Manado was established by the Dutch in the 17th century, and was once praised for its beauty. Unfortunately, the city was heavily bombed during World War II, and again during the Indonesia battle for independence, and the modern reconstruction has left the city less than picturesque.
While there are monuments to the heroes of the struggle for independence all around town, there is little to see in Manado itself. Most international visitors come to explore the jungles and volcanoes around the city, or dive the waters of the offshore islands.
North Sulawesi Map
The diving around North Sulawesi is widely considered to among the world's best. Part of the attraction is wide range of dive sites available in relatively close proximity, from the fantastic walls of the Bunaken National marine Park, to the critter-filled sandy bottom of the Lembeh Strait or the soft corals of Gangga Island. For more information on diving around Manado, see the SEA Undersea guide to North Sulawesi dive sites.
From other parts of Indonesia, you can reach Manado by bus, boat or plane. Bus is of course only an option from other parts of Sulawesi, and isn't really recommended. To get to Manado from Makassar or Palu will take several days.
You can reach Manado by boat from other islands using the Pelni line. Most of their ships are rather modern, with first, second, third and economy-class cabins. The journey from other islands may easily take two or three days.
Lying just above the equator, Manado has a remarkably constant climate. Temperatures remain almost constant throughout the year, with only a couple of degrees variation in both high and low temperatures from month to month. In fact, the average low temperature is constant throughout the year.
Historical Weather Patterns for Manado Average Monthly Highs & Lows (°C) The main difference through the year is the amount of rain. August and September are the driest months, while the rains are quite heavy from December to March.
Manado City Map Manado seems to sprawl along the gently curving bay, but the city center covers a relatively small area that can be easily navigated on foot, although there's not much to see. For shopping, the Mega Mall shopping center is close to several of the main hotels. Several restaurants can also be found around the mall. Consider a stroll along the waterfront near the mall around dinner time to find a potential dinner spot.
Linow Lake is really a water-filled volcanic crater. It's a very pretty little lake, but with some interesting features. Several small vents line the wall of the crater, spewing hot gases and water. Bubbles in the lake indicate there are more vents below the water line. The changing mixture of chemicals in the gases cases the lake to change colors from time to time, from red to deep green to even blue.
The 9,000 hectare Tangkoko Nature Reserve is home to some of the most unique species in the world, such as the smallest primate - the Tarsier Spectrum - and the Black Crested Macaque, which is found only in North Sulawesi. There are, of course, birds such as the hornbill as well.
The park can be visited as a day trip from Manado, but it is a two to three hour drive there, and back, so if you really want to see the wildlife, an overnight trip is highly recommended, especially if you want to see the Tarsiers, since they are nocturnal.
Manado isn't a big city but does have a decent selection of hotels. Your first decision is whether to stay in the city, or one of the resorts on the coast outside of town. The resorts tend to be oriented to scuba divers, but most of them welcome non-divers as well. You'll be somewhat isolated at the coastal resorts, so if you like to have lots of dining or shopping options, it's best to stay in town.
Lake Tondano, seen from one of the lake-side restaurants This huge lake lies along the eastern side of a massive ancient volcanic caldera. Young active volcanoes such as Mahawu lie along the rim of this caldera. The lake, though covering a large area, is reportedly relatively shallow. There seem to be a lot of small fish in the lake, and fish farms line the shore as well. Ornamental koi carp seem to be big business here.
The small town of Tomohon is up in the hills about an hour's drive from Manado. It's something of a transportation hub for North Sulawesi, and many of the sights around the highlands are not far from Tomohon. The city has a rather interesting market, but other than that doesn't seem to have much to recommend it. There are a few accommodations around Tomohon, which are best described as "rustic" but the highlands sights are quite spread out, so staying in Tomohon doesn't necessarily make it any easier to access the sights without your own transportation.
May 2010
The Sintesa Peninsula is currently the top-end hotel in Manado City. It sits on a small hill near the center of town, not far from the waterfront and several shopping centers. Opened just in time for the 2009 World Oceans Conference, the almost new hotel features crisp, clean lines everywhere, from the oversized public spaces to the 147 guest rooms. For my stay, I had a corner suite with views of the harbor - or at least I could have seen the waterfront if it hadn't been pouring down rain for most of my stay.
