Herb gardening in Cha Cha.

When I started work in Japanese Bank in London after marriage, never understood why some of my Japanese colleague who was same age or younger than me were talking about their new hobby "Gardening".  Unfortunately I was really not interested, it was sound very boring.
But now 15 years later(!!),  proudly I will speak about my herb garden in Cha Cha.  I am still not a "Green finger's person", but started gardening from necessity, cause in Manado, they do not sell "Italian basil" or "fresh coriander" or "Dill".  Hmm.. I love coriander!

Beginning was we bought some seed in Italy but forgotten about it for a year, then one day I just planted some seed before it's go bad.

Wow.. look at some results!  When I look after more, they grow happily and more and more coming out.  Amazing.

Finally I can use coriander for rice spring roll, basil for pasta, dill with tuna, etc for Cha Cha guests menu.
Also started to grow Italian tomato for trial. we are looking forward to see the first little Italian tomato in Cha Cha in near future... (cross finger!)

 Basil

Coriander

Rice spring roll with fresh Cha Cha coriander with home made sweet chili source.

Italian tomato plant start growing well.

A good day for diving.

Diving with our guests Pierre & Marie.
Merci!

Good day for snorkeling @ Bunaken Island

Hana chan playing with sand

Hana chan growing bigger but she is only 10 month old puppy.

Last Minute Booking Special for May/June2014

Last Minute Booking Special!!!!
Only for direct booking May/June 2014, from minimum 2 people.


more detail ↓

For Non Diver Package
http://www.bunakenchacha.com/lastminute_nondiver2014.html

For Diving Package
http://www.bunakenchacha.com/lastminutes_diver2014.html

Pushed wrong button, then this picture came up....

I miss my Chiko so much... 

This must be 6 years ago put in this blog. 

Our guest Mr.Bob's U/W Photo Gallery Part 3.

Bunaken Island - Coral Reef Paradise 

Our Guest Mr.Bob's U/W Photo Gallery Part2

Our Guests Mr.Bob's U/W Photo Gallery in March. Part1

Dugong! Dugong! Dugong!!!!! in front of Bunaken Cha Cha.

Yesterday at lunch time, we saw group of dolphins passing by in front of Cha Cha, so we are talking about dolphins and Dugong and Whale shark passing through around Bunaken.

Especially yesterday was "New Moon", we said to guests maybe there is a possibility to see Dugong in front of Cha Cha especially when it's still low tide.

Then late afternoon, our professional photographer Mr.M, he met Dugong as we spoked!!!

Amazing!  

Nowadays more often guests start see Dugon around Cha Cha.

Mr.M took even short video of the single Dugong swimming away happily into the blue and quite first.

I wish we can show you this video, but not sure if I can borrow this short movie of Dugong...  I shall try... 

TOARCO TORAJA COFFEE at Cha Cha Bar

Sulawesi is a quite famous big coffee island in Indonesia.
In our resort we normally use coffee call "Kotamobagu Kopi", local brand from Kotamobagu, North Sulawesi.
For the expresso / cappuccino lover, we have also Nespresso coffee.

But now our guests will be able to enjoy another type of good local coffee "Toarco Toraja Coffee"  provided by one of our guests who transport this to Japan.

Toraja coffee, which has been recognized as a masterpiece of Arabica coffee throughout the world, is now available at  Cha Cha Bar, also at our souvenir select shop "Reef shop".

Enjoy this mellow aroma and well balanced taste of Toarco Toraja Coffee especially after lunch relaxing time looking at sea, listening to the waves.

more detail of this coffee (out side link) → https://www.keycoffee.co.jp/e/story/toraja.html

Sunset? No. Early sunrise scene from Bunaken Cha Cha.

Sunset?  No.... This is just before the sunrise for early bird.

Put mask and fins, and have a look under water.

Beautiful coral reef, enjoy this amazing snorkeling world!

another snorkeling days in Bunaken Cha Cha.

Happy New Year 2014

Happy New Year, wishing you the very best for the year 2014.

This photo was taken by our Guest seen Dugong on 30December2013, just two days ago. 
Year 2013 was really Dugong Year.  Already how many times guests seen Dugong around Cha Cha?!   It's incredible!

 

"Bunaken Mermaid" 

Hana turned to a house dog??

Our dog "Chin" chan is in heat now, so Gonzo protecting her like crazy thus they leave their daughter "Hana" chan alone in the dinning area at early night for a while.  

Hana doesn't want be left alone in dinning area, of course, she is a just 5 month old puppy, so she started visit our home often especially at night.

Little bit strange feeling for us after we lost Chiko, we never thought even our doggies will ever enter our house, because they are more like a village dog(half wild dog), not same breed like Chiko or house dog. but look at Hana…  she looks quite comfortable on the sofa next to me.

very cute… Hana chan… 

Lucky guests saw "Sperm Whale" !!

Lucky guests saw two "Sperm Whales" on the way to come over to Bunaken from South Manado.

If you don't know which is the sperm whale, then please have a look the YouTube Video we attached at the end.

Met with 4 meter big Dugong!

Lucky Guests and Raf.

They met with 4 meter big Dugong yesterday morning. Dugong was almost hugging coral bommy, but they say this Dugong was amazingly slim and big Dugong. One of our guest had small video camera, but Dugong showed up at very last minutes of their finishing dive time, so the camera's battery run out 5 minutes before the meeting with this wonderfully huge creature.
How lucky they were!  Raf did not shut up for a while with so much excitement about this lucky accident.
Congratulations!

Baby Black-Saddled Toby

A baby "Black-Saddled Toby" hiding inside gorgonian. The body size is about 1cm with pointed small mouth, very cute.

Tanjung Kopi Point - almost zero current

Tanjung Kopi - Manado Tua Island.
It's supposed to be often strong current in this point, but the other day was almost zero current. GT and Jack fish were making group but very quickly separated and disappeared into the blue because of the "no current" situation we think..
It was quite relaxing diving, our guide pointed us beautiful flat warm and bat fish and more.  The sun glittered on the coral reef and made it looks more colorful than usual.

Dugong Watch Every-Week???

Today's first site the divers and snorkelers went was Cha Cha 2 Point.

Our snorkeling guide found "DUGONG" and showed to our snorkeler guest.
"Even the guide Mitsu was so excited as well as me.  Huge single dugong swam away elegantly right in front of us" guest said.   Wonderful!
I was just explaining about Dugong to the other family guests the day before. Who saw Dugong today was not them but now they will believe me. hihihi...

Other guest also saw a "Dugong" as well last week after he followed Raf's advice. He was very happy, and of course, that make us happy,too.

Maybe same dugong wondering around and maybe this is the season to them to look for a partner??
Either way, what a exciting news every-week!!
Fantastic!