Manado Things to Do

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Thrills and fun are guaranteed as you race down through rainforests, experiencing a serious adrenaline-rush and maybe even taking in some wildlife along the way.

As far as i know, there's 2 local operator running this business and there's 3 rivers with different classes of rapids ranging from intermediate to advanced. Half day trip for about 35 rapids (9 KM along the river) on Nimanga River, about 60 Rapids (35 KM along the river) on 2 days and 1 night trip on Ranoyapo River and 4 hours trip for Sawangan River.

YOUR SAFETY IS FIRST PRIORITY

The guides (skippers) and equipment are of internastional standard following procedures set by A.W.A (American Whitewater Affiliation).

REMBOKEN
An ideal place for water skiing, fishing, and boating. Remboken is also known as Sumaro Endo (which means: facing the sun) because it is the place at the side of Lake Tondano where people watch sunrise.
Bungalows, a natural hot-water swimming pool and restaurants are available.

RANOPASO
The thermal delights of the Ranopaso Hot Springs are a short distance from the resort and surrounded by rice fields. You can enjoy a hot water soak in one of the specially built bathrooms with the thermal water supplied from one of the hot springs in the area. This hot water pool gives beautiful impression for all visitors. There are a lot of bungalows to relax.

Cap Go Meh is also known in other places as Toa Peh Kong or the Lantern Festival. It's held on the fifteenth day (the first full moon) of the Chinese Lunar calendar, which usually takes place in February. Search Google for the dates of the Chinese New Year then add 15...:-)

The festival centered around several Buddhist Temples in Chinatown, starting in Ban Hing Kiong temple. It usually consists of:
* Traditional Bamboo music.
* Parade of kids wearing traditional Chinese costumes on some floats or moving platforms.
* The lion dance (barongsai) and the dragon dance.
* Young men dressed like the god Na Cha / Lo Cia on horses.
* Men in trance (Ince Pia) who cut their own bodies with sharp objects.

there are several groups of small islands nearby manado which offers one of the best sea garden in the world!

catch a public boat, renting glass bottom boat or asking to the homestays and resorts or hostels at those islands to pick you up and enjoy the underwater scenes by snorkeling or diving.

on the list are included in bunaken national marine park:
- bunaken island
- manado tua island
-mantehage island
- nain island
- siladen island

another is:
- pulau lembeh
can be reached from bitung

there several beautiful destinations setting at the mountainous range or hilly areas nearby manado. it takes approximately 30 minutes to 2 hours drive from downtown.

such as:
- pre-christian manadoian cemetery called "waruga" in airmadidi [more details in my airmadidi page]
- trekking to the crater rims of mount lokon, klabat and mahawu [more details in my tomohon page]
- visit tomohon, addressed as 'flower city at the west'. it's remain me to baguio in luzon, the philippines [more details in my tomohon page]
- lake tondano and lake linow [more details in my tondano page]
- tangkoko and batuangus dua saudara national park

this is the oldest buddhist temple in eastern part of indonesia. the setting is lovely and taking pictures amongst the gigantic candles is nice. it was restorated several times and always looks well-maintenance.

visit a local market is something nice whenever you pay a visit to manado. not only checking the prices nor finding the local stuffs. but mingle with locals and smiling is something rewarded.

there are 2 famous local markets in manado, pasar jengki and pasar 45 which is not so far from the harbour. here you can catch public boat to go to bunaken island.

enjoy the cool panorama views of manado, from the bay, city and peninsula amongst the greenery of coconut trees.

just go to the stop panorama views nearby resto tinoor manado, to direction of pineleng and tomohon.

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Tomohon is up to the hill to Manado. About 10 km, following a curvy steep road. When Manado is not so hot, though it is located in a seashore. Tomohon is cool, especially during the night. People from Manado like to come here for it fresh air and cool weather. Another than enjoy those, with a culinary experience, Tomohon also well-known of its traditional house industry. The houses built from woods, and some with the knock-down system. The buyer could have it transported abroad, and built it in their hometown. To visit this industry area is quite an experience, even if we don't buy.

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Waruga is an ancient cemetery of Minahasa people, a stoned covered sarcophagus, where they put the corpse. They were scattered to many place before in Minahasa area, collected and now settled in Sawangan, Airmadidi. It is located inside the present cemetery complex of local people. More than a hundred waruga reserved in that complex, and you may see some in the MUSEUM NEGERI NORTH SULAWESI. See my other tip of things to do. You may see the influences of Dutch, Japanese, Portuguese, and Chinese culture on the relief of waruga roof/top. The relief on the waruga implies the occupation, the name, and the amount of the corpses buried inside. The corpses were not actually buried but put inside the waruga on the sitting position on the ground. The waruga will be opened daily, no particular opening hours as the keeper and the guide stays there in the waruga museum. End your tour at the waruga museum, a traditional Minahasa wooden house. No entrance ticket but the donation box will be at the exit door. See my travelogues for more waruga pictures.