Diverse Culture, Rich Biodiversity

North Sulawesi is an incredible place with diverse culture and an incredibly rich biodiversity, both in the water and on land. Take a day or two to immerse yourselves in this marvelous environment and have more stories to tell after your trip!

Some information about Lembeh, Tangkoko and Tomohon is provided below for your reading pleasure. If you like further information, or would like to arrange for some day tours, contact us and we will make the arrangements for you.

Near to home

Lembeh Island

Lembeh Island is rich in agriculture, the main crop being coconuts (or "kelapa" in Indonesian). There are also a variety of spices being grown here, notably nutmeg ("pala") and cloves ("cengkih"). Over on the east side of the island you will find a large Jesus the Redeemer statue.

Jesus the Redeemer statue, facing the southern side of Lembeh Island.

The top of Lembeh, over-seeing the mainland where you can see the Dua Saudara (two brothers) mountain.

Nutmeg ("pala") gives us 2 spices; mace is the the protective coating of the seed, the spice nutmeg, is the seed itself. The flesh is usually served as preserved fruit.

The Final Refuge for A Number of Critically Endangered Species

Tangkoko Nature Park

Tarsiers at Tangkoko Nature Park. This is an endangered species, and Tangkoko Nature Park is one of the last places where they can be seen in the wild. No bigger than a mouse, they are nocturnal creatures that hunt in the night.

Crested Black Macque, also known as Celebes Crested Macaque, is listed on the IUCN Critically Endangered list. It is a small terrestrial macque, spending much of its day on the ground foraging for food and socialising. Endemic to Sulawesi, this macque is only found here and in a few neighbouring islands. Take a day trip after diving to Tangkoko to see this and other magnificent wild life!

The Tarsiers and the Crested Black Macque are but only 2 of hundreds of species that are endemic to North Sulawesi, and Tangkoko is one of the last sanctuaries for these magnificent creatures. Come and do a day trip here, and we will do our best to locate these, and other exotic creatures, e.g. Knobbed Hornbill, Cuscus bear, and hundreds of species of wildlife. You should note that this is not a zoo, and sightings are dependent on a number of factors.

Cooler Hills, Volcanoes, Exotic Creatures and Rich Cultural Heritage

Tomohon Highlands

Tomohon Highlands offer a cooler surrounding, dropping to about 18 deg C in the night, and depending on the time of year, could be 22-30 deg C in the day. The mountain in the back is Mount Lokon, an active volcano. We can arrange for a guide to trek with you to the crater.

Linow Lake, or color-changing lake, the color of which changes due to the presence of volcano released gases dissolving into the lake. In the mid-ground of this photo, you can see the effect of geothermal activities boiling the dark colored pool, releasing steam. The smell of sulfur permeates the air.

Building a Minahasa bungalow. Houses are pre-fabricated here and shipped to your desired location.

There are many more interesting places to visit at Tomohon Highlands, e.g. Lake Tondanao, a Japanese era cave, extreme market (not recommended for animal lovers), etc.