North Sulawesi: Wildlife & Reefs

Arrive at Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado, named for the Minahasan independence hero, journalist and teacher, where your guide and driver will be waiting to begin a North Sulawesi wildlife and ocean adventure. Transfer to the small town of Tomohon in the Minahasa Highlands. Check in to the Gardenia Country Inn, until recently the private family home of the Ratulangi family, now a small boutique hotel on the highland hills overlooking the active Mount Lokon volcano, with a welcome drink served on the terrace before you settle into your room. Visit the neighbouring Ekayana Pagoda, its path lined with 18 gold-coloured Lohan statues, with panoramic views over Tomohon, Tondano Lake and the surrounding volcanoes from the 9th story of the pagoda, haze permitting. Overnight in Tomohon.

After breakfast, visit the lively Tomohon market before continuing to a cycling tour along the shores of Tondano Lake, the largest lake in North Sulawesi, its rolling hills and lush landscapes a relaxed ride. Enjoy a typical Sulawesian lunch at a seafood restaurant on the lakeshore, then visit Pulutan, a village where nearly every household is involved in traditional pottery-making. At Linow Lake, its turquoise surface marking its volcanic origin, taste a local specialty: fried banana served here with a spicy chili sauce rather than the sweet dips found elsewhere in Indonesia, enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee by the lake shore. On the way back to Tomohon, stop at Pinaras Waterfall for a short trek down 180 steps to the base of the 40-metre falls. Overnight in Tomohon.

Rise early for a 4:30am departure to nearby Mount Lokon. Begin the trek before first light, ascending across a lava flow and gravel field to reach the rim of an active crater, watching the sunrise break over the highlands with panoramic views into the surroundings. Descend and return to the hotel for breakfast, then check out and continue by road through the Minahasa Highlands towards the Lembeh Strait, with lunch served en route in Bitung. Continue to Tangkoko National Park for a relaxed walk through deep, lush rainforest in search of wildlife found nowhere else on earth, among more than 120 mammal and 230 bird species. Look out for the endemic Celebes Crested Macaque, entirely jet black with striking reddish-brown eyes, and, as dusk falls, the wide-eyed Tarsier waking from its day-long sleep in a tree hole. Continue to the Lembeh Strait for check-in at your hotel on a strip of black sand beach. Overnight in Lembeh.

After breakfast, check out and visit the Tasikoki Wildlife Rescue Centre, meeting researchers to learn about the trade in protected species across Southeast Asia and the work of rehabilitating rescued animals, including sun bears, numerous bird species and orangutans, for eventual return to the wild. Visit the observation tower for a panoramic view over the rescue centre, surrounding forest and the Lembeh Strait, with a simple local lunch prepared in the lodge where the resident environmentalists live and work. In the afternoon, transfer to the harbor for a short boat crossing to Siladen Island, a small islet ringed by white sand beaches and coral reefs within the Bunaken Marine National Park. Check in to your hotel, with dinner served at the resort. Overnight at Siladen Island.

Sulawesi sits within the Coral Triangle, the oceanic equivalent of the Amazon in marine biodiversity, and a discovery dive here is a highlight of the trip. Begin at the classroom of Siladen Resort & Spa's 5-Star PADI dive center for a morning of theoretical instruction and a safety briefing, followed by a first practice session in the resort's pool to get a feel for the equipment and practice buoyancy. In the afternoon, take a boat out to one of the reefs surrounding Siladen Island, chosen by the dive instructors according to the day's tides, currents and visibility, for a first dive across colourful coral gardens home to hundreds of fish and coral species. No prior experience is required, and snorkelling can be arranged instead for those who prefer to stay on the surface. Return to the resort in the late afternoon to relax by the beach or in your room. Overnight at Siladen Island.

Spend the day at leisure on Siladen Island, with time to relax on the beach, explore the small islet's coconut groves and fishermen's village, or simply unwind at the resort. Overnight at Siladen Island.

After breakfast, take the boat back to the mainland and continue by road to Manado city center for a short walking tour, from the Arabian Quarter through ChinaTown, where the 'brokerage street' of Jalan Roda has long been a meeting point for traders and dealmakers, ending at the Sentrum church and the WWII memorial commemorating the Pacific War. Lunch is served at a local restaurant specializing in satay. In the afternoon, visit the Museum Negeri Propinsi Sulawesi Utara, showcasing the traditions and history of North Sulawesi, including quirky hybrid-culture artifacts such as a bamboo clarinet blending European and local instrument-making traditions. Taste Klappertart, the Manado region's favourite dessert, a colonial-era fusion of a Western-style butter tart filled with coconut custard, at one of the town's best-known specialty venues, with a cup of coffee or tea. Return to the coast for check-in at a small village outside Manado. Overnight in Manado.

Enjoy a morning at leisure by the pool before your transfer to Manado Airport for your onward flight.