Bunaken
The Bunaken National Marine Park was formally established in 1991 and is among the first of Indonesia 's growing system of marine parks. However, it was not until 2000 that the park began to get serious funding from the users, in order to be able to rezone and send out environmental patrols to move towards more sustainable conservation. The Park lies off shore from Manado , and covers a total surface area of 89,065 hectares, 97% of which is covered by sparkling clear, warm tropical water. The remaining 3% of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. All visitors to the Bunaken National Park (divers and non-divers) are required to pay an entrance fee, in accordance with North Sulawesi Provincial Government Provincial Law Number 9/2002. The entrance fee for foreign visitors is Rp 50,000 per daily ticket (approximately US$6), or Rp 150,000 (approximately US$17) for a waterproof plastic entrance tag valid for the full...