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North Sulawesi
The Province of North Sulawesi is one of the most prosperous and spectacularly scenic area of Indonesia. It used to be made of three large Kabupaten (or District Minahasa, Bolaang Mongondow and Gorontalo and smaller one Sangihe Takand Island). But since Gorontalo became a new province in 2002 taking with its Bolaang Mongondow area, the Province of North Sulawesi consists of two large Kabupaten (district).
Much of the beauty and fertility of the region derives from its towering volcanoes. Many are extinct or dormant, but Mount Lokon near Tomohon erupted in 1986, and Mount Soputan in Central Minahasa in 1989, earth tremors are not at all uncommon here in North Sulawesi.
Volcanoes are only one aspect of a geologically active complex that includes fumaroles and hot springs in the Minahasa District.
Studies have been carried out to ascertain the feasibility of generating electricity from geothennal energy here. More importantly, the volcanoes are responsible for the exceptionally fertile soils that are the province’s major economic asset. North Sulawesi possesses some of the most fertile land in Indonesia, outside of Java and Bali. Agriculture, in the form of coconut, clove and nutmeg tree cultivation forms the basis for great wealth in many parts of the province.
The Northenmost district comprises of the thinly populated volcanic islands of the Sangihe and Talaud groups, which depends on fishing and coconut production. These islanders frequently travel to the mainland among others to work as coconut harvesters.
Minahasa, the hinterland of Manado, is the most heavily populated and highly developed district. Only 20 percent of its land remains under forest cover and the population density has soared to over 300 persons per sq.km-less than half that of Java, but still very high.
The Minahasa area is extremely mountainous (Mt. Klabat, the highest peak, stands at 1995m), but has a narrow coastal fringe where coconuts thrive, and an interior plateau around Lake Tondano (altitude 600m, surface area 46sq.km), where irrigated rice fields provide abundant harvests. The upland hills are covered in clove trees, while in the cool highland areas to the south, near the border with Bolaang Mongondow, vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and cabbages are grown.
To the west of Minahasa lie in the Districts of Bolaang Mongondow and Gorontalo. Both are very mountainous also, with an even narrower coastal plain and only a few small, inland valleys, where agriculture is less intensively practiced than in Minahasa. Both districts contain small village settlements created through government sponsored transmigration from Java and Bali. Given the fact of its fast pace of development and its abundant of natural resources, the government of Indonesia has established the area as a new province of Indonesia in 2002.
The Dumoga Valley to the west of Kotamobagu, for example, supports two prosperous Balinese farming villages (and several Javanese settlements) that have benefit from the area’s fertile soils, extensive irrigation system and good road network.
Transmigration settlements have been remarkably successful in North Sulawesi, but local population pressures and a shortage of arable land have led to a virtual cessation of sponsored transmigration into the province.
North Sulawesi is also blessed by abundant rainfall , more or less evenly spread throughout the year, by a richness of marine life in the surrounding seas. Serious ecological problems do exist, however, deforestation and consequent erosion and silting of waterways can be seen in both Minahasa and Gorontalo.
Rice was the first crop to interest outsiders. The Dutch, based in the food poor Moluccan ‘Spice Islands” look to nearby Minahasa for their provisions. Ironically, the province now imports rice. Coffee was important during the 19th century, but copra, coconut oil and their by products are the major revenue earners today. Many of the province’s more than 25 million coconut trees are sold and less than optimally managed, however, and now need replacement.
Coconuts, like all other agricultural crops in North Sulawesi, are with few exceptions grown not on large estates by individual small holders, providing may villagers with a good income. Visiting rural areas, travelers will notice coconut meat being dried in the sun or smoked in cribs to produce copra – a big money earner.
More recently, fortunes large and small have also been made from cloves. Native to the neighboring Moluccan Islands, cloves have long been grown in North Sulawesi, but in recent decades this crop has caught on in a big way. The phrase “clove Fever” well describes the atmosphere of the 1970s, when everyone seems to be planting, growing and harvesting or trading cloves. Prior to the great harvest (panen raya which occur periodically between more normal annual harvests), consumer goods flood into the villages, supplied by trades as advance payment specified quantities of dried cloves.
Another important tree crop in North Sulawesi is nutmeg. A sourish fruit that grows on tall trees, the hard kernel produces nutmeg spice while the beautiful lacey vermilion covering surrounding it is dried and ground to become mace. Candien, the nutmeg fruit is a pleasant treat. Besides nutmeg, vanilla is enjoying some popularity now too, though production is still limited.
Aside from corn, cassava and rice agriculture, the sea is also of substantial importance to the province, whose waters are rich in various species of Tuna. A fishing port with modern processing facilities has been developed at Aer Tembaga on the northeasthern coast near Bitung, but much fishing is till carried out by small craft instead of by the large sea-going vessel once envisaged. Significant quantities of freshwater fish are also taken from Lake Tondano or raised in fishponds.
A bit of manufacturing, largely the processing of agricultural products such as coconut, is found throughout the province, mainly in the Manado-Bitung region. There is also some mining, including widespread panning for gold in Bolaang Mongondow. Gorontalo has sizeable reserves of copper, like the rest of Sulawesi, however, the north is still primarily an agrarian region.
The languages of North Sulawesi are closely related to languages spoken in the Philippines. On the basis of this and other evidence, scholars have suggested that the area be settled from the north, though this no doubt involved a complex and millennia-long process of migrations and adaptation.
