Lakban Beach

Here it is the beach which is located in Sulawesi, Southeast Minahasa place. Lakban beach is located in the coastal districts Ratatotok, Southeast Minahasa, North Sulawesi. Of Manado city tourists have to travel 3 hours away, could use a four-wheeled vehicles. So also when you are in the capital of the southeastern district of Minahasa Ratahan, you can cover the distance with a time of 1 hour 30 minutes you have arrived at coastal locations. Facilities at this beach is complete, there are facilities for children's games, tennis volleyball, football, hut rest areas, parking, toilets and many other facilities.

Visitors can also hire boats to get around or go to the small island near the coast, with views menjelahai Buyat Bay reef cluster without having to dive. On the beach there are also hill hill love or hope, its uniqueness is that there is a mosque dome and a statue of jesus built side by side as a mark of religious harmony in this area.

Lakban beach area also boasts a number of bungalows and guest-house as a place to rest after traveling. Average room rates in this Duct Tape Coast region in numbers ranging from Rp 250 thousand to Rp 350 thousand per night.
Lakban Beach-2


Sources : http://www.pantai.org/sulawesi/pantai-lakban-di-minahasa-tenggara

Siladen Island

Siladen Island is a small island next to the island of Bunaken, it is blessed with beautiful solitary white sandy beaches. This is a great place for relaxing and an excellent place for snorkelling and diving. There is a steep wall that reaches down to about 35 metres and coral growth is very good. There are only two dive resorts on this island. Dive sites are about 45 minutes off the island by boat. There is a variety of exquisite soft corals at the reef top. Turtles, Napoleon Wrasses, and other small creatures are common sights here. Groupers, Butterfly fish, Sting Rays, and Spotted Eagle Rays are possible to encounter. The currents are moderate to strong.

Siladen Island Diving Holidays - Diving Information

Siladen Island is part of the Bunaken Manado Tua Marine Park, North Sulawesi, comprises of a group of five islands: Bunaken, Siladen, Nain, Montehage and Manado Tua. The five islands in the park are distinctly different; Siladen Island offers mostly steep wall diving and many opportunities to see pelagics like sharks, mackerels, tunas and turtles are endless.

Swift currents are constant on Siladen’s south wall supporting giant coral trees and sponges. There is also a variety of exquisite soft corals at the reef top and other small creatures are common sights here. Groupers, butterfly fish, sting rays, and spotted eagle rays are possible to encounter.

Siladen Utara dive site is worth a visit when visiting Siladen Island. Located right behind Siladen Island, this site offers a moderate to strong current making it a suitable site for experienced divers. This is a good place to see turtles, snappers, emperor angelfish, and reef white tip sharks can also be found here.

Siladen Island Diving Season

Best conditions are more or less between the months of April and November but it is possible to dive Bunaken all year round without running into conditions that are less than acceptable.





Sources : http://www.ultimatediving.co.uk/dive-holidays/indonesia/siladen-island-diving.aspx

Hill of Prayer

Botanical  Gardens Tomohon  - Way of the Cross Mahawu (KRT-JSM) in Tomohon, North Sulawesi is a place of pilgrimage and prayer for anyone who wants to meet with God. Uniqueness and distinctiveness of this place is to have the Cross (via dolorosa) with high dioramanya human statue. In the complex has also built a large amphitheater and has a strong natural acoustics. Its presence at the foot of Mount Mahawu with beautiful scenery and cool air to make  a place of pilgrimage and prayer is visited by many people outside the island of Sulawesi, even from abroad. No wonder one of the icons JSM spiritual tourism in the current popular Tomohon

Chapel of Mother Mary - Places of Worship, is often used as a wedding because the scenery is beautiful and can see overall mount Lokon.




Sources : http://www.tomohon.info/travel/bukit-doa-tomohon

Hill Love

Hill love in the village of Kanonang in Kawangkoan, about 55 kilometers from Manado, North Sulawesi. Built in 2002 as a spiritual center in which all religions in Indonesia could gather, meditate and worship on the side where there are lush tropical hills and misty.

This hill called the Mount of love for the people of different religions can come together and coexist in worship as a symbol of religious harmony. There are five houses of worship here, a Catholic church, a Christian church, temples, mosques and Hindu temples are built on top of the second peak. At the first peak is a white cross with a height of 53 meters which can be seen even from the beach in Manado Boulevard. In addition, it is believed to be the place where the original ancestors of the Minahasa, Toar and Lumimuut live.




Sources : http://www.indonesia.travel/id/destination/93

Lake Tondano

Lake Tondano located in Tondano City, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Lake Tondano is the largest lake in North Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. The lake is flanked by Lembean Mountains, Mount Kaweng, Tampusu Hill, and Mount Masarang. The lake is surrounded by roads linking the provinces and cities Tondano, Tondano Eastern District, District of Eris, Kakas District, District Remboken, and the District of South Tondano.

