Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado is one of the eight hub airports identified in a 2025 systematic study on Indonesian seaplane feasibility, named as a potential node for reaching Bunaken National Park, the Bangka Islands and the Lembeh Strait. As of September 2026, no airline or operator runs scheduled seaplane service into or out of Manado. A Manado seaplane tour today is not a ticketed product — it is a positioned charter that has to be requested, checked against operator availability, and confirmed against water-landing permits before it can be quoted.
That distinction matters if you are planning a trip around it. This page sets out what is actually true right now, what a charter could realistically cover, which rules govern it, and how a request moves from enquiry to a real quote.
Is there a seaplane in Manado right now?
No. North Sulawesi does not have an active seaplane base, a certified water aerodrome, or a resident operator. The 2025 hub-airport study that names Sam Ratulangi used a 100-nautical-mile (182 km) planning radius around Indonesia’s busiest airports to identify where seaplane traffic could theoretically be routed — Bali’s Ngurah Rai, Labuan Bajo’s Komodo, Makassar’s Sultan Hasanuddin, Luwuk’s Syukuran Aminuddin Amir, Manado’s Sam Ratulangi, Ternate’s Sultan Babullah, Ambon’s Pattimura and Sorong’s Dominique Eduard Osok. That is a planning framework, not a government list of designated landing sites, and Manado has no certified water aerodrome under Article 29(1) of the Ministry of Transportation’s water aerodrome regulation.
Indonesia’s certified and semi-formal water landing sites sit elsewhere. Pulau Bawah in the Anambas Islands holds the country’s first Water Aerodrome Certificate (private use). A 2026 industry roundup (AsiaToday) lists five special-status sea airports: Bawah Island, Pangpang Bay in Banyuwangi, the Kahayan River in Central Kalimantan, Benete Waterbase in West Sumbawa, and Moyo Island. Santai Seaplane, the operator that ran Indonesia’s first demonstration seaplane water landing in 2025 (a Cessna Caravan at Samosir Island, Lake Toba), bases its operations out of Banyuwangi Airport (BWX) — nowhere near Sulawesi. None of this network touches Manado.
What this means for a booking: any Manado seaplane tour has to fly an aircraft in from wherever it is currently based, which is the single biggest driver of feasibility and cost — covered below under positioning.
What could a Manado seaplane tour cover?
If a charter were arranged, North Sulawesi has three natural seaplane-suited destinations within realistic range of Manado, plus scattered island chains further out. None of these currently have scheduled or even semi-regular seaplane traffic; this is a description of geographic fit, not an existing product.
| Destination | Distance from Manado | Seaplane fit | Scenic vs. transfer use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bunaken National Park | Roughly 15–25 km offshore | High — marine park with open water suitable for a landing approach, subject to permit | Both: short scenic flight over the reef, or point-to-point transfer avoiding the ferry crossing |
| Bangka Islands (North Minahasa) | Northeast of Manado, further than Bunaken | Moderate — more remote, less infrastructure to support ground handling | Primarily scenic/exploratory; transfer only with resort coordination |
| Lembeh Strait | Adjacent to Bitung, east of Manado | Moderate — narrow strait, dive-site dense, tighter approach corridors | Scenic flight over the strait; not suited to routine transfer traffic |
| Northern island chains (Talaud, Sangihe) | Well beyond the 100 NM planning radius | Low with current aircraft types — long positioning legs | Not realistic for a standard day charter |
For any of these, “seaplane tour” in practice means a scenic flight or a one-way transfer flown by an aircraft positioned specifically for that booking, not a recurring route with a timetable.
What permits and conditions apply?
Three separate layers govern whether a Manado seaplane flight can happen at all, and all three sit with the operator and the authorities, not with a booking desk.
- Water aerodrome standards. Directorate General of Civil Aviation Decree KP 206/2021 (Manual of Standard CASR Part 139 Volume III) sets the minimum physical, obstacle-limitation, visual-aid and procedural specifications a water landing site must meet for seaplanes up to 30 seats. A site around Bunaken or Lembeh would need to be assessed against these standards before routine use, even for a one-off charter.
- Marine park and maritime rules. Under Permenhub No. 08/2025, seaplane personnel operating on water must follow shipping and maritime law in addition to aviation rules — a dual regulatory regime. Bunaken sits inside a national marine park, which adds conservation-authority coordination on top of aviation clearance.
