I will not dive into incredible detail here as I am typing on my phone....but here we go. This is my second time in Indonesia having passed a month in Sumatera 3 years ago. I have always been a budget traveller, but not "ultra budget" always, so bear that in mind please when reading. I go for cheap accommodation, eat at the Warung and use public transport with the ocassional hitchhiking (more for logistics and interest than cost saving).
I arrived in Manado and found the city hot and pleasant enough, with little to hold someone's attention for that long. However, the market is fine enough, and I was learning a bit of Indonesian/passing time with couchsurfers so I was here a few days. We visited puncak temboan at sunrise for great views of the area but its actually closed to Tomahon.
Tomahon is pleasant enough but not the most beautiful of mountain areas. However, it is very close to Manado so I went there by local bus for 10,000rph and it took an hour. This leaves from Karombasam terminal...bus terminals are annoyingly spread out in Sulawesi it seems, however there are a lot of microlets in the area.
GOJEK: This is uber for ojeks and can be used in Jakarta and bigger cities such as Manado. I found it quick and easy and it is really cheap if you top up credit rather than paying by cash. Recommended! Would be even more useful in Jakarta I think.
In Tomahon it rained a lot, and there is a total dearth of budget accommodation. On the road towards Gunung Lonok (1km past KFC more or less) ask around for a local family restaurant called White House. They sell a few dishes for 15k but more importantly have a room for 100k. I played chess with the son, and they seem to only very, very occasionally have a guest as it is informal. The couple speak some English too.
To Gunung Lonok from here I walked, just asking around for directions and the whole round trip took 4 hours. I'm a very fast trekker but you could skip 2 of my hours by Ojek to the start. Its a good half day trip to the crater, the volcano is a little active and it is a big, visible crater. Apart from that in Tomahon there Is a lake to see but I just moved on the next day by microlet to Tondahon (20/minutes) to change to Airmaddidi to climb Gunung Klabat, the highest in Sulawesi (NOT the highest mountain though ;)). Should probably take a guide for this.... I left at 5 30am and it took 10 hours return and it took me a lot of patience to find the right trail. Views are beautiful.and you can see Bunaken and the peninsula from the top. Camping on the way up is possible too if you want to overnight.
There's a gym.in Airmaddidi for 20k if anyone cares I can give gym information for everywhere I've been but I won't write it all here as I know most don't care!
After here I went to Bitung by Microlet to get to Tangkoko for the evening walk. Evening walk cost 70k and lasted a few hours to see the tarsiers....I took an Ojek for 25k from Bitung to Tangkoko as I couldn't find public transport and didn't want to miss the evening walk. Madame Kroos hostel was 100k online and fine, in took that. I walked through the village by the fishing boats and the beach...people seemed surprised to see me, and the middle aged women were flirty.
I had to return to Manado to get to Gorontalo. The bus leaves from Malalayang terminal.at 5 10am, and took 10 hours. It wasn't uncomfortable for me, like many made it sound. I've just come from East Africa so my views are of course relative, but genuinely there was legroom and the road was asphalt.
Gorontalo...I couchsurfed so stayed a few days. There Is a fortress with nice viewsclose by, a beach close by (average at best), a nice waterfall at Lombongo (100k fee though), a nice coastal road to the west towards BONGO (Love the name), and I heard about whale sharks at Bonubari but didn't make it. I could use the motorbike of the couchsurfer....I'm not sure how great Gorontalo would be without a bike. The sights are decent but in different directions. There is volleyball games each night at 8pm onwards on Jalan Ampi, and usually over a hundred people cheering it all on. When I went there was a ladyboy team and there was pandemonium when their game finished as they came over to take photos with me and the attention , whilst fun could be overwhelming...if you really felt up to it you could probably play!
There Is a local alcohol about 13% strong for 25k a bottle (branded, this is no Arak) called Pinchari (I think) for those sick of Bintang. There's a local soup made of Fish and Corn but the name is lost on me.
Gorontalo to Palu I went with Damri for 150k. We left at 9am.and arrived at 4am AF some stupid terminal 8km north of town, which annoyed me as its really in the middle of nothing.
Palu is hot! And spread out. I hitchhiked to Tanjung Karang (to Dongaala but its a 25 minute walk to the beach) and back easily as there was no micros. Its very easy to hitch here it seems, as it was in Sumatera. Young gentleman be aware that whilst it is a Muslim country as a young foreigner gay men.may assume your "Liberalism" will mean you are fair game for them. Mostly its harmless but there was a guy in the bus station hassling me for an hour to sleep in his office.in the terminal and to give me a massage. Generally its safe and fine though, they will respect your lack of interest.
I'll say I wasn't overwhelmed by the actual beach, but I'm.not a diver, and I did enjoy the day out.
There is somewhere to.paraglide close to Palu. 10km. Google it...I didn't do it.
Palu to Poso New Armada bus for 110k , left at 9am, arrived at 2 30, its.an.AC van actually.and very comfortable. I walked around Poso for an hour, went to the gym, and hitchhiked to Tentena with a few nickel miners. Today I found accommodation for 100k again (ask for details! I didn't check the name). The waterfall on the NW side of the lake is beautiful.and 15 km from the town. I walked there, then to the beach close by on the NW side of the lake and hitched back on a trusty garbage truck. I've read that bikes can be rented from the touristy hotels (everyone asks if I'm at Victory hotel so try there).
Sorry its a bit scatty, but if anyone wants more info please ask. I'm off to Sorowako tomorrow, then unsure what to do next....will hit TT, Rantemario (highest mountain here and south of TT) and Makassar to finish off but not sure what else to see.
Yes I avoided Bunaken and Lemah and Togean. I get restless travelling alone and bored on the beach quite easily and I'm not yet a diver. Couchsurfing and freestyling around is filling that "gap" nicely, for now.
Please feel free to offer any tips on SE Sulawesi/East Sulawesi or non diver islands if you know this area!!! I'll update with other parts soon.
