8Getting Around
Use the Ampana–Dolong ferries to island-hop or charter local boats. Public boats also connect Wakai with Una Una (32,000Rp, three per week, three hours).
Finding a charter is relatively easy in Wakai, Bomba and Kadidiri, but it's more difficult to arrange in smaller settlements. Rates are fairly standard among the cartel of local operators (around 450,000Rp from Wakai or Kadidiri to Bomba). Ask at your hotel.
Pulau Batu Daka
The largest and most accessible island in the Togeans is Pulau Batu Daka, which is home to the two main villages, Bomba and Wakai.
Bomba is a tiny outpost at the southwestern end of the island, which most travellers sail past on the way to and from Wakai. It's an appealing alternative to social Pulau Kadidiri, as it has some of the Togean's best beaches, good snorkelling and it's social in a very mellow way. It’s a pleasant walk to the bat caves in the hills behind Bomba village, but you’ll need a guide and a torch (flashlight).
The largest settlement in the Togeans, Wakai is a small port that's mainly used as the departure point for boats to Pulau Kadidiri, but there are several well-stocked general stores and a lively market. A small waterfall, a few kilometres inland from Wakai, is a pleasant hike; ask directions in the village.
4Sleeping
Poya Lisa CottagesBUNGALOW$$
(Bomba; cottage per person incl all meals 150,000-200,000Rp)
On its own (tiny) private island, this little paradise has two perfect beaches and a dozen or so big, simple wooden bungalows. The meals here are among the best in the Togeans and the family that runs the place is as sweet as can be, offering free snorkelling gear (and boat trips) for guests. Other excursions are offered, and diving can be arranged via a neighbouring resort.
Pitate ResortBUNGALOW$$
(%0813 4107 7371; http://pitate-resort.weebly.com; r per person incl all meals 175,000Rp)
This newly opened place on a slim sandy beach has simple, attractive wood-and-bamboo bungalows with decent bedding and private bathrooms. Snorkelling tours can be arranged.
Pulau Kadidiri
Beautiful, thickly wooded Kadidiri, a 30-minute boat trip from Wakai, is definitely the island to go to if you’re feeling social. Its popular lodging options are all close together, so you can stroll along a fine strip of sand for a drink elsewhere if your place has run out of beer. It's a 15-minute walk from the hotels, through coconut groves, to a lovely sandy cove, Barracuda Beach (where you could camp).
2Activities
Pulau Kadidiri is the easiest place to organise the range of activities available in the Togean Islands. There's good snorkelling and swimming only metres from the shore and superb diving beyond. In addition to diving equipment, snorkelling gear is available; in some places it's free for guests, in others you'll typically be charged 30,000Rp per day. Black Marlin Diving and Kadidiri Paradise Resort are the island's main dive centres.
Black Marlin Diving also has kayaks for hire, which you can use to explore the sheltered lagoon behind Kadidiri Paradise Resort or the offshore islets. You can also hike island trails.
4Sleeping
Reserve rooms ahead in high season.
Kadidiri Paradise ResortRESORT$$
(%0464-21058; www.kadidiriparadise.com; r per person incl all meals 200,000-325,000Rp)
This resort enjoys a stunning location on a lovely beach and has extensive grounds that hug the coastline. Wooden bungalows are spacious and have generous front decks, though maintenance and attention to detail could be better. The dive centre is particularly well run.
Black Marlin Dive ResortBUNGALOW$$
(%0435-831869; www.blackmarlindiving.com; bungalows per person incl all meals €18-30)S
A well-designed resort that has a good vibe thanks to its lounging areas and attractive restaurant, which are ideal for socialising. Bungalows are smallish but stylish, and all have sea views from their front terraces. The PADI dive school here is professional, environmentally conscious and well organised, and you'll find good packages available.
Pulau Una Una
Pulau Una Una, which consists mostly of active Gunung Colo (472m), was torn apart in 1983 when the volcano exploded. Ash covered 90% of the island, destroying all its houses and crops. Residents were safely evacuated, and many have now returned.
The offshore reefs here offer the best diving in the Togeans with schooling barracudas, Napoleon wrasse, packs of jacks and large rays. It's possible to climb the volcano in three hours, if conditions are favourable (it's highly active) and admire the awesome lava landscapes.
