National Park of Togean Islands : Meet with endemic fauna of Sulawesi, ocean tribe & colorful coral reefs

A series of beautiful islands float on the sea, protect a bay named Tomini Bay. The region is a transition zone of Imaginary Line of Wallace and Weber, provide the natural wonders that shouldn't be missed. Be prepared to explore the greatness of Celebes and see directly one of tribe who inhabits the ocean, named Bajoe tribe. 

Yap, this is Togean Islands, a national park by an area of 292.000 acres (sea area) and the land area is about 70.000 acres. The location that is not too isolated and far of city's life has became alluring appeal for the enjoyer of natural landscape beauty and the diversity of marine biotas. 

This Islands is cluster of small islands that transverse in the middle of Tomini Bay. There are more than 60 islands here, several are famous like Malenge island, Una Una island, Batukada, Talatakoh, Walekodi, and Waleabahi island. 

In Togean Islands you can see mangrove forest and the vast seagrass or usually called as "nambo" where it become a food source of dugong as a sea mammals. Several species of rare turtle also inhabits this area such as green turtle (Chelonia mygas) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbriocata) that make this beautiful beach as a place to foraging and breed.

In Togean, there are 33 types of mangrove that consist of 19 types of true mangrove and 14 types of associate mangrove. The 33 types of mangroves is grouped in 26 genuses and 21 familia. Also, there are several various types of animals that inhabits the forest with their own uniqueness. 

Under the sea that so amazing, you can meet pilot whales, giant clam (Tridacna gigas), and lola (Trochus niloticus), giant stingray, coral shark, and big eye trevally fish, and of course the colorful coral reefs. There 4 types of coral reef such as barrier reef, patch reef,  fringing reef, and atoll. Also there are 35 species of butterfly fish (Chaetodontidae) that live around it also as a indicator of the coral reef's health.

In the deeper marine area, you can find more than 262 types of coral reef, 596 fish types, and 555 types of molusca. Very incredible !!

Meanwhile on the land live endemic faunas of Sulawesi that is protected like tangkasi (Trasius sp.), cuscus (Ailurops Ursinus), deer (Cervus timorensis), and coconut crab (Birgus latro). There are also monkey togean (Macaca togeanus), lizard togean (Varanus salvator togeanus), and wildboar togean (Babyrousa babirussa togeanensis) that only live here, in Togean Islands.

Many types of bird can be found here. At least 90 types of bird that is protected like Red-knobbed Hornbill (Rhyticeros cassidix) and Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus). The biodiversity nad the beauty of Togean Island, make this Islands is designated as a national park through Keputusan Menteri Kehutanan (SK. No. 41 8/Menhut-II/2004).

What Activities You Can Do?

Traditional house of Bajo

There are many activities you can do here start from fishing, sailing, swimming, and diving surely. Some big and small islands which is inhabited various types of unique flora and fauna. Also you can visit settlement of Bajoe tribe in Kabalutan, Enam island, Malenge island, or at Kayome where there is a original house of Bajoe tribe that is left by its owner and it's built without nail. Very pristine and natural !!

In the main settlement area at Togean island where is located Katupat village with beautiful beach or you can go into its forest to do trekking. Batukada island is the largest island and the most easy to be accomplished from Togean Islands. You can visit Bomba village to swim, snorkeling, or visiting bat cave.  Meanwhile, Wakai, a sub-district city, there is a departure harbour to Kadidiri island where Kadidiri island is tourist object in Togean Islands. The underwater life of Togean Islands offers the visit to make you plunge to the bottom. There are a lot of dive spots which is supported of snorkeling activity.

Kadidiri island is the most popular island in Togean that offers the beach beauty with snorkeling location and diving location. Beach of Kadidiri island has quiet flow. There are a lot of affordable lodging on the west coast with a series of craggy coral rocks that become the habitat of coral crab. 

