Black Marlin Dive Resort is a small, simple place on Kadidiri, in the Togean Islands of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. For most guests during our stay, the attraction was inexpensive diving. We had come for something much rarer: a lake where we could swim among jellyfish without being stung.
My husband is a serious aquarist. A journey built around an unusual underwater world made perfect sense to us, and Mariona Lake was the reason we were willing to travel so far into the islands. Black Marlin gave us a base for that journey, a hillside villa above the sea and rather more rice than I ever expected to eat.
Getting to Kadidiri
This is an island stay that takes some arranging. Indonesia’s tourism board describes the approach through Ampana or Gorontalo, with a final boat connection from Wakai to Kadidiri. Arrange that last crossing with the resort and confirm the return journey before fixing onward connections.
From Europe, the international flight is only the beginning. KLM flies from Amsterdam to Singapore; Singapore Airlines also offers Amsterdam–Manado journeys via Singapore, with Scoot operating the onward flight. Manado is a gateway to northern Sulawesi, with a further journey to Gorontalo and a ferry crossing to Wakai before the final resort boat. Allow time for the land and sea connections when comparing flights.
Our boat from Wakai took about twenty minutes. Once we were on Kadidiri, getting back to town meant arranging the hotel’s own boat. There was no public ferry calling at the resort, and no road along which we could wander off in search of dinner.
The hillside villa
We booked the most expensive option, the VIP Hillside Villa. Even there, the comforts were straightforward. What the upgrade bought us was space and a position above the beach. A steep stone staircase led up to the villa, so the view came with a climb.
There was a separate sitting room with a sofa and table, and a generous balcony with a hammock. The bedroom was clean, the linen decent, and housekeeping came daily. We saw no unwelcome creatures in the room or on the balcony.
The bathroom was open to the sky. Electricity came on for a few hours in the morning and evening, and we were told that water was also rationed. In practice, neither caused us much trouble. We could charge our batteries, with an all-day charging point in the restaurant, and the water was warm whenever we needed it. There was a large water container in the bathroom, too; we kept it filled.
Full board, with very little extra
Meals were included, and we depended on them. During our stay there was nowhere we could walk to for another meal. The neighbouring hotel looked abandoned and lifeless; reaching Wakai meant asking Black Marlin to take us in its boat. Food and water had to be brought in from the mainland. I understood the difficulty, but the meals were sparse and repetitive even allowing for that.
A small portion of chicken, vegetables and plenty of rice was the usual pattern. Fish felt like a celebration. Portions were calculated for the number of guests, and extra food was not something we could simply order and pay for. With so much time spent being active, we were often hungry.
At first, I wondered why the other guests were pouring ketchup over their rice. A little later, we understood. We even began to appreciate the taste.
The staff were friendly, willing to help and pleasant company. That did not make the portions any larger.
There is now an operating neighbour: Kadidiri Paradise advertises bungalows, a restaurant and a bar serving snacks. Before relying on it for extra meals, check whether it welcomes outside guests. The island’s present-day options are different from the deserted frontage we encountered.
Swimming and the jellyfish lake
At the resort, rocks and coral made entering the water from the beach awkward. The jetty gave us access to deeper water for swimming and snorkelling. It was worth paying attention to where we got in, rather than treating the whole shore as an easy sandy entry.
Mariona is one of a small number of marine lakes with resident jellyfish populations. A 2020 scientific study identified just twenty-two such lakes worldwide, across Indonesia, Palau and Vietnam. Seawater enclosed by land has created these small, separate aquatic worlds. The possibility of entering one with a mask and snorkel, floating among jellyfish instead of keeping away from them, was enough to bring us here.
Reaching the lake from Black Marlin took us about twenty minutes by boat, followed by a short crossing over land. We brought snorkelling masks. The water was warm but so cloudy that I could barely see beyond an outstretched arm; the jellyfish drifted close enough for that not to matter.
On the way back, we stopped at Karina Beach for its clear water and white sand. The lake and beach make a natural pairing: local resort The Cliff Togean still includes both in its lake excursion. For a stay on Kadidiri, ask your host to arrange the boat and check both access and recent jellyfish sightings before travelling specifically for the lake.
Planning a stay now
Before booking, establish the room category, power hours, water arrangements and meal inclusions for your dates. I would also bring snacks.
Black Marlin was a reasonable choice for this remote corner of the islands. The villa was clean and spacious, the view lovely, and the staff kind. I could live quite happily with the simple comforts. The small portions were harder to forgive.