North Sulawesi (Manado)

Gateway to North Sulawesi, with Bunaken's vertical coral walls, the Lembeh Strait 'macro paradise', volcanic lakes, tarsiers and the Minahasa Highlands.

Manado is the capital of Indonesia's North Sulawesi Province, set on Manado Bay at the northeastern tip of Sulawesi. Its population of about 450,000 is largely made up of Christian Minahasa people, it has a long-established Chinese community, and it is known for spicy Minahasan cuisine. The city is the gateway to Bunaken National Marine Park and the starting point of eastern Indonesia's 'diving triangle'. Things to do fall into three areas. At sea: wall diving and snorkeling around Bunaken, Siladen and Manado Tua; the Lembeh Strait off Bitung to the east is a world-class 'muck diving' destination for macro life; and Likupang at the northern tip has Pulisan, Paal Beach and small islands such as Gangga and Lihaga. In the highlands: Mount Mahawu and Mount Lokon around Tomohon, Lake Linow, Lake Tondano and Tomohon Market, with Bukit Kasih and the Minahasa megaliths further south. In the rainforest: Tangkoko Nature Reserve for tarsiers and Celebes crested macaques. Seasons: Apr–Nov brings the best sea conditions and visibility, while the Dec–Mar northwest monsoon brings big waves and frequent rain; the Lembeh Strait can be dived year-round. Getting there: Sam Ratulangi International Airport (MDC) has flights to Jakarta, Bali and some cities in China and Singapore. In town, use Grab or hire a car; boats to Bunaken leave from the city harbor. Plan on 4–6 days, or longer for divers.

Top sights

• Bunaken National Marine Park – A world-class diving destination where vertical coral walls drop hundreds of meters from the shallows. Sea turtles, barracuda schools, and…
• Lembeh Strait – A world-famous “black sand macro paradise,” where volcanic black sand hides all kinds of strange little creatures. It is a pilgrimage site…
• Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve – A tropical rainforest where you can get close to the tarsier, one of the world's smallest primates, along with Sulawesi crested macaques an…
• Manado Tua Island – A cone-shaped extinct volcanic island in Bunaken Marine Park. It is a landmark of Manado Bay and a popular dive site for seeing sea turtles.
• Siladen Island – A small white-sand island within Bunaken Marine Park, with shallow reefs around it suitable for snorkelling and a few quiet dive resorts.
• Lake Linow – A sulfur crater lake whose water shifts between emerald, blue and milky white with the light. Sulfurous steam rises from its edges.
• Christ Blessing Statue – A statue of Jesus about 50 meters tall on a hilltop in the CitraLand residential area of southern Manado, leaning forward in a blessing pos…
• Tomohon Traditional Market – Known as the 'extreme market' for selling bat, snake and other wild meats, it also offers flowers and produce from the Minahasa Highlands.
• Mount Mahawu Crater – An active volcano next to Tomohon. Vehicles can drive part of the way up, and a roughly 15-minute walk brings you to the crater rim for a v…
• Mount Lokon – A twin-peaked active volcano beside Tomohon. Experienced hikers can cross the volcanic valley to the smoking Tompaluan crater.
• Bukit Doa Mahawu – A Christian prayer garden on a hillside in Tomohon, with a Stations of the Cross path, an amphitheatre and a viewpoint overlooking Mount Lo…
• Lake Tondano – North Sulawesi's largest lake, surrounded by mountains and rice fields, with fresh tilapia and freshwater fish feasts on the shore.
• Bukit Kasih – Places of worship for five major religions stand side by side on a hillside, symbolising religious harmony. A cross tops the summit, and su…
• Watu Pinawetengan – A giant stone covered in ancient symbols, said to be where the ancestors of the Minahasan clans divided their lands and made their covenant…
• Waruga Sawangan – An ancient Minahasan stone sarcophagus cemetery where over a hundred square stone coffins with roof-shaped lids are neatly arranged, and th…
• Ban Hin Kiong Temple – Manado's oldest Chinese temple, built in the 19th century, with red pillars and upturned eaves, and a cultural hub for the local Chinese co…
• Tomb of Tuanku Imam Bonjol – The place of exile and final resting site of Indonesian national hero Tuanku Imam Bonjol, where a Minangkabau-style roof stands out in this…
• Manado Boulevard & Megamas – A seaside boulevard along Manado Bay and a reclaimed commercial district with restaurants and malls, a good spot to watch the sunset over t…
• Pulisan Beach – A white-sand bay on the Likupang Peninsula with emerald water, rocky hills and a quiet fishing village, one of the most beautiful beaches n…
• Paal Beach – A fine white-sand beach on the Likupang Peninsula with shallow, gentle waves, where local families come to picnic and paddle on weekends.
• Gangga Island – A holiday island at the northernmost point of North Sulawesi, with white sand, coral reefs and a few boutique dive resorts, ideal for a sec…
• Lihaga Island – An uninhabited island off Likupang with fine white sand and clear shallow water, a popular one-day island-hopping destination in recent yea…
• Tunan Waterfall – A forest waterfall in North Minahasa with a drop of about 80 meters, one of the tallest waterfalls near Manado.
• Kawangkoan Japanese Cave – Air-raid shelter tunnels dug by Japanese forces in the Minahasa Highlands during World War II. Visitors can enter, and the nearby town is k…
• Mount Klabat – North Sulawesi's highest peak (about 1,995 meters), a dormant volcano. Night climbs reach the summit for sunrise above the clouds, with vie…

Where to eat

• Dabu Dabu Lemong – A seaside grill house where you pick your own seafood. Famous for grilled marlin and tuna jaw, with sunset views while…
• RM Wakeke Tinutuan – A long-running vegetable porridge shop at the entrance of Wakeke food street. Breakfast is tinutuan with smoked skipjac…
• Raja Oci – An old downtown seafood house known for charcoal-grilled oci (small mackerel) and grouper sour soup. Good for family di…
• Nasi Kuning Salma Saroja – A yellow rice shop open since 1977, served with dried fish floss and egg, and wrapped in palm leaves to take away.
• Christine Klappertaart Kairagi – One of Manado's best-known klappertaart brands, with many homemade flavors. Packable as a gift for the flight home.

Itineraries

• Manado Highlands & Bunaken Short Tour – Head up to the Tomohon Highlands from Manado to see volcanic lakes, then visit Bunaken Island for snorkeling or diving.
• North Sulawesi Volcano, Rainforest & Dual Seas – Visit Tomohon Highlands and Tangkoko tarsiers, then connect to Lembeh macro diving and Bunaken coral walls.
• Trans-Sulawesi South-to-North Overland – Journey north from Makassar all the way to Bunaken, passing through Toraja, Lake Poso, and the Togean Islands.
• North Sulawesi & Ternate – After exploring highlands, tarsiers, and Bunaken's underwater world, fly to Ternate to see spice forts, experiencing tw…