Northern Sulawesi

• 🌍 Manado — the largest city and main gateway to the north
• 🌍 Bitung — the main deep-water port and access to the Lembeh Strait
• 🌍 Gorontalo — Gateway to the Togeans
• 🌍 Modisi – a small town in South Bolaang Mongondow Regency
• 🌍 Tomohon — cool off in the central highlands

• 🌍 Bunaken — world-famous diving site
• 🌍 Tangkoko Nature Reserve
• 🌍 Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park
• 🌍 Bangka — group of small islands just off the coast
• 🌍 Sangihe Islands — Consisting of the islands of Sangir Besar (or Sangir Island), Siau (or Siao), Tahulandang, and Biaro; and the town of Tahuna.
• 🌍 Saronde Island — popular yachting stopover due its clear water, coral reefs, and pristine beaches.

Inhabited by the Minahasa, Hulontalangio, Bantik, and Sangirese, much of Northern Sulawesi is a solidly Christian (mostly but not entirely Protestant) enclave in mostly Muslim-majority Sulawesi. A centre of Dutch settlement in colonial times, the region still retains many traces of Western influence. An exception is Gorontalo Province, which is more than 95% Muslim.

The local language is Manado Malay (Bahasa Manado), also known as Minahasa Malay.

Scuba diving is the main draw for tourists to North Sulawesi. Popular diving areas are:

• Bunaken National Marine Park
• Lembeh Strait, for its good muck diving
• Bangka area, for its brilliant soft coral and diversity in dive sites (from beginner to very advanced)
• Taman Laut Olele, good clear water for diving and fairly close to Gorontalo (on Gulf of Tomini)

Go snorkeling or diving to see slowly-endangered whale sharks, which can be found in the edge of Molluca sea near the Botubarani beach about 6 km from Gorontalo every May.

You can also visit the Minahasan Highlands to climb some of the volcanoes in the area. Taxis can be arranged from your hotel in Manado to the town of Kinilow and Tomohon. From there, it is easy to reach the nearby peaks. Also worth a visit is a local market in Tomohon (not for the faint-hearted) where locals sell various delicacies e.g. dog, bat and the rather boring pig (North Sulawesi is largely Christian).

Minahasan cuisine from North Sulawesi features heavy use of meat such as pork, fowl and seafood. Woku is a type of seafood dish with generous use of spices, often making up half the dish. Ingredients of woku include lemongrass, lime leaves, chilli peppers, spring onion, shallots, either sautéed with meat or wrapped around fish and grilled covered in banana leaves. Other ingredients such as turmeric and ginger are often added to create a version of woku. Foreign colonial influence has also played a role in shaping Minahasan cuisine. Brenebon (from Dutch "Bruin" (brown) and "Boon" (bean)) is a pork shank bean stew spiced with nutmeg and cloves. Roast pork similar to lechon in the Philippines or pig roast in Hawaii is served at special occasions, especially weddings. Other unusual and exotic meats such as dog, bat, and forest rat are also regularly served in North Sulawesi region. Paniki is the bat dish of Minahasa. Manado is best known for Minahasan cuisine, but to see all irregular meat sales, go to Tomohon market, where they display all, dead or alive.

Being largely Christian in North Sulawesi Province, alcohol is a little easier to find than in some other parts of Indonesia. The local beer Bintang costs Rp 15,000 and 20,000 in resorts. Also worth trying are the local beers.

The ethnic strife in central and south Sulawesi has not really affected the north. The Philippine rebel group Abu Sayyaf are said to operate in the northern islands near the Philippine border, but no attacks or kidnappings have been publicised.

• Togian Islands - an archipelago in the Gulf of Tomini, directly south of Northern Sulawesi