Pulau Una Una had only one place to stay when we visited, and it is a fine one: Sanctum (%0812 8532 5669; www.unauna-sanctum.com; r nondiver/diver per person incl all meals 200,000/350,000Rp) has 11 lovely little rooms (all with porches, some with shared Western-style bathrooms) on a slim black-sand beach, with reasonable rates and world-class diving on tap. Expect great international and local food, served family-style. The scuba shop here has a good reputation, and snorkellers can rent gear for just 25,000Rp per day. Discounts available in the low season. Black Marlin Dive Resort, based on Pulau Kadidiri, is set to open a dive resort here too in 2016.
Togean & Katupat
Pulau Togean is large forested island, fringed by mangroves; Pulau Katupat is much smaller, and has a small village for supplies. Togean has just one place to stay (near Wakai); two other options are a five-minute boat ride from Katupat village.
4Sleeping
Sunset BeachGUESTHOUSE$$
(%0853 9838 1641, 0821 9919 4240; Pulau Togean; r per person incl all meals 200,000Rp)
Under new ownership, Sunset Beach features a lovely dining area over a pretty beach, good food (including lots of choice for vegetarians) and a great location on a private island. The huts are very basic, however. Free boat transfers to Wakai.
Fadhila CottagesBUNGALOW$$
(%0852 4100 3685; www.fadhilacottages.com; Pulau Katupat ; bungalows per person incl all meals 250,000-350,000Rp)
Clean wooden bungalows with terraces and hammocks line a palm-shaded beach facing either Katupat village or the ocean. There's a good PADI dive centre here and a breezy, classy restaurant area. Take a free canoe to find snorkelling spots around the island or enjoy one of Fadhila's excursions. Rates drop by 50,000Rp in the low season.
Bolilanga CottagesGUESTHOUSE$$
(%0852 4100 3685; www.bolilangaresort.com; Pulau Katupat ; bungalows per person incl all meals 225,000-525,000Rp)
On a white-sand-beach-laden isle facing Katupat village, this family-run place is a slice of true tranquillity. Wooden bungalows (from basic to posh) with fresh-water bathrooms and mossie nets all face the turquoise sea.
Pulau Malenge
Malenge is remote and secluded, with wonderful snorkelling around the island; head to Reef 5 for the best coral and sealife.
Some locals, with the aid of NGOs, have established excellent walking trails around the mangroves and jungles to help spot the particularly diverse fauna, including macaques, tarsiers, hornbills, cuscuses and salamanders.
The main village of Malenge is also fascinating to explore; it's a traditional Bajau settlement of timber houses and has a famous kilometre-long rickety 'bridge' (actually more of a gangplank), which allows you to (almost) walk on water.
A new dive resort, Bahia Tomini (%0881 238 802 777; http://bahiatomini.com), was under construction at the time of research.
4Sleeping
Lestari CottagesGUESTHOUSE$$
(%0852 4100 3685; www.lestari-cottages.com; bungalows per person incl all meals 150,000-200,000Rp)
The setting here is spectacular, with jungle behind and a view in front of Malenge village, one of the prettiest stilt fishing villages in the archipelago. Lestari offers 10 sea-facing, rustic wooden bungalows, each with a verandah. When you're not snorkelling, you can try forest hikes and canoe excursions.
Sera Beach CottagesBUNGALOW$$
(%0851 4590 6028; r per person incl all meals 175,000Rp)
On the north side of Malenge, situated on a lovely white-sand beach, this newly opened place has well-built thatched bungalows and a warm vibe thanks to the chatty English-speaking manager. There are canoes for hire. A free shuttle service to Malenge is offered.
THE BAJAU SEA GYPSIES
Nomadic Bajau ‘sea gypsies’ still dive for trepang (sea cucumber), pearls and other commercially important marine produce, as they have done for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years. The Bajau are hunter-gatherers who spend much of their lives on boats, travelling as families wherever they go.
There are several permanent Bajau settlements around the Togean Islands, and even some stilt villages on offshore reefs, but the itinerant character of Bajau culture survives. Newlyweds are put in a canoe and pushed out to sea to make their place in the world. When they have children, fathers dive with their three-day-old babies to introduce them to life on the sea.
