Welcome to Mari Mari Backpackers

29th September

DAY 1

Travelled two hours in a hired mini bus to Kota Balud to catch a boat to take us to Mantanani. Just to see if we are patient – the boat was double booked and so we waited for another larger boat to take us and the other 30 guests. The boat trip was a bit rough and most of us were wet with sea spray. Addison was a bit was sick and many of the Asians were clearly scared and kept their life jackets on. Near to the beach we saw two turtles’ swim underneath the boat. Good to see they are still around. The boat cruises to the beach in front of the accommodation and you walk down to the beach and to Mari Mari Backpackers resort. We were provided with a rundown of the facilities and then allocated to our rooms. We are staying in Sulaps which are a room and bathroom set up above the ground like a small treehouse. Three beds to each room – with Peter , Addison and I together, the boys – Lachlan, Oscar and Nick in another room and Jordyn sharing with Bec and Jon. The rooms are very simple with a double bed and a mattress for the extra person; a bedside table and the bathroom. A small balcony at the front, but underneath is a sitting area on decking boards with a ‘Jack and Jill seat’ and a hammock. 

We are about 20 metres from the beach although we are not in the first row of the Sulaps. We get a nice breeze off the beach but no views. We arrived on the first day at 1.30 and after we settled into the rooms we went and had a snorkel out the front of our resort on our beach. Heaps of fish although the coral has been destroyed and can be seen crushed all over the sand. There are some lovely areas of sea anemone and brain coral.