The making of a dream started with a chance encounter

For scuba diving fanatics, making it to Bunaken is only a matter of time. Daniele Marianelli, 27, and Patrick Trancu, 40, both from Italy, were no different, and in August 2001 they set foot on Bunaken Island.

Like many others, they were captivated by the beauty of the place, and in particular Siladen. Like many others, they dreamed of staying. The difference is that they really did stay put, and Siladen Spa Resort is what followed.

Thomas, 41, is the head of security at Siladen Spa Resort while his wife works in the laundry department. "We are comfortable and happy," he said.

It was a different story back in 2001 when -- to make ends meet -- he had to go fishing for long hours. Thomas was the first person to meet Daniele and Patrick in August 2001 and the one who introduced them to John Rahasia.

Charisma and natural authority were strong personality traits of the late John Rahasia, whose family had been given Siladen in concession for military distinction. He talked a lot but never uttered empty words. He believed in teratology and claimed that (somehow) Siladen was at the center of the perennial movement of the continents. His theories have been formalized in books and -- regardless of scientific basis -- betray a deep love for Siladen. Fittingly, his grave still dominates Siladen's landscape from the only hill in the island.

"John was old, and worried about the future of the island," Welly, 60, the village head says. "He had a fascination with ancient Roman history and liked the fact the Daniele came from the 'Eternal City'." Patrick is from Milan.

The personal relationship that developed between John, Daniele and Patrick was the making of Siladen.

"He would invite us for tea and talk about his theories for hours while showing us his shell collection. His paramount concerns were the villagers' welfare and the environment," Daniele said.

Good cooperation with the villagers has been essential for the success of the resort from the start.

"The first clear sign of the people's commitment was when the two one ton generators had to be moved inshore and everybody came out to help" Daniele recollected.

Today, with over 80 of the village's 300 inhabitants working for the resort, the two are so intertwined that they would be difficult to separate.

"We are like a big family. Prior to the resort, no one knew about Siladen and no one cared... all our sons had to leave to look for work elsewhere," Welly said.

Parman, 22, who has worked as a dive guide at the resort for a year, agreed.

"To find work, I had to leave Siladen when I was 16 and I really missed it. Now it is nice to be back, to live with my family and spend the evenings with my friends."

The resort also provides free electricity for the village's 86 houses that, thanks to the steady income, are slowly replacing wood and bamboo with bricks. Staff is generally very happy; salaries range from Rp 500,000 to Rp 5 million monthly, and are complemented with overtime pay, holiday pay (20 days a year) and contributions towards a pension fund. A well laid out staff area is a lively meeting point, just like the three churches (with a fourth being built) in the village.

But building Siladen was not a walk in the park, and from the first meeting with John to the opening ceremony on Jan. 27, 2003, the road was a winding one, to say the least.

"The first six months were spent getting the various permits and doing very little in terms of material work. However, it was an important period in gaining the trust and collaboration of the villagers. Once the permits were all in order, we started working in earnest, and at one stage 120 people -- mostly from the island -- were working for us" Daniele said.

However, since Siladen is within Bunaken's national park, how the license was granted in the first place has been the subject of speculation. In truth the allegations have mainly been directed at Massimiliano Salvai's dealings and connections. Salvai is a former third business associate who has since left. Nonetheless, all the speculation has remained unproven, apart from the deforestation of a larger part of the island than needed, which has been acknowledged by all parties.

"We accepted the mistake and have since spent US$20,000 on a tree replanting program," Daniele said.

Patrick added: "Siladen's concern for the environment has meant using mainly natural material in building the resort, and since opening it has continued with refurbishing the old pier (instead of building a new one even when authorized) and with the daily transportation of 5,000 liters of clear water a day from Manado instead of using Siladen's."

Siladen has also distinguished itself for its waste disposal program that divides organic from nonorganic material. In recognition to its eco-friendly approach, the resort has been chosen by the USAID, involved at Bunaken since 1991, to run a pilot scheme in waste and residual management. If successful, the program will be further used in Manado.

Daniele recalled how things did not look very bright after the opening, because "the fear of international terrorism, the Iraq war, the Bali bombing and the outbreak of SARS, really affected us. It wasn't until July 2003 that Mr. and Mrs. Spiagiari from Rome checked in as our first customers" Daniele added.

Now the future looks brighter: The island's acknowledgment among the upmarket tourist segment is growing, and the resort has been classified among the world's best by a series of magazines.

"We are very pleased with these last few months and with the reviews we have received," Daniele said. "On Jan. 27, it was Siladen Resort's first anniversary and it was an emotional day to celebrate with all the staff.

"It was nice to see how now everybody is positive and looks ahead with a smile. Yes, the dream is still alive..." -- Fabio Scarpello