Manado Things to Do

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When you are in Manado,you have to spend time seeing sunset at Manado Boulevard.I was born and grew up in Manado.This Boulevard was really beautiful and clean on its first years.I used to spend time there after school,we have afternoon class at school,and seeing the sun setting itself down to the earth at Boulevard is one of my sweetest memory of my hometown.The last time I went to Boulevard,it was awful.It is dirty,crowded and full of colorful tents.I was looking for the best place to see my lovely sunset.I got the best place there.You just go to the back of Bahu mall,turn to the left and you can sit yourself at the end of that left turn.The place is still clean,you can see local children laughing and swimming around, and the most imporrtant thing,you can enjoy the sunset view

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It is a new public swimming pool in manado. Located in the Citraland real estate, surrounded by the trees and hills.The entrance will be 25,000 Indonesian Rupiah, around 3US$ for January 2007 rate. Great place for the kids.

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Ban Hin Kiong Temple is one of the Buddhism temples in Manado which is located in Manado’s China Town. It will be opened daily from 7AM to 9PM. There will be some people staying in the temple complex and they will be happy to guide you seeing the temple. It will be free of charge but communicating in English could be a little problem. Sandals/shoes must be removed before entering the praying rooms. The floor may be cold and dusty (afternoon time) for you, so be prepared with extra shocks. It is decorated mainly with red and golden colors, has two stories with some big delighted and colorful statues. You will see Manado city center area from the second floor. If you are in Manado in the month of February, don’t miss their biggest festival, Tah Pi Kong.That is the time they will parade some statues around Manado city center with some magical (chopping) attractions. Ask the local people or the temple staff for the festival date. The date is changed every year (still within the early day of February) and it will be announced in local newspaper.How to get there?From the central BNI 46 in Pasar 45, take a walk to Pasar Jengki area 100m, between President Shopping Center and Taman Kesatuan Bangsa. When you reach the parking ticket point, you will see 2roads in front of you and 1road on each side of yours. Take the the right road in front of you and you will reach the temple after 100m.

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It is the only museum in Manado, located at W.R. Supratman Street. See how to get there. It opens Monday to Thursday from 0830AM to 04PM and Friday at 0830AM to 1PM. The museum has the collections of Chinese; historical antiques of Dutch occupation time, the traditional dresses, the displays of local people activities, waruga, etc. Look at my travelogues, A Day at Museum too. Though it is dull and less maintained unlike other popular museum, it is worth for a visit. You will see the great view of Manado at the second floor. No entrance ticket but may be you want to want to give some donations at the exit door. The attendant can not speak English well so you should come with your guide or Manado relative/friend if you can not speak Indonesia Language.

Tomohon is located at south of Manado, around 45 minutes by car and also known as THE FLOWER CITY. You will see many flowers stands and farms on the road side of Kakaskasen area. Its active volcanoes Mt. Lokon and Mt. Mahawu apparently play the rule of the good and fertile soil of Tomohon where most of the fresh flowers of Manado come from. January will be the festival month of Tomohon, many exhibitions, maengket contest, and flower parade during this time. The city will celebrate The Harvest Festival, PENGUCAPAN, on the Easter Day. You may be interested to see the local traditional market, early morning of Saturdays, where they sell the exotic food. You may enjoy the great view of Mt. Lokon at Bukit Inspirasi area, the hot water spring pools, or spend some days in Tomohon resorts.

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Bunaken is known for its sea garden, the perfect tourism site for the diver. For the one like me, still thinking to get the swimming class; diving in Bunaken will be absolutely out of the list. Nevertheless, there is another way for us to enjoy the wonderful view of Bunaken diving sites. Get a boat trip to Bunaken and surrounding islands with the boat from Pasar Jengki. Pasar Jengki will be located at the Manado Port; you may reach there from Jumbo supermarket in Pasar 45 easily. Take the boat with the table glass at the center of the boat where you can see the underwater magnificent view. The boat will bring you to the Bunaken area and you may ask them to drop you at Bunaken or Siladen or Bangka Island and pick you up later at the designated time. The boat of 10-15 passengers will cost you around 400,000IR. Sometimes it depends on the boat itself and the rental time. Do not wear the skirt, bring the sun block, camera, some snacks, water, wet tissues, and good flip flop.

It is located 40 km of the north of Manado, in Bitung area. Tangkoko Duasudara National Park/Reserve is dominated by two nonactive volcanoes: Gunung Duasudara and Gunung Tangkoko and active one volcano Gunung Batuangus. The reserve is covered by the rainforest and beach forest. Though the Tangkoko has good maintained trails, you should get the guide for your hiking and trekking tour. The guide can be easily got at the entrance gate. It will be an advantage for you too because they know the exact location to see the main attractions of this national park like horn bill, Macaca nigra monkeys, and the smallest primate of the world Tarsius Spectrum (my id picture). Gear yourself up with light long sleeve and trousers (dark colored ones), cover your head with hat or bandana, good hiking shoes, tug in yours trouser ends inside the shocks, put good sunblock, and mosquito repellent. BRING camera, binocular, flashlight, mineral water, snack or sweets, liquid sanitizers, extra t-shirt, and simple medical kit. Be prepared for the rain/wet conditions and cold temperature. You may bring sleeping bag if you want to spend a night, but is it not advisable for the amateur ones. There is a hotel inside this national park area. You may spend time there if you want to but the villagers may have cheap home stay too. The summer season (April to October) will be the best time to visit.See my travelogue for more pictures of Tangkoko.

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Great drift dive on steeps walls. Average visibility: 25 m; and temperatures between 26-30c. Huge hard coral fields. Sharks, bumpheads, Napoleons, barracudas, schools of jacks, plus an absolute plethora of reef fish.

This place harbors some of Indonesia’s very finest coral reefs. It is acclaimed by the world's top underwater photographers and recreational divers alike, who find the combination of abundant marine life, pristine coral and calm, clear waters unbeatable. The diving is almost without exception on sheer coral walls with phenomenal growth well into the depths - often below 50m. Fish life is profuse and diverse. All the common reef fishes are in great numbers, and frequent visitors include sharks, rays, tuna and jacks.