Bunaken 18 Oceanfront Boutique Lodge

Location is fine, don't go anywhere else then the village, because there is nothing elsewhere and even Bunaken is out of tourist favor, but that does not affect the prices, who ever comes it is there to be scamed by locals and expats owning the resorts, which are literally filing apart but still would like to charge five stars for past glory. Alternative is stay in Manado and take a day trip to snorkel or dive it will cost the same.

What you see is not what you get. You think you will be overlooking the sea from the upper condo deck siping cold beer in reality everybody will be looking at you in your room on the ground communal reception area. There is no full board included in the room price, as with other resorts for the same price, but don't worry you can order lunch and dinner for triple the price. The breakfast is fine though. Dive resort? Yes they can organize diving for sure $$$, no diving on site. And last most crazy thing, you think you will sleep well, nope the full family of mice or rats lives literally on your roof (very near the kitchen) and you can hear them all day and specially night when they are walking under rustic roof. Get a cat please. This part of the building is not new just renewed, so again what you see is not what you get. And if this is not enough some noisy chinese tourist from the upper deck will accompany you. While half of the village will be cleaning daily catch in front of your door in the morning. Experience of your lifetime ... yes it is.

We loved our stay at Bunaken 18! We took a quick weekend trip from Manado, and found the location is extremely convenient—it was near where the public boat from Manado dropped us off, making it easy to get to on foot. It is also so nice being right on the beach — the boat pulled right up to the property to pick us up for snorkeling. This resort just opened in May, and it is managed by the lovely Nita. She is extremely friendly and service-oriented, happily helping us organize a fabulous snorkeling trip, as well as a private taxi back to Bahowo. Our room was clean and comfortable (with AC😅), there were handy foot sprays right outside each room, and the handheld shower in the bathroom had great water pressure and a soothing spray. The breakfasts (cooked by Nita) are huge and delicious, and their slushy fruit juices, which Nita greeted us with the moment we arrived, are yummy and refreshing! You can also order lunch and dinner for an added fee. The resort is small, just 5 guest rooms, so we felt personally catered to. The only warning I’ll give travelers to Bunaken Island in general (NOT at all the resort’s fault!) is that WiFi AND 4G can be spotty depending on the weather.

Nice and entirely clean room with AC and hot water. At the beach. Beautiful coral reef is close and hence accessible by swimming. I saw there big turtles, a lot of colorful fish and coral, and even one lionfish. The owner can also arrange boat tours for snorkeling or diving, as well as transport to Manado. Staff was very kind and helpful, especially Nita. The food was good too.

I stayed at Bunaken 18 Dive Resort and Cafe from 16 to 21 September, and it was an incredible experience! Oscar, the owner, provided fantastic service, ensuring that every detail was taken care of. The location of the resort is perfect, and the breakfast was generous and delicious. The rooms are clean, new, and comfortable, making it a relaxing place to stay after a day of diving. Highly recommend this resort for anyone visiting Bunaken!

Very good brakfast, nice reef for snorkeling just outside, helpfull staff

Small toilet without enclosed shower area so the floor got wet after every shower

The location, the super helpful owner n staff. Overall just a great place comfortable, clean

Owner and staff are very friendly and helpful. They’re very attentive to ensure your stay is a memorable and pleasant one. The resort is right on the beach. So if you book snorkelling trips through the resort, you can easily access to the boat as it will be parked in front of the resort. I enjoyed the beautiful view from the dining area. You can watch sunset from the resort. The resort is also near the border between the Muslim and Christian kampung. There is nearby ATM which I never tried. There are also nearby local shophouses and dive shops. You can walk to the main jetty. The locals are friendly and warm so don’t forget to put up your smiley face and say Hi!. The resort serve delicious local food which you can order for lunch and dinner. Breakfast is generous so if you can’t finish, let the workers know that you want less servings so you won’t waste the food. Or you can also pack to bring along for snorkeling trips. Tips for travellers who are first time coming here: As it is on an island, the electricity works on generator. Standby a torch or a headlight in case the electricity turned off suddenly at night. From my experience, the electricity trip normally took about 5 to 15 minutes. I stayed in the lower floor. The lights in the room were dim and my eyesight was not so good. Thankfully I brought my headlight. Like most island resorts, there is no tv. So download your favourite movies beforehand so you can play it anytime. There is wifi but the speed is unpredictable.

Suggestions: Probably hooks or (retractable) clothes line to hang wet clothes.

This new resort/cafe is very conveniently located at the centre of the village. The three rooms at the first floor are very confortable, the design is innovative and the various woods selected for the rooms are remarkable. The food is 100% local largely above the average. HAO Yun and his staff are very kind and helpful. The snorkelling directly in front of the rooms is just amazing - THE Bunaken snorkelling spot.

Nothing. Everything was perfect, as our final step before flying back.