 About Us & Members List
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February 18, 2010: New Visa regulations for Indonesia
In a dramatic change to the current immigration rules, starting on January 26, 2010, foreign tourists from countries eligible for 'visa-on-arrival' will now be given a 30 day visa that can be renewed for an additional 30 days. As part of the new changes the 7-day visa at US$10 has been abolished, with the 30-day US$25 visa (renewable for an additional 30 days) being the only visa that can be issued to eligible tourists. Click here for more information on Indonesia's visa regulations.
May 25, 2006: Visa on Arrival for Dutch citizens!
On May 23rd, 2006, the Indonesian authorities confirmed that Dutch passport holders will be granted a so-called visa-on-arrival (VOA) upon their arrival in Indonesia. The passport should be valid for a minimum period of six months after the date of entry into Indonesia.
The VOA is valid for a minimum period of seven days and a maximum period of thirty days. The costs involved are USD 10 for a seven-day and USD 25 for a thirty-day visa. The visa can not be exchanged for another legal residency and can not be extended.
(Please see our Practicalities page for more info about visa regulations)
August 27, 2005: Conde Nast salutes top 'ecotourism' spots
Destinations in Indonesia, South Africa and Mexico won the top spots on Conde Nast Traveler magazine’s annual "Green List", which names the best ecotourism experiences around the world.
The magazine’s top three were Bunaken National Marine Park in Indonesia, Shangana Cultural Village in South Africa, and Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve in Mexico.
The winners were chosen based on their environmental preservation efforts, their contributions to local culture, and the quality of the guest experience.
January 10, 2005: NORTH SULAWESI ACEH FUND RAISING
The small tourism community of North Sulawesi, comprising of NSWA (North Sulawesi Watersports Association) members and PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association, now NSTO) members have worked together to collect funds for the Tsunami victims in Indonesia. Over the last week, the following members have donated a sum of Rp. 150,000,000 (USD 17,000):
- Siladen Resort & Spa
- Hotel Gran Puri
- Froggies Dive Center
- Hotel New Queen
- Two Fish Dive Center
- Tasik Ria Resort / Eco Divers
- Living Colors Diving Center
- Gangga Island Resort
- Safari Tours & Travel
- Celebes Dive Resort
- Thalassa Dive Center/ Hotel Santika Manado
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- Bastianos Dive Center
- Star Travel Agency
- Lembeh Resort
- Highland Resort
- Cha Cha Diving Lodge
- Anonymous Local Business
- Kungkungan Bay Resort
- Murex Dive Resort & Liveaboards
- Waraney Rafting
- Pulisan Jungle Beach Resort
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Nearly all of the businesses above rely on the sea to be a significant component of the success of their businesses, and certainly felt a strong affiliation with many of the affected residents of Aceh, who also saw the sea as a fundamental part of their livelihood. It was the sobering realisation of the force of nature that prompted the seaside community of Manado to reach out and assist the seaside communities of Aceh decimated by this tragedy.
A bit of background to this process
The original challenge was choosing an agency that we were sure would insure that our donations got to the people of Aceh and Indonesia - we finally decided on the following:
Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. Since 1979, Mercy Corps has provided more than $710 million in assistance to 76 nations. Mercy Corps is known nationally and internationally for its quick-response, high-impact programs, which include projects in emergency relief, sustainable community development, and civil society initiatives.
Mercy Corps is committed to long-term community-based efforts that help people help themselves. With headquarters in the United States and Scotland, Mercy Corps is an international family of humanitarian agencies that reaches more than five million people each year. We then spoke with Godfrey Supka from Mercy Corps Indonesia who has given their assurances that the funds will go directly to Aceh (see below).
If the funds are sent via bank transfer to Hong Kong, they are earmarked for Indonesia.
Bank Name: HSBC
Address: HSBC Main Building, 1 Queen's Road, Central, Hong Kong
Account Name: Mercy Corps Limited
Account No.: 502-287121-838
Bank Sort Code: HSBCHKHHHKH
If you wanted to join us and support the relief fund, you can also make a cheque payable to "Mercy Corps Limited" in US funds in support of the Aceh Tsunami relief effort and send to
Mercy Corps, East Asia Pacific Region
8/F, Bank of America Tower
12 Harcourt Road, Central, Hong Kong SAR
D: (852) 2584 6104 F: (852) 2530 0484 M: (852) 6423 3391
www.mercycorps.org
For more information, please feel free top contact:
Godfrey Supka gsupka@id.mercycorps.org (Indonesia)
Diana Tsui dtsui@mercycorps-hk.org (Hong Kong)
2. The second challenge was how to mobilize the membership quickly. It was decided that each resort would contribute the equivalent cash amount of an 8 days/7 night package with 6 days of diving (3 per day). For those hotels that do not offer diving, their contribution was similarly based on room rate, etc.
If you have any questions regarding this initiative or you would like to donate to the Indonesian people that were affected by this horrific natural disaster, please feel free to contact us at
info@north-sulawesi.com in order for us to provide additional details on Mercy Corp.
December 28, 2004: North Sulawesi unaffected by earthquake and tsunamis
The North Sulawesi PATA Chapter would like to extend its heartfelt sympathies to the families of victims of the tsunamis that have befallen Southeast Asia, and especially those who have perished or sustained injuries in Indonesia.
Fortunately, due to the geographical distance from the epicentre, North Sulawesi was unaffected by both the earthquake and the tsunamis. This region was shielded by the vast expanse of Kalimantan and no noticible change in sea patterns for this time of the year were experienced. In particular, the coral reefs surrounding the islands off Manado including Bunaken and Manado Tua have not sustained any damage.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to drop us an email: info@north-sulawesi.com
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