Around 80 kilometres from Manado in the very northern part of Sulawesi is Tangkoko Nature Reserve. The reserve is home to some of the world’s most incredible and rarest animals, so for nature lovers or those looking for a real adventure a tour to Tangkoko is a must!
If you choose to take this tour during your stay at Gangga Island Resort, the boat will leave Gangga jetty at around 11.30am and arrives 20 minutes later at Serei jetty where you will be met by an air conditioned car. On the way you’ll pass through small villages and stop for lunch at a local restaurant. If you’d rather have lunch at the resort the boat can depart from Gangga jetty at 12.30pm. It takes around 2 hours to get to Tangkoko from Serei.
Go in Search of Tarsiers at Tangkoko Nature Reserve
You are likely to see all kinds of primates, birds, insects and incredible flora as well. Most people come to Tangkoko with the hope of seeing tarsiers, one of the smallest known primates, but to do this you must follow the rules of the park and be informed about the best way to say safe while in the area.
| Duration | : | Approximately 9 Hours |
The monkeys in the park are one of its main attractions, but be sure you know how to act while you’re around them. Don’t ever approach them, instead let them come to you. If you stoop down and avoid direct eye contact they will most likely be less inhibited around you. You’ll also be told to never feed the monkeys, and this is really important. They might seem cuddly and friendly, but they are wild animals that have been known to bite. Monkey bites can at worst carry serious diseases and at best can become badly infected.
Tarsiers are often seen as the stars of the park and you may have the opportunity to go into the park at night to see these fantastic creatures. Tarsiers are very small, rarely more than 1kg in weight. They have huge eyes and can turn their heads 180 degrees like an owl, perfect for hunting at night. They also have pad like suction cups on the end of their digits to help them cling to the plants and trees they climb to find food.
Late in the afternoon you will have the chance to head into the denser part of the jungle as the sun is setting to photograph tarsiers in their natural environment. By 5.30 or 6pm it is completely dark in the jungle and the tarsiers will be heading out to forage for the night. This means it’s time to head back to Serei pier for the boat back to Gangga. You can expect to arrive back around 8.30pm.
Gangga Island may be an incredible diving destination, but there are also fantastic places to explore above the water as well. Just a short boat ride takes you to back to mainland Sulawesi where there are gorgeous highlands and incredible cultural sights to be found.
The highland tour departs from Gangga’s jetty at 7.30am with a tour guide from the resort. The boat to Serei jetty takes around 20 minutes and there will be an air conditioned car waiting at the jetty.
Our first destination is the Traditional food market in Airmadidi. Pick up some traditional snacks for breakfast and have a look around the traditional market. This is a great photo opportunity for a peek into local life so bring your camera.
The Waruga
Then it is off to see the largest collection of ancient sarcophagi in the province dating back to as early as the 9th century. The cemetery you will visit contains 144 stone graves or waruga in the local language.
The waruga are rectangular stone burial chambers placed above ground. The deceased was arranged inside, sitting upright on a porcelain bowl. The pre-Christian belief was that babies were born in a sitting position in the mother’s womb, thus it is in this position that human must also end their life.
Each persons was supplied with clothing, utensils, and money for the afterlife, and each waruga is decorated with carvings denoting the occupation, cause of death or characteristics of the owner.
| Duration | : | Approximately 10 Hours |
| Price | : | USD 125/Person (Minimum 2 Person) |
| Price | : | USD 150 / Person (Minimum 1 Person) |
- Around 3 kilometres from Tondano is Lake Linow; the word Linow is taken from the Minahasa that refer to Lilinowan which means the gathering place of water. The incredible feature of this lake is the changing colors of the water from green, blue and amber due to the sulfur buried in the lake.
- The Tour continues toward Woloan, where you can see the Minahasa style houses being built, knock down style, ready for delivery and assembly elsewhere. These houses are built completely from wood and generally stand around 3 metres off the ground on stilts. Orders for these houses from all over the world are made in Woloan.
- Back on the road, we come to the huge volcanic crater lake at Tondano, where fish of many colors are bred. Here you can admire the spectacular countryside and the traditional stilt houses of local fisherman.
- Then we glide down towards Tomohon, for a visit to the Buddhist temple. Then we take a short walk past rice fields to Gardenia Restaurant, where we’ll have lunch. The restaurant is at the foot of the active volcano Mount Lokon, and is surrounded by wonderful gardens.
- Our tour ends in towards Tomohon with some souvenir shopping or more fashionable shops at a local mall if you prefer. The aim is to return to Gangga around 6pm.
Have you ever wanted to get up close and personal with an active volcano? This is your chance with a trek to the crater of Mount Mahawu in North Sulawesi!
This tour departs by boat from Gangga Island’s jetty at 7.30am, arriving just 20 minutes later at Serei on mainland Sulawesi. An air conditioned car will be waiting to take you first to Airmadidi to visit the traditional market.
You can grab some snacks for your trek or just have a look around and see the locals doing their morning shopping. Take your camera and enjoy the hustle and bustle of a traditional market.
Get Up Close and Personal with an Active Volcano
Have you ever wanted to get up close and personal with an active volcano? This is your chance with a trek to the crater of Mount Mahawu in North Sulawesi!
This tour departs by boat from Gangga Island’s jetty at 7.30am, arriving just 20 minutes later at Serei on mainland Sulawesi. An air conditioned car will be waiting to take you first to Airmadidi to visit the traditional market.
You can grab some snacks for your trek or just have a look around and see the locals doing their morning shopping. Take your camera and enjoy the hustle and bustle of a traditional market.
| Duration | : | Approximately 10 Hours |
| Price | : | USD 125/Person (Minimum 2 Person) |
| Price | : | USD 150 / Person (Minimum 1 Person) |
The car will then take you to the base of Mount Mahawu, where you’ll start your 1-hour trek to the crater’s edge of this active volcano. From this amazing vantage point you’ll be able to see the islands surrounding including Bunaken, Manado Tua, Gangga and the Lembeh Straights, where you might have been diving, as well as Manado Bay.
You’ll circle the edge of the crater and then make your descent back to the base where your car awaits for a well deserved lunch at Gardenia Restaurant at the foot of the mountain. This restaurant is a favorite for its local food and wonderful gardens.
After lunch you’ll get the chance to visit one of Manado’s most famous landmarks, Lake Linow. The lake might smell a bit eggy, but that’s just the sulfer buried in the lake that creates its incredible colors that change in the light.
Your tour will end with some souvenir shopping in Tomohon or one of the nearby malls if you prefer more fashionable shops.
Returning to Gangga from Serei you will probably be back on the island around 6pm; enough time to relax and have dinner after a fantastic day!
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