Pulau Walea Kodi
Dolong is a busy fishing village, and the only settlement on the island. It's served by public boats from Malenge (12,000Rp, one hour). You'll find peace and paradise once you get to your resort.
Sifa Cottage (%0821 9596 6721; www.waleakodi.com; cottage 150,000-290,000Rp pp incl all meals) is a remote but beautifully situated place with big, rustic wood cottages that grace a flat, coconut-palm-covered white beach that extends to aqua blue. The house reef here is the best in the Togeans, so it's perfect for snorkellers. There's a dive centre here too (fun dives €27). Rates drop in the low season. Lia Beach (%0821 9011 1340; www.pae-lia-beach.com; r incl all meals from 180,000Rp), built on eco-principles with a back-to-nature vibe, was set to open late 2015.
North Sulawesi
North Sulawesi has lots to offer in a relatively condensed space. You can dive some of the world’s best coral reefs at Bunaken one day, explore volcanic scenery near Tomohon the next, and visit the lowland Tangkoko-Batuangas Dua Saudara Nature Reserve and its wildlife the day after. The Bitung area's world-class muck diving (including very quirky macro life) is another huge draw.
Economic prosperity from tourism and agriculture (mostly cloves and coconuts) means that North Sulawesi is the most developed province on Sulawesi. The two largest distinct groups in the region are the Minahasans and the Sangirese, but there are many more subgroups. Dutch influence is stronger here than anywhere else in the country: the Dutch language is still spoken among the older generation, and well-to-do families often send their children to study in the Netherlands.
It's an easy region to access, with excellent flight connections from Manado to the rest of the archipeligo, and increasing air traffic to Gorontalo as well.
History
A group of independent states was established at a meeting of the linguistically diverse Minahasan peoples around AD 670 at a stone now known as Watu Pinabetengan (near Kawangkoan).
In 1677 the Dutch occupied Pulau Sangir (now Pulau Sangihe) and, two years later, a treaty with the Minahasan chiefs saw the start of Dutch domination for the next 300 years. Although relations with the Dutch were often less than cordial, and the region did not actually come under direct Dutch rule until 1870, the Dutch and Minahasans eventually became so close that the north was often referred to as the ‘12th province of the Netherlands’.
Christianity became a force in the early 1820s, and the wholesale conversion of the Minahasans was almost complete by 1860. Because the school curriculum was taught in Dutch, the Minahasans had an early advantage in the competition for government jobs and positions in the colonial army.
The Minahasan sense of identity became an issue for the Indonesian government after independence. The Minahasan leaders declared their own autonomous state of North Sulawesi in June 1957. The Indonesian government then bombed Manado in February 1958 and, by June, Indonesian troops had landed in North Sulawesi. Rebel leaders retreated into the mountains, and the rebellion was finally put down in mid-1961.
Gorontalo
%0435 / Pop 186,000
Gorontalo has the feel of an overgrown country town, where all the locals seem to know each other. The town features some of the best-preserved Dutch houses in Sulawesi and retains a languid colonial feel.
Gorontalo’s local hero is Nani Wartabone, an anti-Dutch guerrilla, and there is a large statue of him in Lapangan Nani Wartabone, adjacent to the New Melati Hotel at Jl Wolter Monginsidi.
The city has steadily modernised in recent years, with the landmark Gorontalo Mall ( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Sultan Botutihe; h8am-9.30pm) dominating downtown, and several sleek new hotels opening close by.
1Sights & Activities
Sights around Gorontalo are accessible by local transport. Diving is available with Miguels Diving (%0852 4004 7027; www.miguelsdiving.com; Jl Yos Sudarso 218).
Lombongo Hot SpringsHOT SPRING
(admission 8000Rp; h8am-5pm)
Seventeen kilometres east of Gorontalo, at the western edge of Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park, this large swimming pool is filled with hot-spring water. There's also a swimming hole at the foot of a 30m waterfall; it's a 3km walk past the springs.
Benteng OtanahaRUIN
F
On the outskirts of Gorontalo this ruined Portuguese fort is on a hill overlooking Danau Limboto. The ruined remains include stone battlements and fortifications.
