Secluded island choice and quality snorkeling

@scgian.971160
Thanx for the tip

we have been told about a group of islands in front of Patani (southeast halmahera, ferry twice a week from Weda harbour .Names are Sayafy, noor.Local people provide accomodation in Patani, then rent a boat to the islands .You can camp in the islands.Suposse to have untouched coral reefs.Info got in Halmahera last year from a guy working in Ternate tourist office .We asked abou Guraici,and then he told us that the nicest reefs in north maluku were in this group of islands,We are going next October to check .

Siau and Sangihe:very easy reachable, and both wonderful for the scenery .Mostly not any tourist there, nice people and fantastic volcanoes.The Awu is feasible to climb to the top, and then is possible to walk down inside the crater where the domo is .For me , one of the best volcano trekkings in indonesia, with two students like guides .Accomodation in both islands in the city, but It looks like small villages.Cheap motorbikes for rent .We dlnt know about snorkellkng because we arrived there after Banda islands,looking for a more remote places and for the scenery and volcanoes .Fantastic islands

@karmakolos
The ferry i took from Sorong to Weda did indeed stop in patani, it was on a weekly schedul leaving Sorong Monday at 4 PM and reachin Patani Mid day next day and Weda around 7/8 PM before daparting a few hours after around 2/3 AM!
Interesting report about these islands, but i am always very cautious about the know-it-all guys met along the road.... Naively some may think snorkeling on thousands islands off shore jakarta is better than bandas or Bunaken!!

I am interested in your report on Siau and Sangihe where a friendd just opened a new guest house so after considering Anambas and Natuna at first i changed towards these north Sulawesi islands (maybe also talaud) for my next trip in the country in less than a month!
It will be nice if you can share your highlights of these two islands and things to do

many thanx

Take that info with a pinch of salt!
While Guraici used to have nice coral, it was pretty much trashed by dynamite fishing years ago and is hardly worth visiting for snorkelling any more.

The islands off Patani you mention are off the north coast of the peninsula, while boats from Weda arrive on the south coast. I haven't visited those islands, but based on how inaccurate the info from the same guy on Guraici was, I wouldn't put too much faith in this either.

Interesting report about these islands, but i am always very cautious about the know-it-all guys met along the road.... Naively some may think snorkeling on thousands islands off shore jakarta is better than bandas or Bunaken!!

Very accurate observation!
Many tourists naively think that locals know their country best but in reality info from Indonesians can be far from reliable.
Often they describe places based on hearsay, and even if not, they often have little idea about what Westerners like.
It's common for Indonesians to believe that Bali has their country's best beaches, for example!

This year in RA I asked about it in another village following the same religious movement and they told me Marandanweser still exists in the original location.

The area north, Tagulangdang, Siau, etc.... Easily reachable by ferry for about 250000...Tagulangdang, was there 2 months ago, very laid back... Has a very new hotel, 200k, 8 minute walk from pier.. Snorkeling has black sand beach on arrival side, but white sand the other.. Snorkeling is moderate that I saw and currents can make it dangerous if not confident.. I suspect the volcano the other side of Tagulangdang is amazing, but too far to swim.. .....?

Off Siau, is Makelehi, which has world class diving, but cost and boat time to get there and back is prohibit I've.. Can't say on snorkeling though.. ...

Another consideration is Bangka, North of Manado.. Ripping currents makes for lots of stuff to see and some great shallow reefs..

Btw Saowandarek village on the south coast of Mansuar now has two homestays right in the village, one looking more like a museum, full of carvings, shells, etc.
And it has a great beach and superb snorkelling.
Tourists visit its jetty for snorkelling on boat trips but hardly anyone ever visits the village itself let alone stays there. While the village has now lost most of its traditional tatch roofed houses, it remains one of my favourite in RA.

Hi Lazslo, Yes , it is whay the guy told to me, that Guraici doesnt have nice corals anymore becuase of dinamite fishing . Anyway, i already know it becuase i have a friend who has visited Guraici short time ago. The Halamaheran guy spoke about the reefs in Sayafi and Noor like untouched ones because there is not people living there . But, anyway, i can be true....or not . and are far away from everywhere ...What to do..? Try? Not try ? Thi is que question