Lake area is 4.278ha, and there is a small island called Likri (next village district Tandengan Eris) and the island papalembet depat toulumembet. On the shores of Lake Mountain Kaweng Tondano clearly visible. It is said that this lake because of violent eruptions occur because there is the story of a pair of human beings of the opposite sex parents violates the prohibition to marry (the Minahasa: kaweng) with a daring escape (tumingkas) in the forest. As a result of disobeying his parents the twin volcano erupted forming a lake Tondano.




Sources : http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danau_Tondano

Lake Linau

Lake Linau  located in the administrative area of Tomohon, North Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. One hour drive from Manado. This lake is one of the interesting tourism in Toar Lumimuut land.

Linau is a unique lake and often called the lake is  the three colors. The lake is located in the Village Lahendong, District of South Tomohon, Tomohon, North Sulawesi.
So called because when the sun shone, the color of the water on its surface may appear yellow, green and red. However, the color is now more than three colors.

Three colors were due to the influence of the color of sulfur. The color is more than three. As the sun just above the surface of the lake, looked dark green, light green, blue, yellow, orange and white. Almost like the colors of the rainbow
Location of this lake was once the crater of the volcano. According to stories handed down from older people in the region, was once the crater lake. But after thousands of years of natural processes into the lake.



Sources :  
1. http://www.tribunnews.com/2010/03/21/danau-linau-nan-indah-tak-hanya-tiga-warna 
2, http://wikimapia.org/212930/id/Danau-Linau-Linouw-Linow

Bunaken National Park

The Bunaken National Park is a marine park in the north of Sulawesi island, Indonesia. The park is located near the centre of the Coral Triangle, providing habitat to 390 species of coral as well as many fish, mollusc, reptile and marine mammal species. The Park is representative of Indonesian tropical water ecosystems, consisting of seagrass plain, coral reef, and coastal ecosystems.
It was established as a national park in 1991 and is among the first of Indonesia's growing system of marine parks. It covers a total area of 890.65 km², 97% of which is marine habitat. The remaining 3% of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. The southern part of the Park covers part of the Tanjung Kelapa coast.

Geology

North Sulawesi is considered to be a 'young' formation, of 5-24 million years of age. The region has undergone explosive volcanism 1.5-5 million years ago, which resulted in the volcanic tuff that characterizes the existing topography. Manado Tua is an inactive volcano formed in a classical cone shape and rising over 600 m above sea level, the highest elevation in the park. Bunaken Island also has volcanic origins with a significant amount of uplifted fossil coral. Nain Island is also a dome-shaped island, 139m in height. Mantehage Island is relatively flat and seems to be sinking into the sea. The island has extensive mangrove forest flats, partially separated by saltwater channels. Siladen is a low-lying coral sand island with no significant topography. Arakan-Wawontulap and Molas-Wori on the mainland of North Sulawesi are relatively flat areas at the base of volcanic hills. The absence of a continental shelf allows the coastal area of the park to drop directly down the continental slope. The sea depth between the islands of the park is 200 to 1,840 metres.
 

Bunaken - Scuba Diving

This Park sea marine biodiversity has one of the highest in the world. Scuba diving attracts many visitors to the island. Overall Bunaken marine park covers 75,265 hectares wide area with the five islands in it, namely, the island of Manado Tua, Bunaken Island, Island Siladen, following several Mantehage Island, the island’s children, and Naen Island. Although the area covering 75,265 hectares, location, diving (diving), only limited in each of the five coastal circumnavigate the island.

Bunaken Diving

Bunaken marine park has 20 point dive (Dive spots) vary with depth of up to 1,344 meters. From 20 point dive it, the 12 point dive in them located around Bunaken Island. Twelve point dive this is the most frequently visited by divers and lovers scenic beauty under the sea.

Most of the 12 point dive in Bunaken Island line from the southeast to the northwest of the island. In this region there are great underwater Walls, which is also called Good Night Walls, or the walls of the giant coral standing vertical and vaulted to the top. This wall of coral also become a source of food for fish in the waters around Bunaken Island.

Bunaken National Park-Taman Nasional Bunaken

 

 

 

 Sources :

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunaken

2. http://javatour-visitindonesian.blogspot.com/2010/09/bunaken-island-scuba-diving

Manado City

Manado is the capital city of North Sulawesi province. Manado is also the largest city in North Sulawesi. Motto of North Sulawesi is Si Tou Timou Tumou Tou, , a philosophy of life popularized by the Minahasa people Sam Ratulangi, which means: "Human life to humanize other people" or "Human life to live someone else". In the words of Manado language, often said: "Baku Beking Pande" which literally means "Mutual adds smart with others".