Minahasans and other peoples of the province have a different sort of origin story : the myuth of Toar and Lumimuut. The primal ancestries Lumimuut was born out of foam from a coral rock thrown up from the sea and impregnated by the wind. She and her son Toar set out in different directions to search for mates. Years later they met but did not recognize one another and so married, giving birth to many children. It is said that Lumimuut gathered her offspring at a sacred stone called Watu Pinbetengan and allocated different parts of the real to them. This stone, with its undeciphered pictographic carvings is still in situ near the town of Langowan.
At the time of Europeans first contact with the area, North Sulawesi was inhabited largely by inland and upland peoples who practiced shifting cultivation. The Minahasans were not organized into states, though union of villages did exist. Petty coastal kingdoms had been established in Gorontalo, as a result of Islamic influence emanating from Bugis kingdoms to the south and from the sultanate of Ternate to the east.
The first Westerners to visit this area were the Portuguese in the mid-1500s, when they sent a priest to spread the faith.
In the 1650s the Dutch, under the aegis of The United East Indies Company (VOC), supplanted the Spanish and established a post at the site of present-day Manado. In 1673 the Dutch constructed Fort Amsterdam here which bombed during the second world war and unfortunately later razed to the ground. Not until the early 1800s, however, did they penetrate the interior. The Minahasa highlands were subjugated in 1808 and rapid and massive conversions to Proiestanism, along with the forced cultivation of coffee, began to take place soon after.
Christianity became an emblem of Minahasan culture and identity and helped reinforce at local attachment to European culture, as well as in some case identification with Dutch interests. The Church and the Dutch administration were instrumental in spreading education and basic health services throughout the area.
By the turn of the century, there was a school for every 1,000 people in Minahasa, whereas in Java the ratio was one to 50,000
Thus by 1930, Minahasa registered the highest literacy rate (in Malay as well as Dutch) in the country. Minahasans made up a significant portion of the colonial bureaucracy as well as the army. Needles to say, their status as colonial Tones did do greatly endear them to other Indonesians.
The Japanese occupation was followed by Dutch reoccupation, and revolutionary activity that eventually brought independence in 1943. Not everyone in North Sulawesi initially supported the revolution. For a long time, in fact, pro Dutch sentiments among Minahasans earned the region the nickname of the ‘twelfth province’ of Holland.
The event of the independence caused many Minahasans immigrated to Holland. Today, however, such things have long been forgotten and most of the talk is of economic development. Government policies in the new order era have focused mainly on this, and have been remarkably successful in bringing progress to even remote areas of the province.
The Bustling City of Manado, capital of North Sulawesi, spreads across low, coconut clad hills around a wide bay, with three volcanoes providing a spectacular backdrop. Its splendid setting is an attracting in itself; with only a limited number of other attractions, the city’s main interest to the traveler will most likely be its location, its relatively high standard of living and its convenience as a base for which to explore the surrounding region.
The city with a population of more than 250,000 is predominantly Christian – a legacy of several centuries of Portuguese and Dutch domination. There are 349 places of worship, including 266 churches, and more are still being built. The church plays a key role in society here. The streets are filled on Sundays with smartly dressed church goers.
Manado was a major seaport until the early 1960s, but the harbor has silted up and now most of the shipping has now been rerouted to the nearby harbor of Bitung. It is till possible, however, to travel by boat from Manado to Tahuna on Sangihe and to other local ports.
Much of the surrounding sea of Manado has been designated a nature reserve, including the crystal-blue seas around Bunaken Island just to the north, with their extraordinary coral reef sea gardens. The local beach at Tasik Ria to the south of the city offers good swimming and dramatic tropical sunsets.
The prime tourist attraction in North Sulawesi is the spectacular sea garden located off Bunaken Island, less than an hour by boat from Manado. It contains an unbelievable abundance of marine life, in one of the world’s most impressive diving spots.
A day tour starts off with morning coffee or tea at beachside restaurant. A motorboat takes visitors to two of the five islands – Bunaken and Manado Tua – which make up the government –protected, 75,265-hectare marine reserve. The latter is a dormant volcano that rises majestically out of the ocean.
A submarine trench reaching the depths of 1,200 meters separates these islands from the mainland, shielding them from the pollution and silt generated in Manado and nearby coastal villages. The reserve is protected by law from spear fishing and coral or fish collecting, as well as from dynamite fishing. The development of tourist facilities is banned on the islands for environmental reasons; so most people stay in Manado or with their tour company in one of several diving resorts that have sprung up around the city.
The safest and most popular dive site is the sheltered south cove of Bunaken Island, where the coral reef starts just below the surface and plunges vertically to 3,000 feet, with downward visibility of up to 30 meters. Here, it is said, is the best wall and drop off diving in the world. The density of the fish and coral population, the dazzling colors and the sheer coral walls with their numerous caverns combine to make this a breathtaking experience for experienced and novice divers alike.
Snorkelers may also like to explore areas off the southern side of the island, where the fish density is not so great, but where numerous species of soft coral can be seen. For those who do not want to enter the water, glass bottom boats are available, but be sure to arrange this ahead of time.
After an hour or two of whatever aquatic activity you prefer, a delicious lunch is available at a warung on the white sand beach of Bunaken Island, or on board the boat. You can spend time exploring the beach, collecting seashells or just relaxing the boat will take out again for more time in the warm waters of the Sulawesi sea.
Two of the five islands, Siladen and Nain, are known for their abundance of shells. If you have time, you might want to ask the boatman to make a stop here. On the return trip to Manado, you will get a beautiful view of Manado Bay.
