Last year we experienced one of the longest dry spells that anyone in Siladen could remember. The drought started in May, and between July and November it did not rain once. Traditionally these months are the dry season, however it is very unusual to go for so long without any rain whatsoever. For a while we could keep the gardens going, but then the well water started to get saltier. Bunaken Marine Park usually gets even less rain than the North Sulawesi mainland, which was having a huge problem with the drought.
As November came, so did the rains. At first just a few light showers, but as the weeks passed the rains got heavier. Limp trees stood upright once again, and the world’s most resilient plants, grasses, started shooting up everywhere.
For those who stayed with us at Siladen Resort & Spa over those dry months, you will probably remember how the trees were practically naked aside from a handful of shriveled, brown leaves, and how only a few hardy plants stood dotted on top of the scorched earth in our gardens. If you were to visit us again now, you would barely recognize the resort. A lush canopy of dark green leaves provides a cooling shelter, allowing a thick blanket of grass and flowers to flourish on the ground below.
Now the rains seem here to stay, but for those about to visit, there is no need to worry about your vacation being washed away. The rains usually come at night, and generally pass by the time the sun starts to rise. This is the best outcome for everyone! The plants get their much-needed water, and you get to spend your dive vacation tanning yourself in the Indonesian sun.
Check out this time lapse video made by Ana, showing the true power that fresh water has.
Flowers from Siladen Resort & Spa Videos on Vimeo.