Kadidiri island
The most popular island at Togean Islands

In Taipi wall, about 4 km in the south of Kadidiri, there is dive site like vertical coral wall that extends from the north to the south. You will enjoy amazing scenery here like coral reef biotas and varios types of coral and colorful coral reef. The flow is friendly with varies depths from 5 metre to 30 metre and sea water is warmed by sunlight so it will make you stay for long time.

Under the sea near with Enam island, there are many wreckage of bomber B-24 as a dive site today where the bomber are owned by United States of America that fall down on May, 1945. The bomber is in well condition where you can see the rest of plane's propeller and one of plane cabin complete with machine gun behind.  The bomber wreckage can be found 16 km from Kadidiri in the depth of 14 m to 22 m. 

For all of you that has been experienced to dive, then you can go down to Karang Dominic in the most northern of Togean Islands and it's located in the depth of 30 m to 40 m. In this dive site, you as a professional diver will find the depth variations until 40 m where sunlight won't reach  this level.

For you who is not interested to plunge down, you can try to fishing or exploring the forest nature in Malenge island. Or you can visit Mount Colo in Una-una island as your tourist activity alternative. Also you can do activity of culture tourism by visiting the settlement of Bajoe people in Kabalutan. 

How To Go There?

National park of Togean Islands is located in Tomini Bay at Tojo UnaUna regency, Central Sulawesi. Route from Jakarta to Togean are : Jakarta - Palu - Ampana - Togean. From Jakarta to Palu you can use Lion Air, Sriwijaya Air, and Garuda Indonesia, from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at Cengkareng to Mutiara Airport in Palu, and it needs 3 hours. The ticket price start from Rp 700.000,00 until Rp 1.000.000,00.

From Bandara Mutiara Palu, you can rent airport taxi to agent travel by the cost of Rp 50.000,00. The travel will bring you to Ampana. Here the travel list to Ampana by the fare of Rp 110.000,00. 

• Touna Travel at Jalan Sam Ratulangi Palu (Contact numb. +62 0451 454808) departure schedule from 08.00 WITA and 16.00 WITA. 
• Sansarino Travel at Jalan Sisingamagaraja Palu (Contact numb. +62 0451 425807) departure schedule from 09.00 WITA. 
• Togean Indah Travel at Jalan Suprapto Palu (Contact numb. +62 0451 422829)

The road trip from Palu to Ampana through Poso is about 375 km or 10 hours of road trip. You won't be bored because during the travel, you will see the beauty of coffee plantation and the beauty of beach in Equator line.

Wakai map

Next, continue your travel by using boat from Ampana to Wakai and Malenge. Routine schedule of boat start from 10.00 - 11.00. By knowing the departure schedule of boat, you can  determine your time travel.

Another alternative route that are the shortest from Jakarta - Luwuk - Ampana - Togean. In Luwuk, you can go to the airport where it serve the flight from Surabaya and Makasar (Ujung Pandang). From Luwuk to Ampana is closer and it needs 4-5 hours of road trip.

If you come from Gorontalo, then you can do travel to Marisa then go by boat to Dolong or Wakai. From Gorontalo, the boat sail only on wednesday, while from Ampana, the boat sail every monday, tuesday, thursday, and sunday.

When you arrive at Ampana, you can go diretcly to Kantor Balai Taman Nasional Kepulauan Togean at Jalan Poros Uemalingku Atas, sub-district of Ampana. Here you can ask some information about National Park of Togean Islands. 

Travel Tips and Accommodation

It doesn't matter if you show your bargaining skill to rent land transportation and boat. You can be friendly with other passengers or fisherman who owned the boat you get on. They are local citizen and they are very happy if you invite them to talk with you.

Togean Island doesn't only offers dive package. But you can do trekking in all islands to see and witness Togian Babirusa, deer, bat, coconut crab. Or you can rent boat to the west of Togean Island to see and interact in the settelment of Bajoe tribe which is known as ocean tribe. 