A roundtrip excursion can follow the coast south of Manado to Tasik Ria Beach and on to Tanawangko, then cut in land via Tarataraa to the highland town of Tomohon, offering a delightful combination of a visit to the beach, a taste of delicious Minahasan cuisine, and spectacular views of coastal a coconut groves and highland clove plantations, all the while passing through picturesque rural village. Start out early too fully enjoy the sight.
Tasik Ria is about 30 minutes from Manado, and is worth a stop to collect seashells, have a swim in the warm Sulawesi Sea and watch the local fisherman.
The village of Tanawangko, further south along the coast, has a deserted beach which fits perfectly for most people’s image of a tropical island paradise. The swimming here is excellent. The gentle waves lap the shore and there are plenty of seashells. Look out for falling coconuts, however, and be aware of unconfirmed rumors of small crocodiles said to inhabit the river flowing into the ocean at this spot.
Back at the north of Tanangko, turn inland to the mountains and follow a road that winds up through coconut plantations to the highland town of Tomohan via Taratara. Along the way the magnificent active volacono, Mt. Loko (1595 m) looms into view.
The village of Tara Tara at the southern foot of the volcano is a regional center for traditional music and dance performance of the Kolintang (wooden xylophone) orchestra, the cakalele war dance, the maengket song and dance group, and the lancier dance group are held here at the Kemer open air auditorium by prior arrangement.
The hilltop twon of Tomohon, known locally as the City of Flowers, sits in a saddle between two volcanoes, Lokon and Mahawu. The climate is delightfully temperate, fruits and a wide range of flowers-hibiscus, angel trumpets, bougainvillea, lilies, gladiolas, carnations and irises- are grown commercially to supply markets in Manado.
The half hour journey back to Manado along a winding mountain road afford spectacular views. Excellent Minahasa food is available at restaurants in the town of Tinoor, from where you also have a panoramic view of Manado Bay.
Further along, a turn off to the right that the distinctly Sumatran style gate at Pineling leads after about a kilometer to the Mousoleum of Imam Bonjol, the Islamic cleric who led Minagkabau resistance against the Dutch in West Sumatra. Bonjol was captured in 1837 and exiled in Ambon, then later to the North Sulawesi. He died in 1864 near the site of the grave.
The main road out of Manado to the east to Airmadidi and Bitung leads to coconut groves pass a large factor, PT United Coconut Tina Indonesia, which is a good place to see the ubiquitous nuts being processed.
Also on this road is Taman Anggrek, an orchid garden containing more than 80 varieties of orchids from the different parts of North Sulawesi. Over 10,000 specimens, including 2,000 hybrids, are on display in gardens and greenhouses. All varieties bloom only part of the year, at different times.
Just beyond Airmadidi (30 minutes from Manado) a road to the right leads south to Tondano. The village of Sawangan, five minutes further on, is the site of the largest collection of ancient sarcophagi or waruga in the province. A small sign (on the right) indicates a narrow road to the left. The cemetery contains 144 waruga and a small museum.
Each waruga is decorated with carvings denoting the occupation, cause of death or characteristics of the owner. One shows a woman giving birth and women with fertility problems come here to pray for a child. The oldest resident of Sawangan conducts a ceremony beside this waruga on the night of the full moon. All waruga face the rising sun.
Beyond Sawangan, the narrow, winding road continues on up the hills, arriving at the town of Tondano after half an hour. It follows the course of the Tondano River, with spectacular views of the gorge, skiring a recently expanded hydroelectric power station at Tenggar, which supplies electricity to the region. Shortly before Tondano, caves used by the Japanese during the second world war to store ammunition can be seen on the left.
Just before Tondano Town, a sharp turn to the left takes one through the historically and culturally unique village of Kampung Jawa. Its name (Java Village) indicates that some of the population descend from fighters captured in the Java war of 1825-1830, and exiled here by the Dutch.
Tondano Town, the administrative center of the Minahasa region, lies on the northern shores of Lake Tondano. It is a small town laid out with strait streets crisscrossing at right angles. Dr. Sam Ratulangi, an early swiss-educated nationalist leader and the first post-war governor of Sulawesi, was born here, and there is an impressive monument to his memory in the north of the town.
The road south of Tomohon to Sender passes first through Lahendong, where seething energy just below the earth’s surface is dramatically apparent. A hut and a green sign on the right mark the head of the well-marked trail to the springs.
Post Leilem, a village known for its handsome handmade furniture, you come to the village of Sender, which in the 1970s had the highest per capita income of any village in Indonesia. Many of the people here got rich when clove prices were high. Unlike many other Minahasans, however, they diversified their investment and survived the subsequent drop in prices relatively unscathed. The people of Sender are know throughout the region as energetic businessman. Indeed they are involved in everything from selling cookies in small villages to running large business in the city.
The nearby Toar-Lumimuut tourist resort has a lovely swimming pool and park, and is a good place to relax and cool off after the drive from Manado.
The entire tip of the peninsula to the north and east of Mt. Klabat is covered with lush, tropical rain forests, which have been declared a nature reserve. The Tangkoko-Batuangus-Dua Saudara Reserve, as it is known (the name refers to three peaks in the reserve) encompasses 9,000 hectares ranging from sea leavel up to 1,100 meters. This is a spectacular area which offers you the possibility to see not only some of Sulawesi’s unique animals and plants, but also a wealth of corals and fishes.
