; a rainbow of nudibranch species; and  the list goes on… and on.

Needless to say, this is why underwater photography professionals from around the world visit the Lembeh Strait time and time again.

Passport to Paradise

All resorts include full board accommodation: 3 meals a day, afternoon snacks, Wi-Fi, unlimited complimentary drinking water, tea and coffee – and exemplary service comes as standard.

For those of you who want to experience the full diversity of Indonesia in comfort, have a choice of up to 150 dive sites, and maximize your diving opportunities – a Passport to Paradise is the dive trip of a lifetime.

Passport to Paradise

Contact Murex Resorts now and get a spending voucher worth 10% off your next holiday with them!

Contact Murex Resortsreservations@murexresorts.com

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Filming 360 in The Bahamas

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In December 2024, the Shark Trust had a very special opportunity to film sharks and rays in The Bahamas. Frogfish Photography are the Bahamas Dive Ambassadors for the UK. And Caroline, Deputy Editor at Scubaverse, is the Marketing Manager at the Shark Trust. So, when the need arose to film footage of several species of shark and ray for a new Shark Trust project, The Bahamas seemed the perfect fit. A huge thank you is needed here to the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. As they stepped in to fully support the trip both financially and practically. Ensuring that the filming expedition ran smoothly, and that we got as much time as possible in the water with sharks and rays, during the 10 day, 3 island trip.

The Bahamas is famous for its sharks and rays. Divers flock there to experience getting up close to a range of species. Our itinerary saw us visit Nassau, Bimini and Grand Bahama. It packed in as many in-water experiences as possible and had us dive, snorkel, and even take a submarine to experience them in a variety of different habitats and to capture them on film. We saw 148 sharks and rays from 8 different species (all of which have been logged on the Shark Trust Shark Log!).

But why were we there? The expedition was designed to fulfil the needs of two new projects being launched by the Shark Trust in 2025. The filming done underwater on this trip was the start of creating OneOcean360: A Shark Story. A new 360 immersive experience designed primarily for immersive domes and planetariums. The film will be the nearest experience to getting in the water with sharks and rays without getting wet! It will bring the world of sharks to an audience that may never get the chance to experience it first-hand. A Shark Story aims to deepen people’s understanding of sharks, uncovering and illustrating why they are so wonderful as well as being vital to marine ecosystems.

The film is being made in collaboration with Real Immersive. Also based in Plymouth, they have an immersive dome and are providing the technical expertise behind creating this unique experience. Reviewing the footage in the dome has been an invaluable part of the process. Both inspiring the team and allow us to refine the filming techniques to suit this immersive theatre.

You might imagine that we are using expensive cameras and even more expensive housings. But this is not the case. The entire project is being filmed using Insta360 X4 cameras. With only a few simple additions to the standard dive setup. The INON weight plate allowed us to attach this camera to a dive weight, set it down on sand or wreck, and then swim away and let the sharks be the stars. And the results are very exciting. The film will be ready this autumn. It will be accompanied by an educational pack for teachers to take away after school trips to see the film. Encouraging all those that see it to continue learning about these incredible animals.

You can support the creation of OneOcean360: A Shark Story by heading to the crowdfunder page and donating or selecting a reward.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/a-shark-story


Read about the shark and ray dives we did on Nassau, Bimini and Grand Bahama in our next blog post coming soon on Scubaverse.

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PADI Global Membership Contributes to Study That Indicates Revival of MPAs Would Bolster Billions for the Industry

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marine protected areas

Scientists, including those from National Geographic Pristine Seas, find scuba divers are willing to pay more to seek adventure in Marine Protected Areas, estimating an additional USD 2.7 billion spent per annum.

11 February 2025 – PADI®, the world’s largest scuba diving organisation, has been working with National Geographic Pristine Seas for the last three years to help identify the positive effects of protecting scuba diving sites around the world – which was recently published in new peer-reviewed research.

marine protected areas

PADI’s global membership of 6,600 PADI Dive Centres and Resorts in over 180 countries helped National Geographic Pristine Seas assemble a database that estimated the number of scuba dives annually, the extent to which protection would increase biomass and biodiversity in an area, and a scuba diver’s willingness to pay access fees to dive in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

As a result, the study found that more fully protected dive sites would generate an estimated USD 2.7 billion in additional income globally for the scuba diving industry, most of which would come from access fees paid by divers directly to local communities. This additional protection would also help regenerate marine ecosystems and a new long-term income source for these coastal economies.

