NORTH SULAWESI INFORMATION PAGES

Manado - Bunaken - Tangkoko - Minahasa - Sangihe/Talaud - Gorontalo - Togians

The Sangihe Talaud Archipelago

Travellers with plenty of time should not miss the chance to go to this seldom visited group of islands. As there is hardly any tourist infrastructure you should be a bit adventurous. Some words of Bahasa Indonesia are also very helpful. What you will find is: virtually untouched white sandy beaches, uninhabited small paradise islands, excellent spots for snorkeling, active volcanos (one under water!) and friendly, very interested people. At Siau Island you have a chance to see one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia.

Be aware the weather conditions during the monsoon season (end of October - early April) can be a lot worse than around Manado - rough seas and large amounts of rain are common. Especially during this time there is also a higher Malaria risk than elsewhere in North Sulawesi.

Please note:
All updates on this page that were made in November 2009 have been provided to me by Nirwan Lahopa who works in the Tourism Office of Tahuna and will be happy to be your personal guide during your stay in Sangihe.
I know Nirwan personally since a long time from the years when he was working at Manado's Smiling Hostel. During this time he has always proven to be an extremely reliable, dedicated and honest person, so you can fully rely on him.

Contact Details:

NIRWAN
Jl. Baru Tona - Tahuna
Sangihe - North Sulawesi
Mobile: +62 821 96 497 723
E-mail: infosangihe@yahoo.com
Facebook

Accommodation in Tahuna:
Tahuna offers a good selection of hotels and guesthouses for all budgets. Click here for a list of hotels in Tahuna, with room rates (October 2010).
The Bintang Utara Hotel has been specifically recommended to me. It is located about halfway between the harbour and the city center. Address: Jl. Pahlawan Lama No. 46, Tahuna; Phone (+62) 432-21375. Rooms are said to be in good condition and clean, and the hotel has a large, friendly lobby and helpful staff.

The Rainbow Losmen near Tamako
The Rainbow Losmen in Tamako on Sangihe Besar is a basic, but from my own experiences (in the 90's though) pleasant and clean guesthouse, with good food and a very nice family. Its owner Frets Pangimangen and guide Wesley, who are running the guesthouse, will be glad to guide you around during your stay there.
3 double rooms, all with mosquito nets. 2 rooms with fans. Basic shared toilet and washing facilities. Communal area.
How to get there: One hour bus drive from Tahuna (Rp. 10,000), then 10 minutes drive by bentor (motorbike driven vehicle) to Rainbow Losmen (Rp. 3,000).
» Information sheet Rainbow Losmen and birdwatching tours (October 2009)

Elsewhere you will have no problem to find people renting out rooms in their private homes. Even if communication is difficult you will easily find locals helping you to get a place to sleep and with other things. As western tourists are still a rare sight on these islands it might be a good idea to report to the local police or village chief, especially in small villages.

Transportation to Sangihe-Talaud is quite easy though not often too comfortable: from Manado harbour there is a number of boats going to various islands in the Sangihe Talaud Archipelago, like Tahulandang, Siau, Sangihe Besar (Tahuna), Makalehi, Talaud and others.
PELNI has a big vessel going from Bitung to both places every four weeks.

Schedule Manado - Tahuna - Manado

Boat Names: Mekar Teratai, Tera Santa, Queen Marry, Ratu Maria, Theodora, Sunlia
Manado dep	Tahuna arr	Tahuna dep	Manado arr	Frequency
7pm	5am	7pm	5am	daily
Price: Rp. 105,000 per Person (October 2009)

A more comfortable option is the fast boat "Express Bahari":

Frequency	Manado dep	Tahuna arr
Mon, Wed, Fri	9am	4pm

	Tahuna dep	Manado arr
Tue, Thu, Sat	9am	4pm
Prices (September 2010): VIP Class Rp. 224,000/person Executive Class Rp. 169,000/person Economy Class Rp. 124,000/person

And then there is a new fast boat, the "KM. Prima Oasis":

Frequency	Manado dep	Tahuna arr
Tue, Thu, Sat	9am	4pm

	Tahuna dep	Manado arr
Mon, Wed, Fri	9am	4pm
Prices (January 2011): VVIP Class Rp.400.000/person Superclass Rp.265.000/person Business Class Rp.195.000/person Economy Class Rp.145.000/person

The PELNI (Indonesia's National Shipping Company) ship "KM Sangiang" operates the route Bitung - Ulu Siau - Tahuna - Lirung - Karatung - Miangas and back every two weeks. Unfortunately no schedules available - PELNI's website had its last update in December 2007... :-(

Lion Air's subsidiary Wings Air operates flights from Manado to Naha Airport/Tahuna (Sangihe) and back twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Check the Lion Air website for timings and rates, and notice that the website uses the old spelling "Menado".

Scuba diving: There are no dive operations on these islands. The only way to explore the underwater world is by liveaboard from Manado.

Bird watching: Especially the Talaud Archipelago is a paradise for bird lovers. New species are still discovered regularly: Bird Watching in Sangihe-Talaud

Other Links:
Mt Karangetang (Siau) - Volcanic Activity Report