The most notable species in the reserve is the endemic maleo bird. Alfred Russel Wallace visited the area in 1859 to collect specimens along the black sand beach. Sadly, the maleos have disappeared from this site, largely because of over exploitation of their eggs after the village of Batuputih was established here in 1913. the few remaining Maleos now lay their eggs at two open spots inside the reserve.
The reserve also offers excellent opportunities to see the bear cuscus. This arboreal marsupial is fully dependant on a few species of tress. Usually the guards know where to look. Tarsiers, macaques and wild pigs are also common. The anoa is rare and usually found at higher altitudes, but the babirusa is thought to be extinct here.
A wide variety of birds can be seen, notably the lilac kingfisher and a relative of the maleo-the much smaller Phillipine scrub fowl. The latter deposits its eggs between the decaying roots of trees, where heat generated by the decomposition of the wood incubate them. Flying lizards, gliding from tree to tree, are more numerous than in Dumoga Bone. Mudskippers are common on the stones and rocks along the shore. Frigate birds, white-bellied sea eagles and other marine birds are often seen soaring overhead of fishing offshore.
Though it is only 60 km from Manado, access to the reserve is difficult and several days are required to see it properly. If you do not have the time, you can also simply hike into the rain forest from Danowudu along short, well-maintained trails. Danowudu is reached by taking a turn off to the left (north) at Girian, just before Bitung.
The Port of Bitung is the other main point of interest in this area. Nearly laid out with wide boulevards, it boasts two bizarre repiclas of Eiffel Tower and a striking church. Bitung is the main port of North Sulawesi, and has a fine natural harbor protected by the island of Lembeh. This is also the center for commercial fishing in the region. There are several excellent restaurants in Bitung serving Chinese style seafood.
The three districts of North Sulawesi beyond Minahasa, are not prime tourist destinations, and facilities are more limited than in Manado. However, the magnificent land and seascapes, and the Dumoga Bone National park are ample reward for the extra effort required to visit the area.
With at least two days to accomplish it, a figure-eight trip from Manado the National Park at Dumoga offers some of the most majestic scenery in the entire province.
The jewel of the valley is the Dumoga Bone National park, a large and fascinating reserve unlike any other, which merits at least several days exploration.
Dumoga Bone Park consists of 300,000 hectares of virgin forests lying between Gorontalo and Kotamobagu. Its primary function is to protect the water catchment area for the new irrigation project.
It was set aside as a National park in 1984, following severe deforestation of the surrounding hills that resulted in erosion and flooding, upsetting the irrigation plans. As a bonus, the unique flora and fauna of this large primary rainforest has been preserved as well.
Only a few trails and rivers give access to the interior of the park, which is extremely rich in animal and plant life. Most of the island’s 80 endemic bird species are found here. The best place for bird watching is the forest edge, where magnificent hornbills, beautifully colored kingfishers, parrots, pigeons and birds of prey are common
Wild pigs, Celebes macaques and the tiny, night dwelling spectral tarsier, which produces high pitch, insect like sounds, are all around. Anoa and babirusa can be seen, but they are shy and normally inhabit higher altitudes. Insect life is abundant and fascinating. Butterflies (especially common on sandy riverbanks), moths and dragonflies are present in an unbelievable rainbow of colors. The humming cicadas fills the air and beetles of all sizes seem to be everywhere.
Retuning to Manado pas Kotomobagu, travel up the valley through the coffee plantations toward Modoinding, near the border with Minahasa. Another smaller park, Gunung Ambang, may be visited with a guide from the PPA office at Mangkudai Baru.
A bit more than three hours of walking leads through highland agricultural fields and into Montane Rain Forest with tropical birds and anoa. The latter, it should be remembered, are aggressive and are to be treated with respect. Smoking sulfur fumaroles overlook the valleys here and it can be cool and wet, so bring suitable clothing, water and food.
Having descended along the winding forest road, you rejoin the trans-Sulawesi high way before Amurnag. The trip back to Manado can then be made either through the mountains and Tomohon, or via Tanawangko and Tasik Ria along the coast.
Gorontalo, the second largest city in North Sulawesi with a population of some 100,000 is located at the esteem end of Lake Limboto, at a point where the lake and three rivers drain into the sea. There are daily flights from Manado, as well as a rather lengthy bus connection. This attractive little city has wide, tree-lined avenue and some interesting examples of Dutch colonial architecture.
The main form of transportation here is the horse drawn bendi, and an interesting hour or two can be spent touring the city and the harbor area for around $1 per hour. There is an impressive range of shops, and several on Jalan Jenderal Suprapto specializing in the local krwang embroidery for which Gorontalo is famous.
At warung you can sample a local delicacy known as milu siram, a tasty fish stock with corn (milu), lemon and grated fish coconut.
The coast to the east of Gorontalo is picturesque, and you will find good beaches along the road.
Tahuna is the capital of the Sangihe Talaud group, which includes some 77 islands strewn to the North of Sulawesi, 47 of them inhabited. The area is known for its fertile soil, its high quality nutmeg and its palm trees. There are many active volcanoes here, including Mt. Awu on Sangir Talaud, which has claimed over 7,000 lives in recent years.
The early morning Merpati Flight from Manado to Tahuna gives you magnificent views of Bunaken and other small islands fringed by coral. Naha Airport is a thin strip cut into the coconut plantations. From here minibuses pass along the coast road and then up into the mountains through clove and nutmeg plantation.
