Most visitors fly into Manado and then transfer by boat to Bunaken or nearby islands.
Typical routing patterns:
International: connect via major hubs (often Jakarta or Singapore) and continue to Manado (MDC).
Domestic: frequent links from major Indonesian cities.
From Manado to Bunaken:
Many resorts and dive operators run scheduled speedboats.
Public boats exist, but schedules can vary and are less convenient with dive gear.
Getting around
Manado:
For divers, the easiest option is a pre-arranged car and driver through your resort or dive operator. - Taxis and ride-hailing can work for short city trips.