Nabucco Island - Kalimantan, Indonesia

Guests Tropical escape for just 36 guests
Rooms 18 rooms in 12 bungalows (9 Seafront rooms, 7 Garden rooms and 2 Nabucco Suites)
Restaurants Eat over the sea at the stilted Nabucco Restaurant or relax with a drink at the bar
Food and Drinks 5 course, a la carte dining with an Indonesian flair
FacilitiesSpa and Wellness centre, visit the local villages or sign up for an Indonesian Cooking Class
Diving Dive with Extra Divers, a PADI, CMAS and SSI dive centre
Diving Extras CMAS and SSI courses, shore and boat diving, drift diving, nitrox available
Internet Access WIFI in the lounge area is free of charge, but please be aware the signal can be unreliable

About Nabucco Island - Kalimantan

Expected re-opening: TBC 2022
Nabucco Island lies in a remote island chain off the Eastern coast of Kalimantan, Indonesia. This is completely off the beaten track, where a tropical idyll awaits. If you want to fall off the face of planet and indulge in pristine Indonesian diving far from the crowds, then make your way to Nabucco Island. Most divers head here for the big fish. But the variety underwater is remarkable, from some muck diving sites, macro reefs to high impact drift diving along walls. Nabucco has it all! So what are you waiting for? The adventure starts here!

There are only 18 bungalows in total across the whole resort, with 9 Seafront rooms, 7 Garden rooms and 2 Nabucco Suites. The seafront rooms are perched on the water's edge with lush vegetation behind - a low tide you will find small sandy beaches, at high tide you can swim right out from your bungalow. They enjoy a beautiful view over the turquoise la- goon and starry sky. The Garden rooms are set back a little in the garden and enjoy beautiful views of the green garden. Some bungalows have 2 rooms each under their roof � of course with separate entrance and own bathroom. The Nabucco Suites are spacious single standing bungalows with be- autiful sunset view and upgraded interior.Please just request your room type at the time of booking. Each of the bungalows has AC, mosquito net, semi enclosed bathroom with shower (hot and cold water) and a mini bar. Every effort is made to have as small an impact as possible on the environment.

Follow the sandy paths and you will find the welcoming team, a chilled out reading area and safe at the reception. The Sunset bar is the place to end your diving day - grab a cool drink and soak in the breath taking views. The restaurant is open air, serving Asian, European and Indo Pacific dishes throughout the day. Start your morning with a continental breakfast, followed by an a-la-carte lunch. At the end of the day tuck into a 5 course dinner. If you are looking to spend some time above the water, why not play some beach volleyball or Indonesian cookery classes. Massage services are available on demand. This is dive escapism at its very best!

Suites

The Nabucco Suites are spacious single standing bungalows with beautiful sunset view and upgraded interior.

Seafront

Seafront rooms have direct access to the sea at high tide, and to the beach at low tide. They enjoy a beautiful view over the turquoise la- goon and starry sky.

Garden

Garden rooms are set back towards the centre of the island and enjoy beautiful views of the green garden

2 Nabucco Suites, 3 Garden rooms and 1 Seafront room are available as single bungalows. Some bungalows have 2 rooms each under their roof,of course with separate entrance and own bathroom.

We would be happy to put together a tailormade booking for you, please fill in your details below and one of our diving holiday experts will be in touch with you to discuss your plans.

Call us or email to book

Valerie

2018-08-01 09:45:53

Just back from a great trip with Martin and Mario - really had a great time . Thanks for our great room with a view The highlight for me was jelly fish lake- even better than the one Palau and also with very colorful sponge covered mangrove roots.

Location

Indonesia is around 15-20 hours flight from the UK and is made up of around 18 000 islands. It is the largest archipelago in the world straddling the Equator, between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Most travellers will enter Indonesia through Jakarta (CGK), Bali (DPS) or Manado (MDC) airports. This is the stuff of divers' dreams. This exotic nation is the very definition of bio diversity. Find the big fish in Komodo, Raja Ampat or Kalimantan. Drift lazily along the walls of Bunaken and Wakatobi, watching turtles on coral drenched walls. While away the hours hunting for miniscule macro in Bali, Lembeh or Ambon. Cannot decide? Why not combine two locations into a single trip!