Explore the morning market at the old harbor, to see tuna being landed from small fishing boats. The market is a five minute walk from the New Victory Hotel along Jl. Raramenusa past the post office. Spare some time to examine the craft shops selling carved ebony for which the area is famous.
Much of the beauty and fertility of the region derives from its towering volcanoes. Many are extinct or dormant, but Mount Lokon near Tomohon erupted in 1986, and Mount Soputan in Central Minahasa in 1989, earth tremors are not at all uncommon here in North Sulawesi.
Volcanoes are only one aspect of a geologically active complex that includes fumaroles and hot springs in the Minahasa District.
Studies have been carried out to ascertain the feasibility of generating electricity from geothennal energy here. More importantly, the volcanoes are responsible for the exceptionally fertile soils that are the province’s major economic asset. North Sulawesi possesses some of the most fertile land in Indonesia, outside of Java and Bali. Agriculture, in the form of coconut, clove and nutmeg tree cultivation forms the basis for great wealth in many parts of the province.
The Northenmost district comprises of the thinly populated volcanic islands of the Sangihe and Talaud groups, which depends on fishing and coconut production. These islanders frequently travel to the mainland among others to work as coconut harvesters.
Minahasa, the hinterland of Manado, is the most heavily populated and highly developed district. Only 20 percent of its land remains under forest cover and the population density has soared to over 300 persons per sq.km-less than half that of Java, but still very high.
The Minahasa area is extremely mountainous (Mt. Klabat, the highest peak, stands at 1995m), but has a narrow coastal fringe where coconuts thrive, and an interior plateau around Lake Tondano (altitude 600m, surface area 46sq.km), where irrigated rice fields provide abundant harvests. The upland hills are covered in clove trees, while in the cool highland areas to the south, near the border with Bolaang Mongondow, vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and cabbages are grown.
To the west of Minahasa lie in the Districts of Bolaang Mongondow and Gorontalo. Both are very mountainous also, with an even narrower coastal plain and only a few small, inland valleys, where agriculture is less intensively practiced than in Minahasa. Both districts contain small village settlements created through government sponsored transmigration from Java and Bali. Given the fact of its fast pace of development and its abundant of natural resources, the government of Indonesia has established the area as a new province of Indonesia in 2002.
The Dumoga Valley to the west of Kotamobagu, for example, supports two prosperous Balinese farming villages (and several Javanese settlements) that have benefit from the area’s fertile soils, extensive irrigation system and good road network.
Transmigration settlements have been remarkably successful in North Sulawesi, but local population pressures and a shortage of arable land have led to a virtual cessation of sponsored transmigration into the province.
North Sulawesi is also blessed by abundant rainfall , more or less evenly spread throughout the year, by a richness of marine life in the surrounding seas. Serious ecological problems do exist, however, deforestation and consequent erosion and silting of waterways can be seen in both Minahasa and Gorontalo.
Rice was the first crop to interest outsiders. The Dutch, based in the food poor Moluccan ‘Spice Islands” look to nearby Minahasa for their provisions. Ironically, the province now imports rice. Coffee was important during the 19th century, but copra, coconut oil and their by products are the major revenue earners today. Many of the province’s more than 25 million coconut trees are sold and less than optimally managed, however, and now need replacement.
Coconuts, like all other agricultural crops in North Sulawesi, are with few exceptions grown not on large estates by individual small holders, providing may villagers with a good income. Visiting rural areas, travelers will notice coconut meat being dried in the sun or smoked in cribs to produce copra – a big money earner.
More recently, fortunes large and small have also been made from cloves. Native to the neighboring Moluccan Islands, cloves have long been grown in North Sulawesi, but in recent decades this crop has caught on in a big way. The phrase “clove Fever” well describes the atmosphere of the 1970s, when everyone seems to be planting, growing and harvesting or trading cloves. Prior to the great harvest (panen raya which occur periodically between more normal annual harvests), consumer goods flood into the villages, supplied by trades as advance payment specified quantities of dried cloves.
Another important tree crop in North Sulawesi is nutmeg. A sourish fruit that grows on tall trees, the hard kernel produces nutmeg spice while the beautiful lacey vermilion covering surrounding it is dried and ground to become mace. Candien, the nutmeg fruit is a pleasant treat. Besides nutmeg, vanilla is enjoying some popularity now too, though production is still limited.
Aside from corn, cassava and rice agriculture, the sea is also of substantial importance to the province, whose waters are rich in various species of Tuna. A fishing port with modern processing facilities has been developed at Aer Tembaga on the northeasthern coast near Bitung, but much fishing is till carried out by small craft instead of by the large sea-going vessel once envisaged. Significant quantities of freshwater fish are also taken from Lake Tondano or raised in fishponds.
A bit of manufacturing, largely the processing of agricultural products such as coconut, is found throughout the province, mainly in the Manado-Bitung region. There is also some mining, including widespread panning for gold in Bolaang Mongondow. Gorontalo has sizeable reserves of copper, like the rest of Sulawesi, however, the north is still primarily an agrarian region.
The languages of North Sulawesi are closely related to languages spoken in the Philippines. On the basis of this and other evidence, scholars have suggested that the area be settled from the north, though this no doubt involved a complex and millennia-long process of migrations and adaptation.
Minahasans and other peoples of the province have a different sort of origin story : the myuth of Toar and Lumimuut. The primal ancestries Lumimuut was born out of foam from a coral rock thrown up from the sea and impregnated by the wind. She and her son Toar set out in different directions to search for mates. Years later they met but did not recognize one another and so married, giving birth to many children. It is said that Lumimuut gathered her offspring at a sacred stone called Watu Pinbetengan and allocated different parts of the real to them. This stone, with its undeciphered pictographic carvings is still in situ near the town of Langowan.
