Murex Dive Resort

We did the Passport to Paradise with 4 days each in Manado, Bangka, and Lembeh. Our Scoot flight arrived in Manado 2 hours late so it was good to see the smiling face of our driver Billy welcoming us and taking care of everything. The drive from the airport to the resort took over an hour with Saturday night traffic and a short stop at the supermarket. We had hoped to get a sim card and some money changed but that window had passed. We stayed in a premium deluxe cottage which was very lovely and spacious, with beautiful oceanfront views over the pool area, and lots of room for everything. The bed is two singles together (or could be twin) so a king size and was comfortable. Our aircon worked well, there is a water dispenser (hot/regular/cold) and coffee (with plungers) and tea, and a small drinks fridge (drinks in the fridge are charged extra). The bathroom was large with shower gel, shampoo and conditioner supplied. There was a lot of power points, mostly all with international fittings so great for charging/using devices. We had no Wi-Fi for the first day so it wasn’t possible to stay in touch with family and to use the resort’s online drinks and food menus but once fixed it worked well. All our meals were included in our package (mostly buffet style) but drinks including soft-drink and machine coffees were an additional charge. They have a spa offering massages and manicure/pedicure so we took advantage of an offer for a 90-minute massage for the price of 60 minutes (IDR 400k), that was really nice. The grounds of the resort are very tranquil and lush with lots of seating everywhere so you can relax in the lounge/bar or dining areas, or in a sun bed at the waterfront. The dive operation is well organised, and we had our dive guide Reinhart for all 3 destinations. They do two morning dives and then come back for lunch, then there is the option of an afternoon dive or to dive the house reef which is definitely worthwhile. The boats are well set-up and equipped, stable and comfortable, all with excellent skippers and crew. Rein had great knowledge, including scientific names of all the critters and we had a lot of laughs as well as enjoyable dives, he looked after us well. The staff were lovely and very attentive to all our needs, making a special effort to get to know the guests and their preferences. Our transfer to Bangka was by boat including two morning dives along the way, with the bags going by road and waiting in our room on arrival.

Good diving, good food. Always a great experience at Murex Manado! I will definitely be coming again with the family. The kids love the pool and playing in the ocean. The house reef diving is excellent.

We had a really amazing 5 night stay at Manado, followed by 2 nights in Bangka. Murex really embodied hospitality. The staff remember what your names and make you feel very welcome. They know when you leave the room and when they can do the housekeeping. They are always aware of your movements so they can cater to your needs. The rooms are beautiful and clean, truly spotless. The toilets are luxuriously big. For diving, you can see how careful the dive staff are. And there are so many staff needed to maintain safety of your dives! I felt comfortable and reassured. The sealife at both manado and Bangka was amazing. We saw everything we wanted. And the turtles are everywhere! We saw the dolphins and pilot whales twice too! The food is excellent and reasonably priced, whether you choose alacarte or the buffet. Can’t wait to go back again!