You book an "all-inclusive" island stay, plan a week of diving, and learn at checkout that the dives were never part of the deal. In Indonesia, resorts use the same words for very different packages.
The short answer: an all-inclusive or full-board rate in Indonesia usually covers your meals, not your diving. Diving is paid per dive or sold as a separate package that bundles meals and dives.
At Reconnect we sell both models side by side.
TL;DR
- Reconnect is a private island eco-resort with an on-site SSI dive center on Buka Buka Island in Indonesia's Togean Islands.
- Every Reconnect rate is all-inclusive full board from EUR 60/night. Diving is paid separately.
- The All-Inclusive Dive-cation Package is the one option that bundles meals with guided dives: 5 days, 8 dives.
- The real cost differences sit in drinks, courses and excursions, not in the nightly rate.
What does "all-inclusive" actually cover at an Indonesian island resort?
Most Indonesian island resort listings use one of three pricing models. Only one reliably includes diving.
| Term | Usually covers | Usually excludes |
|---|---|---|
| Full board | Room and three daily meals | Most drinks, diving, excursions |
| All-inclusive | Three meals, non-alcoholic drinks, some resort activities | Premium imported alcohol, diving, courses |
| Dive package | Room, meals, a fixed number of guided dives | Courses, extra dives, some local fees |
Imported alcohol is the usual exclusion even in true all-inclusive deals, because Indonesia taxes it heavily.
Why diving stays off the standard rate
A meal costs a resort about the same whether you dive all day or sleep in a hammock. A dive does not. Every dive burns boat fuel, fills a tank and books a guide's time.
Think of a hotel gym. The treadmill is free because one more runner costs almost nothing, while the personal trainer is billed per session because each hour uses up someone's time. Diving is the trainer.
Folding dives into every rate would make non-divers pay for boats they never board.
Where in Indonesia can you get meals and diving in one price?
Bundled meal-and-dive pricing exists across Indonesia's main dive regions in three forms. The right one depends on how much of your trip happens underwater.
Option 1: A dedicated dive operation
Many properties that bundle meals and diving sit in Raja Ampat, Komodo, or North Sulawesi's Bunaken and Lembeh. These operators in those areas commonly sell multi-day packages built around a fixed daily dive schedule.
- Best if: everyone in your group dives.
- Weaker if: a partner or child doesn't, because the week revolves around the boat.
Option 2: A liveaboard
You sleep, eat and dive on the same boat, so meals and dives are bundled by design.
- Best if: you want to maximise dive count and reach remote sites.
- Weaker if: you want an island stay, or you get seasick.
Option 3: An eco-resort with an optional dive package
The Togean Islands, in Central Sulawesi's sheltered Gulf of Tomini, suit mixed groups. Divers take a package while everyone else stays on full board. Visibility averages about 30 meters.
Reconnect is a gateway to Togean Islands National Park rather than a property inside it. Access is the honest tradeoff.
- Fly into Luwuk.
- Drive about five hours to the port at Ampana.
- Take a 30-45 minute speedboat to Buka Buka.
We coordinate every leg from Luwuk Airport.
- Best if: your group mixes divers, snorkelers and people who just want quiet.
What does an all-in stay at Reconnect cover, and what costs extra?
| Included in every rate | Paid separately |
|---|---|
| Three meals daily, afternoon tea | Guided fun dives |
| Unlimited coffee, tea and water | SSI dive courses |
| House reef snorkeling, with free masks, fins and snorkels | Guided snorkeling boat trips to other reefs around Buka Buka |
| Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards | Togean Day Trip by private boat into the National Park |
| Starlink internet throughout the resort | Village visit to nearby Bajo (Bajau sea nomad) communities |
Drinking water comes from our own sun-powered desalination, so there are no plastic bottles. The resort runs 93% on solar, with a generator kept only as backup.
Our dive center is Blue Oceans certified. All staff are hired locally, and we buy from neighbouring villages.
Rooms vary more than meals do. Not every room has air conditioning, but the Beachfront Villa with AC (from EUR 110/night) does, and very few Togean Islands resorts offer AC at all.
How do you check what an all-in package really includes?
Ask these questions before you pay, at any resort, including ours.
Step 1: Pin down drinks
Ask whether the rate covers soft drinks, juice and alcohol, or only water, coffee and tea.
Step 2: Count dives, not days
Two packages of the same length can hold very different dive counts. Divide the package price by the number of dives, then compare the result with single-dive rates.
Step 3: Separate courses from dives
If you plan to certify, ask whether course fees sit inside or outside the package. Training dives are often priced as part of the course, not as package dives.
Step 4: Trace transfers and park fees
Ask who books the airport-to-island legs and whether they are priced in. Ask whether park or marine fees are added locally, since these vary and can change.
Step 5: Read recent reviews for the gaps
Guest reviews show what price sheets leave out: in-room Wi-Fi, drink charges, how often boats actually ran. Reconnect is rated 4.9 on TripAdvisor, 4.8 on Google and 9.2 on Booking.com. Read the lowest ones first.
Frequently Asked Questions
I've never dived. Can I learn during an island stay?
Yes. SSI courses combine digital academics, confined water sessions and open water dives.
We teach in English, French and Indonesian, in small groups. Training dives take place at reef sites around Buka Buka, a short boat ride from the beach.
Is SSI Advanced Adventurer the same as Advanced Open Water?
No. Advanced Adventurer is the five-dive course you book after Open Water.
SSI's Advanced Open Water Diver is a rating awarded automatically once you complete four specialties and log 24 dives. You cannot book it as a course.
When is the best season to dive the Togean Islands?
Conditions tend to peak in the dry season, roughly April to November. If you travel outside those months, ask about sea crossing conditions before you book transfers.
What does "private island resort" mean in Indonesia?
Usage varies. Some properties own their island, while others use the term to describe exclusivity.
We use it in the second sense. Reconnect is effectively the only resort on Buka Buka Island, so beaches and reef stay uncrowded.
About Reconnect
Reconnect has 20 rooms and was founded by Thomas Despin. To plan your stay or ask a question, visit [reconnect.id].