At the time of Europeans first contact with the area, North Sulawesi was inhabited largely by inland and upland peoples who practiced shifting cultivation. The Minahasans were not organized into states, though union of villages did exist. Petty coastal kingdoms had been established in Gorontalo, as a result of Islamic influence emanating from Bugis kingdoms to the south and from the sultanate of Ternate to the east.
The first Westerners to visit this area were the Portuguese in the mid-1500s, when they sent a priest to spread the faith.
In the 1650s the Dutch, under the aegis of The United East Indies Company (VOC), supplanted the Spanish and established a post at the site of present-day Manado. In 1673 the Dutch constructed Fort Amsterdam here which bombed during the second world war and unfortunately later razed to the ground. Not until the early 1800s, however, did they penetrate the interior. The Minahasa highlands were subjugated in 1808 and rapid and massive conversions to Proiestanism, along with the forced cultivation of coffee, began to take place soon after.
Christianity became an emblem of Minahasan culture and identity and helped reinforce at local attachment to European culture, as well as in some case identification with Dutch interests. The Church and the Dutch administration were instrumental in spreading education and basic health services throughout the area.
By the turn of the century, there was a school for every 1,000 people in Minahasa, whereas in Java the ratio was one to 50,000
Thus by 1930, Minahasa registered the highest literacy rate (in Malay as well as Dutch) in the country. Minahasans made up a significant portion of the colonial bureaucracy as well as the army. Needles to say, their status as colonial Tones did do greatly endear them to other Indonesians.
The Japanese occupation was followed by Dutch reoccupation, and revolutionary activity that eventually brought independence in 1943. Not everyone in North Sulawesi initially supported the revolution. For a long time, in fact, pro Dutch sentiments among Minahasans earned the region the nickname of the ‘twelfth province’ of Holland.
The event of the independence caused many Minahasans immigrated to Holland. Today, however, such things have long been forgotten and most of the talk is of economic development. Government policies in the new order era have focused mainly on this, and have been remarkably successful in bringing progress to even remote areas of the province.
The Bustling City of Manado, capital of North Sulawesi, spreads across low, coconut clad hills around a wide bay, with three volcanoes providing a spectacular backdrop. Its splendid setting is an attracting in itself; with only a limited number of other attractions, the city’s main interest to the traveler will most likely be its location, its relatively high standard of living and its convenience as a base for which to explore the surrounding region.
The city with a population of more than 250,000 is predominantly Christian – a legacy of several centuries of Portuguese and Dutch domination. There are 349 places of worship, including 266 churches, and more are still being built. The church plays a key role in society here. The streets are filled on Sundays with smartly dressed church goers.
Manado was a major seaport until the early 1960s, but the harbor has silted up and now most of the shipping has now been rerouted to the nearby harbor of Bitung. It is till possible, however, to travel by boat from Manado to Tahuna on Sangihe and to other local ports.
Much of the surrounding sea of Manado has been designated a nature reserve, including the crystal-blue seas around Bunaken Island just to the north, with their extraordinary coral reef sea gardens. The local beach at Tasik Ria to the south of the city offers good swimming and dramatic tropical sunsets.
The prime tourist attraction in North Sulawesi is the spectacular sea garden located off Bunaken Island, less than an hour by boat from Manado. It contains an unbelievable abundance of marine life, in one of the world’s most impressive diving spots.
A day tour starts off with morning coffee or tea at beachside restaurant. A motorboat takes visitors to two of the five islands – Bunaken and Manado Tua – which make up the government –protected, 75,265-hectare marine reserve. The latter is a dormant volcano that rises majestically out of the ocean.
A submarine trench reaching the depths of 1,200 meters separates these islands from the mainland, shielding them from the pollution and silt generated in Manado and nearby coastal villages. The reserve is protected by law from spear fishing and coral or fish collecting, as well as from dynamite fishing. The development of tourist facilities is banned on the islands for environmental reasons; so most people stay in Manado or with their tour company in one of several diving resorts that have sprung up around the city.
The safest and most popular dive site is the sheltered south cove of Bunaken Island, where the coral reef starts just below the surface and plunges vertically to 3,000 feet, with downward visibility of up to 30 meters. Here, it is said, is the best wall and drop off diving in the world. The density of the fish and coral population, the dazzling colors and the sheer coral walls with their numerous caverns combine to make this a breathtaking experience for experienced and novice divers alike.
Snorkelers may also like to explore areas off the southern side of the island, where the fish density is not so great, but where numerous species of soft coral can be seen. For those who do not want to enter the water, glass bottom boats are available, but be sure to arrange this ahead of time.
After an hour or two of whatever aquatic activity you prefer, a delicious lunch is available at a warung on the white sand beach of Bunaken Island, or on board the boat. You can spend time exploring the beach, collecting seashells or just relaxing the boat will take out again for more time in the warm waters of the Sulawesi sea.
Two of the five islands, Siladen and Nain, are known for their abundance of shells. If you have time, you might want to ask the boatman to make a stop here. On the return trip to Manado, you will get a beautiful view of Manado Bay.