Covid Travel Information

View entry requirements here

Bali, Jakarta and Manado have re-opened borders with visa on arrival for vaccinated travellers only. You can use the NHS COVID Pass to demonstrate your vaccination record when entering Indonesia. You will need to present both soft and hard copies of your NHS vaccination certificates at various stages of your journey.
If you are fully vaccinated, you can enter Indonesia as follows:
Visa on arrival is idr 500,000 pay at airport by cash notes (no coins) or credit card - please bring cash as back up - cash notes must cover the whole amount or round up the cash

Travellers who have received a full course of COVID-19 vaccination and a booster do not need to have antigen/PCR test to travel domestically. Travellers who have not received any booster vaccination may need to show negative antigen/PCR test to travel domestically.

show proof of a full course of vaccination (travellers under 18 years old or those who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons are exempt)
download and install the Peduli Lindungi app to perform the e-Hac registration
show proof of health insurance which covers COVID-19 and medevac
Covid-19 insurance for visitors to Indonesia can be purchased at https://www.jagawisata.com/COVID19 .It must be purchased 24 hours before arrival.
undergo a temperature check upon arrival and, if showing COVID-19 symptoms and / or a temperature above 37.5 degrees, a RT-PCR test. If negative, fully vaccinated travellers can continue their journey
There are no domestic tests required for domestic flights
From 18th March, when you travel to England from abroad you:
do not need to take any COVID-19 tests before you travel or after you arrive
do not need to fill in a UK passenger locator form
do not need to quarantine when you arrive
This applies whether you are vaccinated or not.

It includes people who are transiting through England.
Updated 22 APR 2022

Weather and Climate

Indonesia is a vast country, and the weather can be hugely variable. The topography means that weather patterns can be very localised. This is the tropics! For Bali, Komodo & Wakatobi the weather is usually best from April - November, with July and August being some of the best months to visit. Between December and March the conditions can be a bit stormy. November to April is also the wettest month to visit Bunaken, Lembeh and Kalimantan but to a lesser degree than in other locations. October to April is historically the most popular time to dive in Raja Ampat.

Travel

Flight options

Our holidays to Indonesia can be quoted with most major airlines. We are however able to book most major airlines. Popular options for Indonesia include Cathay Pacific, Singapore airlines, Qatar, Emirates, Malaysian, KLM and Gaurda. If you would like to depart from a different UK airport (eg. Glasgow/Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham or Gatwick) or have a specific airline you prefer to fly with, simply let us know in your booking request. A supplement may apply for regional departures. Times and any applicable supplements will be confirmed by your travel consultant before you finalise your holiday. If you wish to make your own flight arrangements to Indonesia, let us know and we can remove the cost of the international flights from your quote. We are unfortunately not able to redeem airmiles on your behalf. Please do not confirm any flight arrangements yourself before your holiday is confirmed by us.

Stopovers

With a huge range of airlines to fly with, you can easily build in a stop over either on your way to or on your way back from Indonesia. Simply talk to your travel consultant about adding a stop over into your itinerary.

Arrange before you go

Regular Entry Requirements

UK Passport holders landing in Jakarta, Bali or Manado are able to obtain a free 30 day visa on arrival. Do ensure your passport has 6 months validity from your return date to prevent any issues with immigration. It is your responsibility to ensure your passport is valid and you fulfil entry requirements. Regulations can change: please review current FCO advice: click here

Insurance

Scuba Travel requires all of our customers to have diving insurance. Please make sure that you have appropriate cover for your diving activities. We also strongly recommend you have travel insurance. It's worth taking out travel insurance once you have paid your deposit to ensure you are covered for unforeseen events and cancellation. Find out more about our combined dive and travel policy click here

Immunisations

Your covid proof of vaccination must match your passport name and flight ticket name. Please speak to your local GP or check out the latest NHS advice on updating your NHS details or for other travel immunisations: click here

Preparing to fly

Seating

You will also be able to manage your booking online once you have been ticketed (after you have paid your holiday balance). Most airlines will now enable you to select your seating at this point. There may be a small charge for prebookable seating before online check in opens. Please speak to the airline for more information about charges.

