Activities
Diving and snorkeling are of course the most common activities. However, you can do lots of other things too:
- Climb one of the three still active volcanoes
- Hiking across Lembeh island
- Visit villages
- Relax on the 250 m sandy beach
- Do a tour across the Minahasa highland
- Hike through the jungle of the near Tangkoko Reserve. Here you will meet monkeys and cuscus. The forest is excellent for bird watching
- Join a local fisherman and catch your meal for that day
- If you want to do some shopping, you can go to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi
- Cruise on an outrigger boat along the magnificent coast with its white and black beaches, mangroves and cliffs
- Enjoy a lazy afternoon in our open lounge with a good book. We have a small library with Dutch, English and German books. You can also watch movies or listen to music
- And if you don't want to go out at all, just sit on your own balcony and admire the spectacular view. You will be able to spot a lot of birds, butterflies and even sometimes the small Tarsier
So even if you are not diving, you can still have a great time!
Minahasa highland tour
This is an easy, relaxing tour exploring the Minahasa volcanic highland area. You will leave Divers Lodge Lembeh in the morning and will be taken by car to Lake Tondano which, at an altitude of approximately 700 metres, stretches out in a volcanic caldera.
You will see scenic Minahasa farming villages located along the lakeshore where aquaculture and the growing of flowers, vegetables, rice, corn, cloves and vanilla are predominant. From there a panoramic road with spectacular views of Mt. Klabat and the Moluccan Sea will take you to Tomohon. After a short visit to the Tomohon market, where one can buy smoked rats, dogs and other unusual things, you will continue to Lahendong for a stroll along the colour changing Lake Linow which is rich in sulphur and thermal activity. You can then visit the traditional pottery village of Pulutan and afterwards have lunch in a restaurant on the shores of Lake Tondano. Before returning to Divers Lodge Lembeh, you will have the opportunity to stop at Sawangan to see the ancient Waruga sarcophagi.
Price: € 48,50 per person (minimum 2 person). Single: € 69,- including lunch
Volcano Hiking in Minahsa North Sulawesi
The Mahawu volcano (1311 m) in Tomohon is an active volcano, which have spectacular views not only over its caldera, but also over the whole of North Sulawesi with its volcano's (you can see Mt. Klabat, Lokon and Soputan) and surrounding seas. Also you can see Manado bay.You will be taken to the foot of the volcano by car, leaving Divers Lodge Lembeh at about 7 o'clock in the morning. The walk to the crater then takes about one hour and is fairly easy. You can then walk around the crater and enjoy the view from all sides.
Afterwards, you can have lunch in a local Minahasa restaurant. Before returning to Divers Lodge Lembeh, you can visit the ancient Waruga sarcophagi collected at Sawangan village.
Price: € 48,50 per person (minimum 2 person). Single: € 69,- including lunch
Hiking across Lembeh Island
The 3 hours hike around the Southern to the Eastern part of Lembeh island offers unspoiled nature, beautiful forests, black and white sandy beaches, mangroves, some friendly traditional villages and many kinds of birds and butterflies. From Divers Lodge Lembeh you will be taken by outrigger boat to a small village where you can start hiking. Price € 10,- per person (for at least 2 persons).
Shopping in Manado
Manado isn’t a very charming city. However, if you want to see what life is like in a relatively big Indonesian city, this is your chance!
Pasar 45 is the heart of the city. It is the busiest area of the city, with supermarkets, small stores, restaurants, banks and flea markets. Here you will also find the statue of Lolong Lasut, the founder of Manado.
The harbour is located in the center of the city, within walking distance of Pasar 45. The harbour services mid-sized ships going to Gorontalo or the Sangir Talaud Archipelago, as well as small boats going to nearby islands such as Bunaken, Manado Tua, Siladen and Mantehage.
Ban Hin Kiong Temple is a colourful Buddhist temple and the oldest in Eastern Indonesia. The temple is located on Jl. Panjaitan in the centre of the city.
You can find several shopping malls in Manado. Mega Mall and Manado Town Square will give a good impression of what the Indonesian people buy. You can also enjoy a nice western cup of coffee at Excellso coffee shop.
And for something completely different: Wenang Golf Course is a nine hole course, located at Kayuwatu, about 7 km from downtown Manado, on the road to Sam Ratulangi International Airport. It covers an area of 1800 square meters. It’s cool breezes and restaurant facilities make it a truly enjoyable experience, especially if you’ve missed your golf!