- Exploring Minahasa
A roundtrip excursion can follow the coast south of Manado to Tasik Ria Beach and on to Tanawangko, then cut in land via Tarataraa to the highland town of Tomohon, offering a delightful combination of a visit to the beach, a taste of delicious Minahasan cuisine, and spectacular views of coastal a coconut groves and highland clove plantations, all the while passing through picturesque rural village. Start out early too fully enjoy the sight.
Tasik Ria is about 30 minutes from Manado, and is worth a stop to collect seashells, have a swim in the warm Sulawesi Sea and watch the local fisherman.
The village of Tanawangko, further south along the coast, has a deserted beach which fits perfectly for most people’s image of a tropical island paradise. The swimming here is excellent. The gentle waves lap the shore and there are plenty of seashells. Look out for falling coconuts, however, and be aware of unconfirmed rumors of small crocodiles said to inhabit the river flowing into the ocean at this spot.
Back at the north of Tanangko, turn inland to the mountains and follow a road that winds up through coconut plantations to the highland town of Tomohan via Taratara. Along the way the magnificent active volacono, Mt. Loko (1595 m) looms into view.
The village of Tara Tara at the southern foot of the volcano is a regional center for traditional music and dance performance of the Kolintang (wooden xylophone) orchestra, the cakalele war dance, the maengket song and dance group, and the lancier dance group are held here at the Kemer open air auditorium by prior arrangement.
The hilltop twon of Tomohon, known locally as the City of Flowers, sits in a saddle between two volcanoes, Lokon and Mahawu. The climate is delightfully temperate, fruits and a wide range of flowers-hibiscus, angel trumpets, bougainvillea, lilies, gladiolas, carnations and irises- are grown commercially to supply markets in Manado.
The half hour journey back to Manado along a winding mountain road afford spectacular views. Excellent Minahasa food is available at restaurants in the town of Tinoor, from where you also have a panoramic view of Manado Bay.
Further along, a turn off to the right that the distinctly Sumatran style gate at Pineling leads after about a kilometer to the Mousoleum of Imam Bonjol, the Islamic cleric who led Minagkabau resistance against the Dutch in West Sumatra. Bonjol was captured in 1837 and exiled in Ambon, then later to the North Sulawesi. He died in 1864 near the site of the grave.
The main road out of Manado to the east to Airmadidi and Bitung leads to coconut groves pass a large factor, PT United Coconut Tina Indonesia, which is a good place to see the ubiquitous nuts being processed.
Also on this road is Taman Anggrek, an orchid garden containing more than 80 varieties of orchids from the different parts of North Sulawesi. Over 10,000 specimens, including 2,000 hybrids, are on display in gardens and greenhouses. All varieties bloom only part of the year, at different times.
Just beyond Airmadidi (30 minutes from Manado) a road to the right leads south to Tondano. The village of Sawangan, five minutes further on, is the site of the largest collection of ancient sarcophagi or waruga in the province. A small sign (on the right) indicates a narrow road to the left. The cemetery contains 144 waruga and a small museum.
Each waruga is decorated with carvings denoting the occupation, cause of death or characteristics of the owner. One shows a woman giving birth and women with fertility problems come here to pray for a child. The oldest resident of Sawangan conducts a ceremony beside this waruga on the night of the full moon. All waruga face the rising sun.
Beyond Sawangan, the narrow, winding road continues on up the hills, arriving at the town of Tondano after half an hour. It follows the course of the Tondano River, with spectacular views of the gorge, skiring a recently expanded hydroelectric power station at Tenggar, which supplies electricity to the region. Shortly before Tondano, caves used by the Japanese during the second world war to store ammunition can be seen on the left.
Just before Tondano Town, a sharp turn to the left takes one through the historically and culturally unique village of Kampung Jawa. Its name (Java Village) indicates that some of the population descend from fighters captured in the Java war of 1825-1830, and exiled here by the Dutch.
Tondano Town, the administrative center of the Minahasa region, lies on the northern shores of Lake Tondano. It is a small town laid out with strait streets crisscrossing at right angles. Dr. Sam Ratulangi, an early swiss-educated nationalist leader and the first post-war governor of Sulawesi, was born here, and there is an impressive monument to his memory in the north of the town.
The road south of Tomohon to Sender passes first through Lahendong, where seething energy just below the earth’s surface is dramatically apparent. A hut and a green sign on the right mark the head of the well-marked trail to the springs.
Post Leilem, a village known for its handsome handmade furniture, you come to the village of Sender, which in the 1970s had the highest per capita income of any village in Indonesia. Many of the people here got rich when clove prices were high. Unlike many other Minahasans, however, they diversified their investment and survived the subsequent drop in prices relatively unscathed. The people of Sender are know throughout the region as energetic businessman. Indeed they are involved in everything from selling cookies in small villages to running large business in the city.
The nearby Toar-Lumimuut tourist resort has a lovely swimming pool and park, and is a good place to relax and cool off after the drive from Manado.
The entire tip of the peninsula to the north and east of Mt. Klabat is covered with lush, tropical rain forests, which have been declared a nature reserve. The Tangkoko-Batuangus-Dua Saudara Reserve, as it is known (the name refers to three peaks in the reserve) encompasses 9,000 hectares ranging from sea leavel up to 1,100 meters. This is a spectacular area which offers you the possibility to see not only some of Sulawesi’s unique animals and plants, but also a wealth of corals and fishes.
The most notable species in the reserve is the endemic maleo bird. Alfred Russel Wallace visited the area in 1859 to collect specimens along the black sand beach. Sadly, the maleos have disappeared from this site, largely because of over exploitation of their eggs after the village of Batuputih was established here in 1913. the few remaining Maleos now lay their eggs at two open spots inside the reserve.