For accommodation in National Park of Togean Islands, many various inns and cottages by various of rental fares start from Rp 150.000,00 until Rp 400.000,00 per day. But the fare can be cheaper depend on your choice. Even you can stay at local resident home without paying a dime. But, if you want privacy, inn is the best choice. Also you can choose inn around Tongkabu island or also in Ampana city. At least, Ampana city has complete facilities.

Here the list of inns and hotels you can visit.

Penginapan Ampana

Jl. Sultan Hasanudin, Kel. Ampana, Ampana Kota

Telp : 0464 - 21244

Losmen Maralau
Jl. Yos Sudarso, Kel. Ampana, Ampana Kota
Telp : 0464 – 21770

Penginapan Sederhana
Jl. Sultan Hasanudin, Kel. Ampana, Ampana Kota

Penginapan Rejeki
Jl. Pulau Talaka , Kel. Uentanaga A. Ampana Kota
Phone : 0464 – 21274

Hotel Plaza
Jl. R. A. Kartini Kel. Uentanaga A. Ampana Kota

Hotel Victoria
Jl. Sungai Bongka, Kel. Uentanaga A. Ampana Kota
Phone : 0464 – 21234

Hotel Oasis
Jl. R.A. Kartini, Kel. Uentanaga B. Ampana Kota
Phone : 0464 – 21058

Losmen Irama
Jl. R.A. Kartini, Kel. Uentanaga B. Ampana Kota
Phone : 0464 – 21055

Losmen Family
Jl. Moh. Hatta, Kel. Uentanaga B, Ampana Kota
Phone : 0464 – 21034

Marina Cottage
Jl. Tanjung  Api, Desa Labuan, Ampana Kota
Phone : 0464 – 21280

Hotel Mapala
Jl. Tanjung  Keramat, Kel. Dondo Ampana Kota
Phone : 0464 – 21136

Ulfa Home Stay
Jl. Pulau Papan, Kel.Uentanaga  B, Ampana Kota
Phone : 0464 – 21642

Reatreat Cottage
Tipae island, Bomba village, Sub-district of Una-Una
Kepulauan Togean

Wakai Cottage
Wakai village, Sub-district of Una-Una

Paradise Cottage
Kadidiri island, Tobil village, Sub-district of Togean, Togean Islands

Lestari Cottage
Kadidiri island, Tobil village, Sub-district of Togean, Togean Islands

Bleck Marlin Dive
Kadidiri island, Tobil village, Sub-district of Togean, Togean Islands

Taipi Cettage
Kadidiri island, Tobil village, Sub-district of Togean, Togean Islands

Fadhila Cottage
Pangempa island, Katupat village, Sub-district Togean, Togean Islands

Bolilanga Cottage
Bolilanga island, Katupat village, Sub-district of Togean, Togean Islands

Losmen Melati
Katupat village, Sub-district of Togean, Togean Islands

Losmen Malenge Indah
Melenge village, Sub-district of Walea, Togean Islands

Losmen Lestari
Melenge village, Sub-district of Walea, Togean Islands

Walea Dive Resort

Tanjung Keramat, Kandongan village , Sub-district of Walea Besar, Togean Islands

For more information about National Park of Togean Islands and tourism object in Indonesia especially in Central Sulawesi, please visit Wonderful Indonesia
May be useful and thankyou for your vist :)

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Bunaken : Meet with thousands of colorful fish

Have you ever imagine become mermaid? Swim together with hundreds fish and other marine biotas? In Bunaken Sea Park you will find  real "mermaid" and see the richness of Indonesian sea. 

Bunaken is located in Manado bay with an area of 8,08 square kilometres, located in the north of Sulawesi island, Indonesia. Bunaken is part of government of Manado city, mother city of North Sulawesi. Marine park around Bunaken is part of National Park that also include of the sea around Old Manado island are Siladen and Mantehage. In Bunaken Marine Park, visitor can see various amazing marine life and also full of colour. To reach the marine park, you can use motor boat. Travel from Manado needs 40 minutes. The fee entrance is Rp 25,000 / person.