Canoeing
The beautiful Bay of Walenokoko is an excellent place to explore by canoe. You will be able to see forests, picturesque coves, mangroves and the small village of Walenokoko. We have two canoe boat with electrical power engine. Price: € 4,- per hour.
Tangkoko National Park
The Tangkoko-Dua Saudara-Batuangus Nature Reserve ("Tangkoko Reserve") is located on the northeast tip of Sulawesi's northern peninsula in the Minahasa area. The reserve protects 8800 hectares of the most beautiful forested land remaining in Sulawesi. The reserve contains a full range of flora communities, including mangrove forest, beach forest, lowland forest, submontane forest and elfin cloud forest. Inhabitants are macaques, tarsiers, hornbills, maleo birds a.s.o. Various kinds of trip can be made in this park, such as 5km loop trail, 6km mountain trail, snorkelling & bird-watching in Batuangus cove and of course tarsier viewing. Enjoy your stay in the jungle!
Upcoming events in North Sulawesi 2009
Tulude
Tulude is one of the biggest traditional ceremony and celebration that is usually be held on 31 January. It is a yearly thanksgiving day of all Sangihe people to thank God for all the blessings during the past year and asking for protection, guidance and blessings for the coming year. This is the time where all the Sangihe people in Bitung gather together bringing their own meal, wearing traditional costume and perform several traditional dances like Gunde, Tagonggong, Masamper, Tari Alabadiri, Cakalele, and play the unique traditional bamboo music and Tiva. The ceremony starts with the process of welcoming the "sesepuh adat" (leader or high level government like Major and vice Major) with traditonal dances, to the process of cutting the traditional cake "Tamo" by the chieftain and then it is shared to all the participants in the ceremony. After the cermony everybody is having meal together with the government, and continues to the evening festives and competition of Masamper (Tradtional music/singing and dance).
Pagelaran Seni Adat Budaya Minahasa Wanua Bitung
This is the biggest traditional ceremony and celebration of Minahasa ethnic group in Bitung for the inauguration of the 7 Tonaas (chieftain) from each sub-tribe (Tonsea, Toulour, Tombulu, Tountemboan, Bantik, Pasan Ponosakan and Ton-sawang) as the "Majelis Kebudayaan Minahasa" who will keep maintain the culture of Minahasa tribe and organise that all the Minahasan in Bitung support the local government. Traditional bamboo music and Tambor is played out loud while all the Minahasa ethnic group include little children wearing traditional costume, march along the city and perform several dances like the war dance "Kabasaran", Maengket, war dance from Bantik tribe and Cakalele. This event is scheduled on late January or early February.
World Ocean Conference 2009
North Sulawesi is proud to host World ocean Conference (WOC) 2009 in Manado on 11-15 May 2009. conference is a high level meeeting of head of the states that have coastal and marine territories, scientists, NGO's, journalists, private sector, and stakeholders to discuss current issues in the marine field which are related to climate change and degradation of marine and resources due to over fishing and pollution, to achieve international commitments in sustainable development of marine resources and the prosperity of humankind. They are expecting about more than 1,000 participants from 111 countries.
Side events in this WOC are International Ocean Science, Technology and Policy Symposium and International Ocean Science, Technology and Industry Exhibition. The 33 province of Indonesia and all the regencies in North Sulawesi will take part in the exhibition and of course performing different traditional dances and attraction.
WOC had been responded positively by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the UN Habitat, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Global Forum Ocean, World Wide Fund (WWF), the Partnership in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) and the Arafura and Timor Seas Experts Forum (ATSEF).
Website: http://www.woc2009.org/
1st HUGYCUP International Underwater Photo and Video Competition 2009
This competition will take place at Divers Lodge Lembeh from 12 July 2009 until 8 September 2009 with the total prize of 16000 Euro and is organized by Danny van Belle, winner of the 'Golden Fin' in the World Festival of Underwater Pictures in Antibes, France (2004, 2007), Hugyfot Underwater Housings, and Green-Force Underwater Light System. Any guest that will stay here during that period pays Euro 120,- per dive day and receives for this amount non limit diving, workshops given by Danny Van Belle, and if you want, participation in the competition. Website: http://www.hugycup.com/
Sail Bunaken 2009 in Lembeh Strait, Bitung
This sailing event will be held from 12-20 August 2009. Most of the activities will be held in Manado and Bunaken but all the Warships, Tallships and Yachts will be moored in Lembeh Strait and also the sail parade will be held on Lembeh Strait.
Website: http://www.sailbunaken2009.com/
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