The reserve also offers excellent opportunities to see the bear cuscus. This arboreal marsupial is fully dependant on a few species of tress. Usually the guards know where to look. Tarsiers, macaques and wild pigs are also common. The anoa is rare and usually found at higher altitudes, but the babirusa is thought to be extinct here.
A wide variety of birds can be seen, notably the lilac kingfisher and a relative of the maleo-the much smaller Phillipine scrub fowl. The latter deposits its eggs between the decaying roots of trees, where heat generated by the decomposition of the wood incubate them. Flying lizards, gliding from tree to tree, are more numerous than in Dumoga Bone. Mudskippers are common on the stones and rocks along the shore. Frigate birds, white-bellied sea eagles and other marine birds are often seen soaring overhead of fishing offshore.
Though it is only 60 km from Manado, access to the reserve is difficult and several days are required to see it properly. If you do not have the time, you can also simply hike into the rain forest from Danowudu along short, well-maintained trails. Danowudu is reached by taking a turn off to the left (north) at Girian, just before Bitung.
The Port of Bitung is the other main point of interest in this area. Nearly laid out with wide boulevards, it boasts two bizarre repiclas of Eiffel Tower and a striking church. Bitung is the main port of North Sulawesi, and has a fine natural harbor protected by the island of Lembeh. This is also the center for commercial fishing in the region. There are several excellent restaurants in Bitung serving Chinese style seafood.
The three districts of North Sulawesi beyond Minahasa, are not prime tourist destinations, and facilities are more limited than in Manado. However, the magnificent land and seascapes, and the Dumoga Bone National park are ample reward for the extra effort required to visit the area.
With at least two days to accomplish it, a figure-eight trip from Manado the National Park at Dumoga offers some of the most majestic scenery in the entire province.
The jewel of the valley is the Dumoga Bone National park, a large and fascinating reserve unlike any other, which merits at least several days exploration.
Dumoga Bone Park consists of 300,000 hectares of virgin forests lying between Gorontalo and Kotamobagu. Its primary function is to protect the water catchment area for the new irrigation project.
It was set aside as a National park in 1984, following severe deforestation of the surrounding hills that resulted in erosion and flooding, upsetting the irrigation plans. As a bonus, the unique flora and fauna of this large primary rainforest has been preserved as well.
Only a few trails and rivers give access to the interior of the park, which is extremely rich in animal and plant life. Most of the island’s 80 endemic bird species are found here. The best place for bird watching is the forest edge, where magnificent hornbills, beautifully colored kingfishers, parrots, pigeons and birds of prey are common
Wild pigs, Celebes macaques and the tiny, night dwelling spectral tarsier, which produces high pitch, insect like sounds, are all around. Anoa and babirusa can be seen, but they are shy and normally inhabit higher altitudes. Insect life is abundant and fascinating. Butterflies (especially common on sandy riverbanks), moths and dragonflies are present in an unbelievable rainbow of colors. The humming cicadas fills the air and beetles of all sizes seem to be everywhere.
Retuning to Manado pas Kotomobagu, travel up the valley through the coffee plantations toward Modoinding, near the border with Minahasa. Another smaller park, Gunung Ambang, may be visited with a guide from the PPA office at Mangkudai Baru.
A bit more than three hours of walking leads through highland agricultural fields and into Montane Rain Forest with tropical birds and anoa. The latter, it should be remembered, are aggressive and are to be treated with respect. Smoking sulfur fumaroles overlook the valleys here and it can be cool and wet, so bring suitable clothing, water and food.
Having descended along the winding forest road, you rejoin the trans-Sulawesi high way before Amurnag. The trip back to Manado can then be made either through the mountains and Tomohon, or via Tanawangko and Tasik Ria along the coast.
Gorontalo, the second largest city in North Sulawesi with a population of some 100,000 is located at the esteem end of Lake Limboto, at a point where the lake and three rivers drain into the sea. There are daily flights from Manado, as well as a rather lengthy bus connection. This attractive little city has wide, tree-lined avenue and some interesting examples of Dutch colonial architecture.
The main form of transportation here is the horse drawn bendi, and an interesting hour or two can be spent touring the city and the harbor area for around $1 per hour. There is an impressive range of shops, and several on Jalan Jenderal Suprapto specializing in the local krwang embroidery for which Gorontalo is famous.
At warung you can sample a local delicacy known as milu siram, a tasty fish stock with corn (milu), lemon and grated fish coconut.
The coast to the east of Gorontalo is picturesque, and you will find good beaches along the road.
Tahuna is the capital of the Sangihe Talaud group, which includes some 77 islands strewn to the North of Sulawesi, 47 of them inhabited. The area is known for its fertile soil, its high quality nutmeg and its palm trees. There are many active volcanoes here, including Mt. Awu on Sangir Talaud, which has claimed over 7,000 lives in recent years.
The early morning Merpati Flight from Manado to Tahuna gives you magnificent views of Bunaken and other small islands fringed by coral. Naha Airport is a thin strip cut into the coconut plantations. From here minibuses pass along the coast road and then up into the mountains through clove and nutmeg plantation.
Explore the morning market at the old harbor, to see tuna being landed from small fishing boats. The market is a five minute walk from the New Victory Hotel along Jl. Raramenusa past the post office. Spare some time to examine the craft shops selling carved ebony for which the area is famous.