Bunaken sea waters allow people to see clearly various types of sea biota.There are 13 types of coral reef in the marine park, which is dominated with sea stones. The most interesting scenery is vertical coral reef towering down as deep as 25-20 metres. 

Scolopsis bilineatus

Treat your eyes with 91 types of fish at Bunaken Marine Park like sea horse (Hippocampus), white koi (Seriola rivoliana), yellow-tail lolosi (Lutjanus kasmira), goropa (spilotocepsep hinephelusdan hypselosoma Pseudanthias), and a type of tilapia (Scolopsis bilineatus), and many more. Diver also can find molusca like giant kima (Tridacna gigas), goat-head fish (Cassis cornuta), nautilus (Nautilus pompillius), and tunikates or askidian.

For you who love scuba diving then this place is the good place. There are 20 dive spots, where the divers will get opportunity to swim in sea floor surrounded with various types of amazing marine biota.  Make sure you visit Bunaken at the best time between May until August. On this month, you can explore whole beautiful marine park. 

What Activities You can Do?

Diving is the best way if you want to enjoy intactly and clearly the panorama of Bunaken underwater life. Available 23 places of snorkeling or diving. Don't be bothered to bring your own diving equipment because of Bunaken provide diving equipments to be rented at a price of Rp 100.000 / day.

Not only see row of colorful fish swim back and forth and seagrass meadows, you also can se more than 390 species of amazing coral reef. Its form is unique and squiggly. Also you can see marine cave or tiny tunnel that might be impossible to be found in another place.

Under the stretch of sea by an area of 890,65 square kilometres in the region of Manado bay, we will find the beauty enchantment created by our God by enjoying the colorful coral reef. There are more than 200 species of fish also a variety of another marine biotas. You will feel diving sensation surrounded with dazzle underwater sceneries at the park that is located 75 mile from Manado beach. The dive sites can be reached by a travel of 35 minutes by using motorboat. 

Lekuan Wall, Bunaken

Many best dive sites are located near Bunaken or Old Manado. Here the list place that represent the location of the diving. 

Lekuan Wall (I, II, III)

Lekuan Wall (I,II,III) is a long wall in Bunaken that is divided into three, Lekuan I, II, and III. All three have the best marine park with steep walls  and deep crack, also sea fan and giant sponge. A shallow place filled by fish. The wall, always protected from strong stream, which is always visited by group of large parrot fish and turtles. 

Mandolin

Mandolin in marine park that has coral summit and walls that inhabited by thousands fish like group of gunner fish, surgeonfish, unicornfish, and bannerfish. They can swim and easy to be approached. 

Bunaken Timor

Bunaken Timor has strong stream with many fishes. Coral reef maybe not as spectacular as in another place but you can see turtle, shark, stingray, and large fish swim back and forth here. Also there are seagrass and small caves. 

Tanjung kopi

Tanjung kopi is small wall that is inhabited by a group of barracuda fish and many sweetlip fish. The visibility in shallow water is not good enough but the amount of fish will make you be interested. Nudibranch fish and api gopi fish will be easy to found here. 

Siladen

Siladen has beautiful smooth coral wall that will alive when the stream comes. Shallow sea looks beautiful with many fishes and snappers. 

Muka Gereja

Muka gereja is beautiful place with thousands fish in shallow waters and trench that is leading to sea wall. 

Puncak Barakuda

Puncak Barakuda in the northwest is one of the farthest place. A group of giant barracuda are located between jack fish and tuna fish.

Ship wreckage in Manado 

A long ship by a size of 60 m (200 feet under the sea level) was owned by German trader, sink near Molas beach in 1942. This ship is sink upright in a depth of 23 m (78 feet under sea level). Split at the middle part of the ship and displays the wheelhouse and cargo handle. Diving activity ends near the shallow coral. 