Check in

As you are flying with a scheduled airline, you will be able to check in online with your airline. Please visit their website for more information about when online check in opens.

Lounge

An airport lounge is a great way to start your holiday or to while away flight connections in comfort. Scuba Travel works with Lounge Pass to offer a huge range of affordable airport lounges around the world. click here

Parking

Prebook your airport parking to save money! If you have a long way to travel, why not also look at booking an airport hotel. These aren't as expensive as you might think. click here

What happens when I arrive?

On arrival in your Indonesia destination, you will need to clear immigration and collect your baggage. You will then be met outside of arrivals by a representative from your liveaboard or resort. Some reps are able to meet you airside. They will be holding a board with either your destination or your name on it. If you have any issues at all locating your rep, please contact us. We have an emergency contact, manned by a member of the team here in the UK. Please call 0044 7747 488 002. We will be able to help your rep locate you in the airport.

Transfers

If you have a hotel en route please follow any specific instructions in your travel documents. Where possible, you will be met by a representative who will assist in taking you to your hotel. If using a shuttle service, please arrange your return shuttle time back to the airport at the hotel check in. Domestic flights are common in Indonesia and run frequently. The major hubs of Jakarta, Bali and Manado all have separate terminals for domestic and international departures. Just follow the signs to move between international and domestic terminals. The service has improved vastly, but there can still be last minute schedule changes. Please ensure you leave plenty of time for check in or transit between flights (usually 4 hours min). Domestic flights can typically only be booked with a 20kgs hold allowance as standard. Excess baggage must be paid for in Indonesian rupiah and costs around $2-$5 per kg per way. Due to local traffic and road conditions, land journey times can be difficult to predict. We recommend you take water with you and keep any essentials in your hand baggage to make your journey as comfortable as possible.

Departures

At the end of your holiday, your return transfer details will be advised locally. As of Feb 2015, the departure tax for all domestic and international flights is built into your flight ticket price.

Info

Tipping

Please ask for a competitive quote to add international flights to Balikpapan to your booking.

Currency

All our prices are listed in Euro. All extra costs (drinks, tips, extra dives and so on) can be paid in Euro, USD & Rupiah. Please consider that foreign banknotes have to be in perfect condition � otherwise Indonesian banks will not accept them for change or reduces their value to a bad currency exchange rate. US-Dollar notes are only accepted if they are from 2009 or younger and with no damages. The resort is unable to accept any credit card payments.

Phone coverage

Phone coverage can be limited. Free wifi access is available in the central reception, but the signal can be weak, and there is no 3G. It is best to switch off and relax, forgetting the outside world

Plugs and electricity

24h electricity and 220 volt - the power socket is standard European 2 prong (type F)

Extras

Hire equipment

To avoid disappointment, please le us know some time in advance if you require any rentals - approx �22/day

Extras

PADI dive courses can be arranged - please ask for more information about pre-booking

Souvenirs

The dive centre has a small, limited shop on site

Nitrox/Gas

�6 per dive

Payments

Deposits and Balances

A typical deposit for a holiday to Nabucco is is 30% of your holiday cost, although this will depend on your exact flight option and travel class. Larger deposits may be required for some flight options (eg premium economy/business class).

Ways to pay

We accept mastercard and visa debit or credit cards. If you would like a pay by link to complete check out via email please let us know and it can be set up for you. All non sterling card payments and UK business debit cards will be subject to the 3% surcharge. We do not take AMEX. Alternatively, you are welcome to pay via bank transfer. Overseas bank transfers must add £6 to the sterling total to cover international handling fees. We are not able to accept PayPal transactions or personal cheques.

