3WILL Bunaken Dive Resort

Opened in 2019, 3WILL Bunaken Dive Resort is built around the straightforward pleasures of island life: a private beach, bungalows, meals on site and diving close at hand. You stay on Bunaken's south-east coast, with the National Park as your wider playground and the village within walking distance when you want a look beyond the resort.

The layout suits divers who would rather spend their time outdoors than in a grand lobby. Couples can keep things simple with a private cottage and a balcony, while families have a room arranged for four. There is enough on site to make the resort your base rather than merely a bed between boat trips.

English, Spanish, Indonesian and Polish are spoken by the resort's wider team. That gives you a useful range of languages for the practical business of organising island days, meals and excursions.

The address is Pangalisang Beach, Bunaken, in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The resort sits directly on a sandy beach with its own private beach area, gardens, terraces and a sun terrace. Bunaken National Park is right on the doorstep, in the geographical sense if not the one involving a pair of sandals and a wet towel.

Bunaken Village is about 10 minutes away on foot, with local shops, cafés, restaurants and bars. You can also arrange motorbike rental for reaching other beaches, viewpoints and villages around the island. Liang Beach is roughly 1 mile away, while Siladen Beach is about 2.3 miles away.

Getting there is part of the island experience. The journey from Manado Harbour takes about 45 minutes by boat, and the airport leg is roughly one to one and a half hours by road before the crossing. Manado city is about 30 minutes away by car from the relevant mainland connection.

Private cottages are the natural choice if you want the room to feel connected to the island: each has a private balcony looking towards surrounding greenery, a seating area, an en suite bathroom, toiletries and a mosquito net. A fan is included, and air conditioning is also available for the part of the night when the tropical air has stopped feeling romantic and started feeling personal.

For two people, the beachfront bungalow puts the coast at the centre of the stay, while a sea-view deluxe bungalow gives you more room to spread out and linger. Garden-facing options trade the immediate sea outlook for greenery. The double room with a terrace has two single beds, which can be more practical for dive buddies than negotiating who gets the wall side of a large bed.

Families can stay together in the deluxe family room, arranged with four single beds. Children older than four are welcome, but cots and extra beds are not available, so the sleeping arrangement matters when you book. Daily housekeeping, a private bathroom, towels, linen and a socket near the bed cover the useful basics.

The all-day restaurant handles the main business of keeping divers fed, with local and Western dishes on the table. The resort operates on a full-board basis, and breakfast is included in that arrangement. Breakfast is served as a buffet, with continental, vegetarian, vegan, halal and gluten-free choices listed among the options.

There is one restaurant, along with a bar, a snack bar and a coffee house on site. Fruit is available, and special-diet menus can be arranged. That gives you somewhere to deal with the post-dive appetite without having to make the village walk every time your stomach starts filing complaints.

Packed lunches are also available for days spent away from the dining room. Room service adds another practical option when you are tired, sun-warmed and not interested in putting on proper clothes merely to find dinner.

A beach, garden, outdoor furniture, sun loungers and terraces give you the basic equipment for a proper afternoon of doing very little. Massage services are available when shoulders and lower backs have opinions about the number of dives in the week. The resort also offers walking tours and excursions to local villages, beaches and cafés.

You can hire a bicycle, join boat excursions or take part in water sports and fishing. Wildlife observation is another reason to leave the lounger, with dolphin spotting included among the family-friendly excursion ideas. For a land-based outing beyond Bunaken, trips can be organised to the Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve.

Back at the resort, the games room has billiards, table tennis, darts, board games and puzzles. Live music and evening entertainment add something to the later hours, although the quiet period runs from 23:00 to 04:00. The sensible plan is therefore to enjoy the evening, then let tomorrow's first boat win the argument.

The resort can arrange an airport shuttle, with direct private pick-up and transport from Manado. Plan on a mainland road journey followed by the 45-minute boat crossing to Bunaken. Sam Ratulangi Airport is the relevant airport for the journey, and the transfer should be arranged with the resort before arrival.

Check-in runs from 14:00 to 18:00, while check-out is from 06:00 to 11:00. A prepayment confirms the booking, and the cancellation and prepayment conditions vary according to the accommodation selected. Cash is an accepted payment method, and currency exchange is available on site.

Wi-Fi is available free of charge, daily housekeeping is included, and laundry, ironing and room service are available. A safety deposit box is also provided. Guests travelling with children should note that children over four are welcome, but cots and extra beds are not available. Pets can stay on request.