Bunaken's enchantment not only at its marine park but at the surface we can enjoy the beauty and exoticism of five islands that are Bunaken island, Siladen island, Manado Tua island, Nain island, and Mantehage island. In the last island there is Bajo tribe with their unique culture. Other than diving enthusiasts, ornithologists and amateur bird watchers might find visiting Tangkoko Dua Sudara Nature Reserve entertaining.

Best diving sites in Bunaken

Bunaken National Park was built in 1991 and it's one of the first marine park in the world. In 2005 Bunaken has become world heritage site after registered by Indonesia in UNESCO. Bunaken National Park is divided into two parts, that are in the north and south. In the northern part consist of 5 islands, and littoral between Molas until Tiwoho called Pesisir Molas-Wori.

In the southern part consist of coastal between Poopoh village and Popareng village called  Pesisir Arakan-Wawontulap. In this region, there are 22 villages by the amount of its citizen are 33 thousand people. Mostly are farmer and fisherman also 25% of its population works in tourism sector. You can explore island by walk or use boat to move from one place to another place. Even when you only walk and go around along  the beach, it will become enjoyable experience. So, diving is not the only choice. Another way are by using semi-submersible vessel, which is rented in the offshore of Bunaken island.

The ship provide glass walls so you can see and enjoy the beauty and exoticism of Bunaken's sea floor. Also there is Blue Banter submarine and it will be operated when the sea in high tide. Many sceneries that you will get maximally though its fare is more expensive than semi-submersible vessel.

How To Go There?

In Bunaken, you'll feel like in paradise where the underwater paradise located under the Manado bay surrounded by the beauty of flora and fauna over there. To reach Manado, many airlines serve routes start from Jakarta, Denpasar, Makassar, and Sorong/ From Jakarta, you can choose Garuda Indonesia that will fly twice a day, Lion Air fly three times a day and Batavia Air fly twice a day, and it needs 3 hours. 

Bunaken island is very easy to reach from Manado by using motor boat. You can depart from Manado harbour, Molas harbour, Kalasey harbour, and Ria Tasik beach. Ferry ship from Manado to Bunaken is departed at 02.00 PM (based on sea tides)

Travel Tips and Accommodation

The admission and ticket can be bought through tourist operators in Manado or Bunaken National Park. Also, you can buy them in one of three ticket counters in Bunaken and Liang villages at Bunaken island and Siladen island. 

You have to realize that during the holiday season between July and August, the situation will be very crowded, full of domestic and international tourists. Many resorts and dive operators can't recieve the tourist to enter at the time. So, better if you book it before the holiday season comes. 

Underwater life of Raja Ampat

For the place of boat rental from Manado to Bunaken, you can choose Pasar Bersehati and Marina. Fare of boat rental from Pasar Bersehati, Manado to Bunaken is between Rp 300.000 to Rp 400.000. While if you from Marina, the fare is more expensive, start from Rp 600.000 to Rp 800.000.

The most economical way is merge together with other tourists by using traditional boat by a fare of Rp 50.000 / people. But you have to wait until seats on the boat full of passengers, then the ship ready to sail to Bunaken. Try to rent equipment from the large company that can be relied but remember that the responsibility to check your equipment is depend on your self. If you're the true adventurer, of course you won't skip to continue your nautical adventure in Raja Ampat and Wayag island, at Papua. 

For accommodation, in this island you can choose inn by a price start from Rp 40.000,00 per people per day, include complete facility. Several dive operators in Bunaken offer you the accommodation more expensive with adequate facilities.Also, you can choose to stay at hotel in Manado city then book the daily package to Bunaken. Usually, they leave in the morning and back in the afternoon.


For more information about Bunaken and another tourism object in Indonesia, especially in North Sulawesi, please visit Wonderful Indonesia
May be useful and thankyou for your visit :)

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