Group Payments

If you have booked as part of a group, you can still call and pay directly without needing to go via your group leader. Please have your trip reference number to hand to help us locate your holiday as quickly as possible. You will receive a transaction receipt - your group leader will forward your ATOL certificate and booking confirmation

Discounts

Repeat Guests

Are you one of Scuba Travel's repeat customers?
Over 60% of our customers trust Scuba Travel to book their next diving holiday, time after time.

And we believe you deserve a huge thanks for your ongoing support over the years, which is what our repeater discount is all about! Travel with us again in either 12 months or 24 months and you will qualify for a discount. That's all you have to do. No forms, no numbers to remember, no fuss, just a good honest price reduction.

5% off for repeat customers travelling with Scuba Travel, within 24 months
5% off plus £100 bonus for repeat customers travelling with 12 months
Repeat discounts are not cumulative and cannot be applied to special offer prices

Included

Our standard holiday includes 7 nights full on a full board basis in a garden room (2 people sharing), breakfast with fresh juice, tea and coffee, lunch and a 4 course dinner).
The most common dive package is 20 boat air dives with 2 special trips to Kakaban or Sangalaki.
Domestic flights between Balikpapan and the resort return are included on fixed departure days. Excess baggage on domestic flights has to be paid locally in IDR to the airline

Excluded

Water, soft drinks and alcohol are all available in resort for a local charge. A 10% VAT is applied to all local purchases.

Excluded from your package are any additional local services (spa, land tours, additional dives, kit hire, private guides, and special trips). Upgrade locally for additional trips to Kakaban or Sangalaki. Recreational nitrox is available for a fee in resort.

Please ask for a competitive quote to add international flights to Balikpapan to your booking.

Tipping is entirely at your discretion. We do not make recommendations as to how much to tip. Should you wish to leave a tip for the staff and crew, it should reflect the level of service you have enjoyed.

At the end of the picture perfect jetty you will find the Extra Divers team, ready to take you exploring! Most divers are looking for the big stuff in this area - sharks, barracudas, tunas, eagle rays, manta and turtles are all commonly seen. In only 5 minutes you can be drifting side by side with huge pelagics and schools of fish. Or why not take a special trip to Sangalaki to the manta cleaning station. But don't overlook the healthy reef systems and varied macro life. There's something for everyone underwater here at this year round diving destination!

Only 5 mins from Big Fish country dive site and additional pelagic locations
Over 30 dive sites accessible by boat 5-30mins from resort
Ideal for underwater photography
2 or 3 dive a day trips on 3 dedicated dive boats
House reef diving - subject to local currents
Range of PADI & SSI courses
Nitrox available for a local charge

The team at Nabucco have been pioneering the diving in this area since 2001. They are a professional, multi lingual team where dive groups are kept small and the service standard high. PADI or SSI courses are available but please be sure to prebook these due to the remote location.

A typical day at Nabucco involves up to 3 boat dives, with early morning, sunset and night dives on request. Big Fish country is an undeniable highlight. This is where you will find sharks, sharks and more sharks. Big balls of barracuda swirl in the blue and bumphead parrot fish chase each other. It's tempting to just keep diving here, but there are around 30 sites to explore. Many are wall dives (Leo Wall, Big Fish Wall, Sea Wall), with large sea fans and yet more pelagics. There are some sandy slopes too, where leopard sharks are found. Look closely for pygmy sea horses, leaf fish and all manner of nudibranchs at Capri Point or Bantu Kan. As the sun starts to set there is a mandarin fish dive. You can dive from the jetty but the house reef can be subject to strong local currents so timing is critical.

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Island hop your way round Indonesia's big fish hotspots and world class reef dives. We can tailormake a bespoke itinerary for all budgets and seasons, including land based cultural tours. Trust our expertise to craft your dream holiday.

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