marine protected areas

“Bottom line, ocean protection benefits marine life, coastal communities and businesses,” remarked Enric Sala, founder of National Geographic Pristine Seas. “Protecting diving sites from fishing and other damaging activities can generate new streams of income and benefit more people. It’s increasingly clear that efforts to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 are even more beneficial than we thought.”

marine protected areas

These research findings directly align with the goals of PADI’s Blueprint For Ocean Action– in which safeguarding recreational dive hotspots around the globe would deliver a host of benefits to tourists, local communities, and marine life. In 2022 PADI Iaunched an ambitious new initiative to establish the world’s largest network of conservation sites aimed at protecting ocean habitats and species threatened with extinction. Supported by Blancpain, founding partner of PADI’s MPA Program, the Adopt The Blue™ program activates a global network of dive sites across the planet to establish more Marine Protected Areas to regenerate local economies and coastlines.

marine protected areas

“By PADI joining forces with like-minded global partners such as National Geographic Pristine Seas, we will exponentially increase our positive impact for saving the ocean,” said Dr. Drew Richardson, President & CEO of PADI. “With more marine protected areas, we can reinvigorate the diver experience and regenerate hope for the ocean; and with that comes more people who are inspired to explore the ocean and become Torchbearers to further advocate for safeguarding its future.”

marine protected areas

Since 2008, National Geographic Pristine Seas has helped establish 29 of the largest MPAs in the world, covering a total area of 6.9 million square kilometers – more than twice the size of India. Their latest peer-reviewed research joins their resume of over 300 that have already been published.

marine protected areas

“If you protect a marine area, more recreational divers will show up and they’ll pay more for the privilege of seeing sensational underwater life,” said Reniel Cabral, a Senior Lecturer at James Cook University and the study’s lead author. “Communities and businesses are leaving money on the table by overlooking the benefits of marine sanctuaries.”

marine protected areas

Other key findings from the most recent study include:

  • Some 33 million dives take place in the ocean each year, but only 15% of dive sites are fully protected from fishing and other destructive activities
  • More MPAs estimated to increase the number of dives annually by 32% (10 million + more per year)
  • Egypt, Thailand, and the US host the most scuba diving annually (est. USD 3 million annually)
  • Indonesia, Egypt, and Australia host the most dives within MPA borders annually
  • The Philippines, the US, and Indonesia would benefit the most economically from designating sanctuaries in popular diving spots.
  • The Global South — host to some 62% of recreational dives — is poised to gain the most.

marine protected areas

“The potential for the recreational diver industry to create positive ocean change is unparalleled,” continues Richardson. “As the only global community to have the superhero skills to descend beneath the surface and both connect with and help the marine world directly, there is a massive opportunity to change the way we all seek adventure.  As the world’s largest scuba diving organisation, we can play a key part in reaching the global target of 30% protection by 2030 and enrich both ours and the ocean’s livelihood simultaneously.”

marine protected areas

To help PADI advocate for the establishment of more MPAs, visit padi.com/aware/AdoptTheBlue

National Geographic Pristine Seas

Pristine Seas works with Indigenous and local communities, governments, and other partners to help protect vital places in the ocean using a unique combination of research, community engagement, policy work, and filmmaking. Since 2008, our program has conducted more than 45 expeditions around the world and helped establish 29 marine reserves, spanning more than 6.9 million square kilometers of ocean.   Pristine Seas is part of the global non-profit, the National Geographic Society. Our mission is driven by science and filmmaking — we are fully independent from National Geographic publishing and its media arm.

About PADI 

PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) is the largest purpose-driven diving organisation with a global network of 6,600 dive centres and resorts, 128,000 professional members, and more than 30 million certified divers to date. Committed to our blue planet, PADI makes the wonder of the underwater world accessible to all, empowering people around the world to experience, explore and take meaningful action, as Ocean TorchbearersTM, to protect the world beneath the surface. For over 50 years, PADI is undeniably The Way the World Learns to Dive®, setting the standard for the highest quality dive training, underwater safety and conservation initiatives while evolving the sport of diving into a passionate lifestyle. For divers by divers, PADI is obsessed with transforming lives and, with its global foundation, PADI AWARETM, creating positive ocean change. Seek Adventure. Save the Ocean.SM  www.padi.com

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