The first mention of Manado comes from a world map by cartographer Nicolas Desliens, where it showed the island Manarow (today's Manado Tua). Before Europeans arrived to North Sulawesi the area was under the rule of the Sultan of Ternate, who exacted tribute and introduced the Muslim religion among some of its inhabitants. The Portuguese made the Sultan their vassal, taking possession of the Minahasa and established a factory in Wenang.
Meanwhile, the Spanish had already set themselves up in the Philippines and Minahasa was used to plant coffee that came from South America because of its rich soil. Manado was further developed by Spain to become the center of commerce for the Chinese traders who traded the coffee in China. With the help of native allies the Spanish took over the Portuguese fortress in Amurang in the 1550s, and Spanish settlers also established a fort at Manado, so that eventually Spain controlled all of the Minahasa. It was in Manado where one of the first Indo-Eurasian (Mestizo) communities in the archipelago developed during the 16th century.The first King of Manado (1630) named Muntu Untu was in fact the son of a Spanish Mestizo.
Spain renounced to her possessions in Minahasa by means of a treaty with the Portuguese in return for a payment of 350,000 ducats. Minahasan natives made an alliance treaty with the Dutch and expelled the last of the Portuguese from Manado a few years later.

Fort Nieuw Amsterdam in the 1920s

The Dutch East India Company or Verenigde Oost Indische Compagnie (VOC) built a fortress in Manado named Fort Amsterdam in 1658. As with regions in eastern Indonesia, Manado has undergone Christianization by Dutch missionaries, including Riedel and John Gottlieb Schwarz. And the Dutch missionaries built the first Christian church in Manado called Oude Kerk (Old church) and it is still stand now and now it is called Gereja Sentrum. The Javanese prince Diponegoro was exiled to Manado by the Dutch government in 1830 for leading a war of rebellion against the Dutch. The English biologist Alfred Wallace visited Manado in 1859, and praised the town for its beauty.
In 1919, the Apostolic Prefecture of Celebes was established in the city. In 1961, it was promoted as the Diocese of Manado.
The Japanese captured Manado in the Battle of Manado in January 1942.The city was heavily damaged by Allied bombing during World War II.
In 1958, the headquarters of the rebel movement Permesta was moved to Manado. When Permesta confronted the central government with demands for political, economic and regional reform, Jakarta responded by bombing the city in February 1958, and then invading in June 1958.

Currently the majority of the city of Manado from Minahasa tribe, because the area is located on the ground Minahasa region. Manado is a native of Bantik tribes, other tribes that exist today in Manado Sangir tribes, the tribes Gorontalo, Mongondow tribes, Arab tribes, Babontehu tribes, Talaud tribes, ethnic Chinese, ethnic Siau and the Borgo.

The religion majority is Protestant Christianity, Islam, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Based on data from BPS Manado City in 2002 (www.manadokota.bps.go.id), the number of people who are Christians / Catholics in Manado reached 68 percent, while 30 percent Muslim. and 2 percent other religions. Even so heteroginnya, but they are very appreciative of life tolerant, harmonious, open and dynamic. Thus the city of Manado has a relatively favorable social environment and is known as one of a relatively safe city in Indonesia. While Indonesia is vulnerable to shocks due to the fragility of the political-about the year 1999 and riots swept the cities in Indonesia. Manado city was relatively safe. This was reflected in motto Manado "Torang Samua basudara" which means' We are all brothers ".

Language is used as a daily language in Manado and the surrounding region called Manado Malay (Manado Language). Manado resemble Indonesian language but with a distinctive accent. Some words in Manado dialect derived from Dutch, Portuguese and other foreign languages.

As the largest city in the region, Manado is a key tourist transit point for visitors. Sam Ratulangi International Airport of Manado is one of the main entry ports to Indonesia. In 2005, no less than 15,000 international passengers entered Indonesia via Sam Ratulangi International Airport.

Manado is also home to some of the biggest and most influential churches in the province, with many of them located along the iconic Sam Ratulangi Street.Ecotourism is the biggest attraction in Manado.
Scuba diving and snorkelling on the nearby Bunaken National Park, including the island of Bunaken are popular attractions.

Ban Hin Kiong Temple is another tourism spot in the city, especially during the Chinese new year celebration. Souvenirs shops are located on B.W. Lapian street.
Other places of interest are nearby Lake Tondano, Lake Linow,Lokon Volcano, Klabat Volcano and Mahawu Volcano.

Citraland, a wealthy suburb of Manado, is home to Asia's 2nd tallest and the world's 4th tallest statue of Christ (Christ Blessing Statue), and perhaps the world's first statue in the flying posture.
Wakeke Street, somewhere on the middle of the town, was resolved by the local government as culinary tourism area for tinutuan or bubur manado, that is manadonese porridge.Indonesia's only active synagogue is in Manado.

Christ Blessing (in Manado language is Kristus kase Berkat) is a statue of Jesus Christ in Manado City, Indonesia. The structure stands 50 metres (158.3 feet) tall and consists of 20 metres of pedestal and 30 metres of statue. It is made of 25 tonnes of metal fibre and 35 tonnes of steel, and is located at the peak of the CitraLand residential estate. This statue has become a new icon of Manado city and as of 2010, it is Asia's 2nd tallest and the world's 4th tallest statue of Christ (excluding the pedestal it was erected on).

Tinutuan or slurry Manado  is the typical food of Indonesia from Manado, North Sulawesi. Others say tinutuan the is typical food Minahasa, North Sulawesi. Tinutuan is a mixture of various kinds of vegetables, not containing meat. Tinutuan usually served for breakfast along with a variety of complementary food.

Sources : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manado