In late November of 2021, I had the pleasure of being able to visit a brand new snorkel and dive resort in Indonesia called Kusu Island Resort in southern Halmahera. Halmahera, if you're wondering, is the large odd-shaped island just west of the Raja Ampat area. I was visiting Kusu Island Resort for two reasons, the first was to check it out as a potential resort to run our snorkeling safaris through, and the second was to produce some promotional content for the new resort. As Kusu Island Resort is not 100% open to the public yet because of the seriously annoying restrictions to still in place for foreigners visiting Indonesia, I was the only “guest” and had the whole place to myself for two full weeks. Yes, my job has some serious perks! Anyway, my time was not spent lounging around, quite the opposite actually. I used every bit of daylight and a good portion of the night to explore as much of the reefs and resort as possible to make sure everything is “up to snuff.” Here's what I found. The Resort Upon landing at the Labuha airport on the island of Bacan (pronounced Bachan), just off the southwest corner of Halmahera you'll be met by a member of the Kusu Island Resort team and taken to the nearby port where you'll jump into the resort's comfortable speedboat and driven about thirty minutes to Kusu Island, where the resort is, obviously. The resort has been incorporated into the island in a very natural way and the only evidence you'll see of the resort, in the beginning, is a long—beautifully built pier that extends from the mangroves and ends where the reef drops off into the blue. It's only when the boat is parking on the wooden pier that
In late November of 2021, I had the pleasure of being able to visit a brand new snorkel and dive resort in Indonesia called Kusu Island Resort in southern Halmahera. Halmahera, if you’re wondering, is the large odd-shaped island just west of the Raja Ampat area. I was visiting Kusu Island Resort for two reasons,
Bali is one of the world's most iconic destinations when it comes to exotic locations. This small tropical island nestled amongst the thousands of other islands that make up the Indonesian archipelago seems to have no end when it comes to unique things to do. From sunrise volcano treks, walks through intricately terraced rice fields, monkey forests, cooking courses, waterfalls, more shopping than you could possibly fit in a lifetime, sacred temples, and miles of coastline that ranges from black and white sand beaches to steep cliffs with breathtaking views. This is of course without acknowledging Bali's unique Hindu culture, its warm and welcoming people, and the stylish villas and bungalows that can cost little more than the price of a large pizza back home. Land Excursion Options Batur Volcano Sunrise Trek Climbing to Batur Voclanoe's crater rim is an epic journey that usually starts with a very early wake up around 3 am—depending on where you're departing from. You'll be shuttled to the base of the volcano where you'll begin the trek around 4 am. You'll have a guide who will lead up up the well-maintained trail to the top. As far as volcano treks go it's not particularly difficult, though it is a solid hour to one-and-a-half hour trek uphill. Upon arrival at the top, you'll be handed a boiled egg and a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate just before the sun makes its way over the sprawling horizon. You will quite literally be above the clouds, and as they drift beneath you bathed in colors you'd only ever see in cotton candy they open up incredible views of the sea, lake Batur, more volcanoes, and deep into the crater below you. It's really a jaw-dropping experience and well worth the early departure. Rice Field
Bali is one of the world’s most iconic destinations when it comes to exotic locations. This small tropical island nestled amongst the thousands of other islands that make up the Indonesian archipelago seems to have no end when it comes to unique things to do. From sunrise volcano treks, walks through intricately terraced rice fields,
So, you're thinking about joining a snorkeling safari but not quite sure you want to spend your hard end holiday time traveling around with a group of people you've never met before. What's the group dynamic going to be like? I'm traveling alone so will I have to share a room with a stranger? Will we have to eat together at every meal? will we have to wear matching group outfits and travel behind someone carrying a big sign above their head!? These are all very valid questions, particularly the last one, and let me just quickly say that we would never put you into matching outfits and make you march through the domestic terminal in single file. To ease some of your very valid group traveling concerns here's a little info on what it's like to be apart of one of our group snorkeling safaris. The Group Dynamic As someone who's been leading snorkeling safaris for Snorkel Venture since they first started, I can honestly say that every tour I've been on the general group dynamic is one of fun and excitement. I believe the reason we consistently receive such lively and easy-going groups of people is that our tours cater to a specific type of people, those that love to snorkel. If you jump on a group tour to Italy for example, you'll have a very different dynamic as everyone within the group has a different idea of how they want to see Rome or Venice. One person might want to rush and see every site imaginable while another might want to casually take in the sites as they sit in front of a cafe with an espresso. These contradictions in personal choice are likely to upset the general group dynamic. This is not the case with our
