Kungkungan Bay - Lembeh Strait

For the people of Indonesia, Kungkungan Bay Resort can be less than the famous Bunaken National Park as a place of maritime tourism in North Sulawesi (North Sulawesi). However, foreign tourists in the eyes, Kungkungan become one of the favorite tour under the sea must visit. So, do not wonder if the visitors dominated Kungkungan more foreign tourists rather than travelers archipelago.

Kungkungan not too difficult to achieve. If using a private vehicle, from Manado city you must first go to Kota Bitung. Travel Manado-Bitung this takes about two hours. Arrived in Bitung, travel during the next 20 minutes is done with the steep road towards the holiday Lembeh, where Kungkungan are.

Holiday travel and make sure the body feels tired and weary. But not surprised, as you pass on sand is to the eye with water in the sea of verdure around Kungkungan, lost feeling tired and weary that.

For the traveler who has just arrived, the resort will usually distribute the bread fresh. Do not wrong, the bread is not for cemilan welcome, but to feed the fish of the sea. Huddle colorful fish that fight crumb from the bread-crumb visitor is a typical scene that seems Kungkungan not belong to another resort.

Kungkungan inch of sea water is not choppy, because the geographic location is under the hill. In addition, Kungkungan also diapit two smaller islands: Lembeh and Serena, who is only about 200 meters from the beach lips. Sea water is calm and clear that enables visitors to observe marine ecosystems such as the blue sea stars, fish, yellow tail, or the first fish-eye with the first naked.

Kungkungan own area, only about four haktare. Founded around 1995, on cooperation with the private sector Pemkot Bitung, Kungkungan built with the purpose of diving and snorkeling tours. To create the effect of private, only the manager deliberately build 17 bungalows all facing the sea.

"Due to limited places, the tourists are usually remote from the booking day," said Assistant Manager Kungkungan Bay Resort, Rustam Talengkera. According to Rustam, interest in foreign tourists to experience the beauty of the panorama Kungkungan is very high. This proved to the level of residential bungalow, which is always full booked throughout the year. Moreover, to ensure that can dive around Kungkungan, Rustam go, there have been a tourist attraction mem-booking a room two years earlier with full payment in advance.

Problem in the tour fare Kungkungan, go Rustam, comparable with the tourism facilities are presented. For domestic tourists, the price to rent a bungalow between Rp 700 thousand until Rp 900 thousand per day. Meanwhile, for foreign tourists, the price can be twice more expensive with the exchange rate of U.S. dollars. If you want to dive, the visitor will be charged Rp 180 thousand per hour. While snorkeling rate, Rp 120 thousand per hour.

Accompanied Instructor
In Kungkungan, there are at least 38 point with a dive depth of 12 to 15 meters. When Kungkungan dive in, you'll dive with professional instructors from Eco Divers. The instructors also double as a photo interpreter to make sure you travel under the sea . For convenience dive, each group is limited to four divers to one instructor in each.

Diverse group of fish and coral is a beautiful panoramic sea typically under Kungkungan. Even if you are lucky, when you can dive meet rare species such as the dwarf sea horses, fish, frogs furry dense, Ambon scorpion fish, pipe fish and flowers. Done dive, you can return to the resort for the hot water bath or simply swim in the swimming pool mini.

When the stomach feels hungry, you can going to restaurant 24 hours a la carte menu with traditional cuisine and Indonesia. If you still want to pampered, a traditional Indonesian massage therapy you can try. Do not worry, the masseur experienced. "Currently we are building facilities for complete comfort spa visitors," added Rustam.

Head of North Sulawesi Provincial Tourism Office, Edwin Silagen, acknowledges that Kungkungan is one of the excellent tourist attractions in North Sulawesi. According to Edwin, marine tourism has a big enough contribution for economic growth Sulut. Sulut economic growth of 5.87 percent in the year 2006, the tourism sector contributes the largest income after agriculture.

Exploration tours in North Sulawesi sea bottom at this time, Edwin information, not yet optimal. He estimates, at least, there is still potential 100 point dive in the three districts and islands of the Sitaro, Sangihe, and Talaud. To develop the potential of that, local governments invest in the infrastructure such as roads to the development of tourism and hotel development.

World Ocean Conference (WOC), which planned to take place in Manado, in May 2009 was later made Pemprov Sulut event as a campaign tour to the outside world. WOC in the future, the world will be introduced in the nautical tourism potential of Indonesia and North Sulawesi in particular, through the motto The Land of Smiling People.

Source: www.republika.co.id