Manado Travel Guide, Indonesia

The Paradise of Manado, Indonesia

 Manado, Indonesia is renowned for its pristine natural beauty. It rolling hills, plateaus, volcanic mountains and emerald seas make it ideal for nature lovers looking for respite from their hectic schedule.

 Accommodation 

Different types of hotels cater to the needs of exclusive as well as budget travelers. Some of them are The Gangga Island Resort, Golden Tulip Paradise Beach, Gran Puri Manado, Kima Bajo Hotel and Resort,Hotel Sedona Manado, Hotel New Queen, Hotel Minahasa etc.

  Economy 

The economy is dependent on tourism and other industries like coconut oil processing, furniture building, construction of knock down houses, agriculture, seafood canning, granite quarrying. The region is well known for wooden and ceramic handicrafts, which are exported in bulk. Some of the joint ventures are the Jaka Sakti Buana (desiccated coconut manufacture), PT Indofood (noodle packing) and Sinar Purefoods (tuna canning).

   Traveling around 

The Sam Ratulangi Airport of Manado has flights to and from Singapore, Philippines and Kuala Lumpur. Domestic flights and ferries are also available in and out of Manado. Passenger ships like MV Ceremai, MV Kambuna, MV Lambelu, sail to Bitung Harbor. Buses are available from Malalayang terminal. The Mikrolet (minibuses) is popular way of local transportation. Cars can be rented and Indra Kelana Taxi, Dian Taxi, and Center Taxi etc., run taxi services. Apart from these you can even travel by Ojek (motorbike), Bendi (horse cart) and even boats.

 Places of Interest 

Manado is an important transit point for tourists. Snorkeling and scuba diving are the main attraction. The renowned Marine National Park of Bunaken is nearby. Diving facilities place it among the top 10 diving areas of the world. One can dive hundreds of meters and spot a wide range of marine life like the Angelfish, turtle, stingray, eels and snappers. The Manado Tua Island offers excellent opportunity for snorkeling and the view from the top is mesmerizing. Siladen Island is renowned for sunbathing, snorkeling, diving and even shell collecting.

The Piere Tendean and Wolter Monginsidi monuments commemorate those who died during Indonesian independence and the communist rebellion. The nine hole Wenang Golf course is on the way to the airport.

To enjoy pristine natural beauty and varied flora and fauna a visit to the Tangkoko Batuangus Natural Reserve is a must. One finds animals like the Tarsius Spectrum, wild pigs, tailless black monkeys and even kuskus.

Other points of interest are the Lembeh strait, Japanese monument, Tanjung pisok and Manado Wreck (for eels, squids and sharks) and the hidden paradise of Bentenan. The Paradise of Manado, Indonesia, originally Wenang, has been influenced a lot by foreign culture. The amalgamation of the indigenous and the foreign has resulted in a diverse culture and population.