So, you’re thinking about joining a snorkeling safari but not quite sure you want to spend your hard end holiday time traveling around with a group of people you’ve never met before. What’s the group dynamic going to be like? I’m traveling alone so will I have to share a room with a stranger? Will
Our passion for snorkeling has led us to base our entire business around the sport. We learnt to snorkel as young kids, exploring the sandy bottoms of beaches and even pulling on a mask and snorkel to swim around swimming pools. Snorkels have been used by humans for hundreds of years, using reeds to help breathe underwater primarily for fishing, the technique was then used for exploring and having fun. Snorkel Venture has been a natural progression from a marine-based travel business which is over 10 years in the making. The reason why? We strongly believe that snorkeling can change a person’s life. The benefits attached to snorkeling are tremendous, it’s a great tool for stress relief, physical fitness and general happiness. There is nothing better than being able to swim amongst the exotic underwater world, calmly taking in sights and feelings never experienced before. At Snorkel Venture we set out on a quest to promote and arrange our own snorkeling holidays to the worlds very best destinations. Our ethos is simple: to inspire people of all ages and capabilities to go out there and experience extraordinary snorkeling, backed up with the comfort, expertise and safety of a travel company who has been there and done it for themselves. Every snorkel destination in the world is different, offering up a bounty of marine life all colors of the rainbow. We combine exotic marine life with beautiful destinations, warm temperatures and excellent accommodation. We have a full range of vacations ready and waiting to change your life, for the better. Start your own snorkelling adventure with us today, to discover something amazing and to realize the health benefits of this wonderful sport.
Our passion for snorkeling has led us to base our entire business around the sport. We learnt to snorkel as young kids, exploring the sandy bottoms of beaches and even pulling on a mask and snorkel to swim around swimming pools. Snorkels have been used by humans for hundreds of years, using reeds to help
Sulawesi is a large and varied island in the north of Indonesia. The international airport in Manado makes this island accessible and relatively developed. Snorkeling Sulawesi offers spectacular healthy reefs, abundant with turtles, schooling fish, soft corals of various colors and species and generally clear calm waters. Sulawesi offers opportunities to explore and combine stunning highland jungle treks, volcanic crater lake visits and incredible wildlife viewing, with interesting cultural interactions and stunning offshore islands. These islands are the real snorkeler's paradise. Stunning white sand beaches surrounding the small green islands provide incredible views, while the waters are full of various tropical fish species and healthy corals. To the North, Bunaken National Park offers some of the healthiest reefs in Indonesia. Known for its abundance of soft corals, snorkeling Bunaken should be on every snorkelers bucket list. This area also has a large resident turtle population and one can reasonably expect to see these animals almost every time one enters the water. This is considered some of the best Snorkeling in Indonesia. The islands of Siladen, Gangga, Manado Tua and Bangka provide secluded bays perfect for snorkeling and enjoying a quite lunch or surface break. We love a few of the island resorts in this area, including Siladen Island Resort and Gangga Island Resort. We try to always include a few days in the Minhasa highlands of Sulawesi where there is a lot to explore, like Tangkoko National Park, Linow Lake (a colourful sulphuric lake which is quite a spectacle) and Mount Mahawu, a dormant volcano offering s lovely walk and stunning views from the crater rim.
Sulawesi is a large and varied island in the north of Indonesia. The international airport in Manado makes this island accessible and relatively developed. Snorkeling Sulawesi offers spectacular healthy reefs, abundant with turtles, schooling fish, soft corals of various colors and species and generally clear calm waters. Sulawesi offers opportunities to explore and combine stunning