- Safety and weather minima. CASR 121.339 requires seaplanes on overwater operations to carry sea anchors and survival equipment, with life jackets reachable from every seat on extended overwater segments. No published source sets fixed monsoon or seasonal closure dates for Indonesian seaplane operations — each landing is cleared against the operator’s own weather minima and sea state on the day, not a calendar.
None of this is a formality an enquiry desk can wave through. It is why a Manado request starts as a feasibility check, not a fare quote.
How do I request a positioned charter, and what does positioning mean for cost?
“Positioning” is the flight (and cost) required to bring an aircraft from its home base to Manado before your actual tour or transfer can happen. With commercial seaplane activity concentrated in NTB (Travira Air) and Kepulauan Riau (Airfast Indonesia) as of an August 2025 Ministry statement, and Santai Seaplane based in Banyuwangi, every one of those bases is a significant distance from North Sulawesi. That repositioning leg — plus the return leg if the aircraft isn’t picking up other work nearby — is typically the largest line item in what would otherwise look like a simple scenic flight.
Because no published tariff exists for any Indonesian seaplane route, this page does not quote a price. Pricing is whole-aircraft charter, built from aircraft type, positioning distance, passenger and luggage weight, ground handling, and waiting time — confirmed only once an operator has reviewed the specific request.
| Step | What happens | Typical basis |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Submit enquiry | You send dates, group size, and the Bunaken/Bangka/Lembeh route you’re interested in | Via WhatsApp or email, no cost |
| 2. Feasibility check | Juara Holding Group checks current operator availability, aircraft positioning distance, and whether a water-landing permit is realistic for the requested site and date | 1–3 business days, depends on operator response |
| 3. Quote | If feasible, the operator prices the charter — aircraft, positioning, handling, permit costs | Whole-aircraft rate, not per-seat |
| 4. Confirm and permit | Booking is confirmed once permits and weather-contingency terms are agreed | Subject to final operator sign-off |
One honest note before you enquire: Juara Holding Group is an independent coordination desk, established 2015, that arranges services through licensed AOC-135 operator partners. It does not operate aircraft, own a water aerodrome, or guarantee that any Manado seaplane request will be approved — approval depends on operator availability and permit clearance on the day. Message the desk on WhatsApp at 6281139414563 or bd@juaraholding.com with your dates, group size and preferred destination (Bunaken, Bangka or Lembeh), and expect a feasibility answer before any price discussion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a scheduled seaplane route from Manado to Bunaken?
No. As of September 2026, no operator runs a scheduled or ticketed seaplane service between Manado and Bunaken. Sam Ratulangi is named only as a hub airport in a 2025 feasibility study, not as an active seaplane base. Any flight would be a one-off positioned charter, arranged and confirmed case by case.
Can I book a seaplane from Sam Ratulangi Airport today?
Not as a walk-up or standard booking. There is no resident seaplane operator or certified water aerodrome at Sam Ratulangi. You can submit an enquiry for a positioned charter, which then goes through a feasibility check against operator availability, aircraft positioning distance, and permit requirements before any confirmation.
How much does a Manado seaplane charter cost?
There is no published tariff for this route, so no fixed price can be quoted here. Cost is whole-aircraft charter, driven mainly by positioning distance from the nearest operator base (NTB, Kepulauan Riau or Banyuwangi), aircraft type, and ground handling — confirmed only after an operator reviews your specific request.
What’s the difference between a seaplane tour and a fast boat to Bunaken?
A seaplane flight is governed by aviation rules (CASR) plus maritime law while on water, uses an aircraft that must be specially positioned to North Sulawesi, and currently has no scheduled service. A fast boat to Bunaken runs under maritime and port regulations, uses locally based vessels, and is available on a routine, same-day basis year-round.
Which company operates seaplanes near Manado?
None are based in or near Manado. Commercial seaplane activity as of an August 2025 Ministry statement runs through Travira Air in NTB and Airfast Indonesia in Kepulauan Riau, with Santai Seaplane based at Banyuwangi Airport. A Manado tour would use one of these operators’ aircraft flown in specifically for the booking, arranged through Juara Holding Group as coordination desk rather than as the operator itself.