4Sleeping
New Melati HotelHOTEL$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0435-822934; [email protected]; Jl Wolter Monginsidi 1; r incl breakfast 130,000-300,000Rp; aiW)
This long-time backpacker favourite has English-speaking staff who are very well informed about transport connections. It’s based around a lovely home, built in the early 1900s for the harbour master. There are three classes of rooms, from dated basic options (which could be cleaner) to very modern and inviting new choices in a two-storey block overlooking the rear garden.
Amaris HotelHOTEL$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0435-830799; http://amarishotel.com; Jl Sultan Botutihe 37; r incl breakfast 421,000Rp; aW)
This well-managed hotel offers 90 attractive, smallish rooms with clean lines and fast wi-fi that are (perhaps) short on character but big on cleanliness and comfort. It's a short walk from the Gorontalo Mall.
5Eating & Drinking
The local delicacy is milu siram, a corn soup with grated coconut, fish, salt, chilli and lime. The night market has a vast number of warungs selling cheap and tasty food.
Rumah Makan SabarINDONESIAN$
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Sutoyo 31; meals from 15,000Rp; h7.30am-10pm)
Boasts an attractive colonial-style terrace and is renowned for its delicious nasi kuning (yellow rice); its soups and sambals also hit the spot.
8Getting There & Away
Air
There are daily flights to Makassar divided between the carriers Garuda Indonesia, Batik Air, Lion Air and Sriwijaya. Wings Air flies daily to Manado and also has connections to Luwuk and Palu. Aviastar also has weekly flights to Ampana, Palu and Luwuk.
All airlines have offices at the airport; tickets can also be bought at agencies around town.
Boat
Gorontalo has two harbours, both about 4km from the town centre: Talumolo port for the Togean Islands boats and Leato port for Pelni ferries. Both are easily accessible by mikrolet (small taxi) along Jl Tantu.
Every two weeks the Pelni liner Tilongkabila links Gorontalo with Bitung, and the Sangiang tackles the same route monthly. The Pelni office ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0435-821089; cnr Jl 23 Januari & Jl Gajah Mada) is efficient and convenient.
Bus
The main bus terminal is 3km north of town and accessible by bemo, bendi (two person horse-drawn cart) or ojek. There are direct buses to Palu (160,000Rp, 18 hours) and Manado (regular/air-con 100,000/130,000Rp, nine hours), departing every hour. Most people make the Manado trip by minibus or Kijang (100,000Rp to 150,000Rp).
8Getting Around
The airport is 32km west of Gorontalo. Airport buses (35,000Rp) meet flights, and shared taxis (70,000Rp) are also available; both will drop you an
ywhere in the city, or at either port. To get to the airport, book the same service through the airline, travel agency or your hotel.
BOGANI NANI WARTABONE NATIONAL PARK
About 50km west of Kotamobagu, this rarely visited national park (287,115 hectares) has the highest conservation value in North Sulawesi, but it’s pretty inaccessible. The park (formerly known as Dumoga-Bone) is at the headwaters of Sungai Dumoga (Dumoga River) and is a haven for rare flora and fauna. The maleo bird, a large megapode, is found in large numbers here (more than 3000 were released into the park in 2012). Other wildlife includes the yaki (black-crested macaque) and a species of giant fruit bat only discovered in the 1990s.
Visit the Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park office (%0434-22548; Jl AKD Mongkonai; h7.30am-noon & 1pm-4pm Mon-Fri), on the road to Doloduo, about 5km from central Kotamobagu, the nearest town. At this office you can buy park permits (30,000Rp per visit), pick up useful tips, look at decent trekking maps and ask lots of questions.
The area around the park entrance at Kosinggolan village has several trails, which take from one to nine hours to hike, and there are various options for overnight jaunts through the jungle if you have camping equipment. Take a regular mikrolet (small taxi) to Doloduo from the Serasi terminal in Kotamobagu. Then walk about 2km west (or ask the mikrolet driver to continue) to the ranger station at Kosinggolan, just inside the park, where you must register and pick up a compulsory guide for 100,000Rp per short hike (more for longer trips).
Lonely Planet Indonesia Page 133