Bangka Island
ENNature, calm and pleasure... In North Sulawesi, Indonesia, I set course for a dream island. Its name: Bangka.
Halmahera Sulawesi
March 25, 2013. Here I am at stage 2 of this small trip in the Indonesian archipelago.
I take off from Ternate, nearHalmaherain the Moluccas, for Manado, North Sulawesi, with Lion Air. 50 minute flight, uneventful.
I rediscover the beauty of North Sulawesi from the sky. And I'm looking forward to it.
I contacted the Coral Eye by e-mail before my departure, I am expected at the airport of Manado. Two young women, Carla and Perla, are waiting for me behind the barrier with a small sign with my name.
The presentations made, we pile up in the car, with the races. I know that it is still necessary approximately one hour of road to join Pantai SurabayaThe black sandy beach on the northern tip just in front of Bangka Island, where the boat is waiting for us.
After that, there are only forty minutes left. Calm sea and big sun. It looks good.
My heart is pounding. I scan the horizon. I can't wait to see the island again.
MY island for a few days... 😎
A beach, a pontoon, the coral
In the end, happiness comes down to a few things... 😉 An island. A beach. A pontoon over the coral and the gentle murmur of the surf.
Ah, Bangka Island! I had already let go, on this island, three years ago. I am determined to reoffend.
I give you below my mini 360° realized with the iPhone, with the nice application Dermandar. I missed the horizon connections a little, but it's nice anyway (click on it to rotate it as you like and preferably choose the 1024 resolution at the bottom right of the frame) :
A picture is worth a thousand words ... Here are some more photos, by way of mouthing.
That was just to give you an idea of the place...
In the next postI will tell you more about this dive center like no other, the Coral Eye...
😎
Many thanks for sharing. I do not get tired of seeing the pictures
Good luck
@Monoi2013: there's plenty more coming in the next post... 😉
The first picture of the pontoon is crazy!
Always a pleasure your blog!
@Brice: enjoy!!! 🙂 More coming soon...
I had not been to Bangka during my trip to Sulawesi but the picture of the pontoon really reminds me of Kadidiri in Togian (still in Sulawesi).
Is it very quiet or not Bangka?
@Laurent: yes, very quiet, Bangka. The island is less isolated than Togian (only about 40 minutes from Sulawesi), but very quiet. There are only 4-5 resorts for diving tourists, which are quite far from each other. For the rest, jungle, mangroves, beaches, fishermen, a village ... It is quiet.
8)
It looks really great, and most importantly, much quieter and wilder than most islands in Thailand!
@Chris: there are also quiet islands in Thailand... These are obviously not the best known 😉
In these times a little sad, what it makes good...
When is the vacation? your reports and photos make me feel good! 🙂
@Eric: in this month of July 2013, I am already gone again, to Borneo!!! I was very late in my posts, due to work before departure, and lack of proper internet connection since my arrival in Indonesia...
I am now on the Malaysian side of Borneo, and I have a good connection tonight. I just published an article about Bangka Island, where I was in March 2013:
https://petitesbullesdailleurs.fr/coral-eye-bangka-island-sulawesi-20130709/
If I can get online in the next few days, I'll try live-blogging!!! 8)
Bravo for your site, your photos and your advice! You convinced us to go spend our next long weekend in Coral eye. We live in Singapore, it helps 8) Departure on July 19th for 4 days, I can't wait!! 😀 Thanks again and keep on sharing underwater discoveries with us. Can't wait for the next posts! Where is your next destination?
@Virginie: thank you!!! 🙂 Glad to inspire travel desires in others....
I just published a post on Coral Eye, read here:
https://petitesbullesdailleurs.fr/coral-eye-bangka-island-sulawesi-20130709/
My next destination, I am already there!!! It's Borneo! I'm way behind in my posts...
I just spent a few days on the island of Derawan, on the Indonesian side, and now, I'm about to go back to dive in Sipadan-Mabul, for a few days... I'll try to tell this story very soon !!! Stay tuned...
8)
Great pictures as usual!
Can you tell me why you preferred Bangka Island to Bunanken stp?
I'm preparing my trip for August with my wife who doesn't dive but does snorkeling. I was going for Bunanken but seeing your pictures I hesitate...^^ any suggestion? 🙄
@Ben: simply because there are much less people and divers in Bangka than in Bunaken... To take pictures, it's better not to have too many people around to scare the fish... 😉
Beyond that, I really like Bangka for its very quiet side and for the quality of the dive sites. And I like the Coral Eye, where I am now received as a friend... I went back there in summer 2015:
https://petitesbullesdailleurs.fr/plonger-bangka-island-sulawesi-20151222/
See all my articles (2010, 2013, 2015) on Bangka:
https://petitesbullesdailleurs.fr/bangka/
🙄
Hello Corinne...thank you for your blog...I would like to go this summer to Bangka...my husband and I are snorckling lovers...not diving...what is your advice...thank you
@Vivi: well, go ahead!!! 🙂 There are plenty of possibilities for snorkeling around Bangka Island, including the garden and coral farm right in front of the beautiful Coral Eye beach... Good preparation!