Togean Islands

Unspoilt islands in the Gulf of Tomini, Central Sulawesi, with coral reefs, a lake of stingless jellyfish and Bajau sea villages – a hidden diving gem for backpackers.

The Togean Islands lie in the middle of the Gulf of Tomini in central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Made up of about 60 islands large and small, they belong to Tojo Una-Una Regency in Central Sulawesi Province; a national park was established in 2004, and the islands became a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2019. Almost every type of coral reef is found here – fringing reefs, barrier reefs and atolls side by side – along with a lake of stingless jellyfish, a WWII B-24 bomber wreck and the active volcano island of Una-Una, while the island forests are home to the endemic Togean babirusa and macaques. The best season is Mar–Oct, with calm seas and good visibility; during the northwest monsoon from Nov–Feb, winds and waves are stronger and some resorts close. There are three main areas: Kadidiri and Togean Island in the centre (where most accommodation is, with the jellyfish lake, the Taipi Wall dive site and the B-24 wreck all within an hour by boat); Malenge in the east, with the Bajau sea villages of Papan and Kabalutan; and Bomba village and Una-Una volcano island in the west. Getting there: fly to Palu or Gorontalo, then travel overland to Ampana on the south coast (about 10 hours by road from Palu), take a public ferry or speedboat to Wakai (2–4 hours), and be picked up by your resort's boat for the islands; from the north, there is an overnight ferry from Gorontalo. There are only a few sailings a week and schedules change often, so confirm in advance. Plan on 5–7 days. Accommodation is mostly sea-view wooden cottages, with electricity usually only for a few hours in the evening, no ATMs and weak phone signal, so be sure to stock up on cash and medicine in Ampana; some resorts include three meals. Dives must be booked through the resort's own dive centre.

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