North Sulawesi with Manado as the capital city is a land of magnificent coral reefs protecting virgin white beaches and mountains. The Sangir-Talaud islands, to the north of mainland, from a natural bridge to the Philippines providing a convinient route for peoples and culture can still be found here. Today the main industries of the province are copra and cloves. North Sulawesi has larger concentration of coconut trees than any other part of Indonesia. The Dutch, however, have had the strongest influence on the development of the region. First contact with European traders came in the 16th century with the arrival of the Spanish and Portuguese, and with them they bought Christianity. It wasn’t until the arrival of the Dutch that Christianity became the predominant religion of the area. Manado’s main attractions are off-shore: the trully incredible coral reefs off nearby Bunaken Island are now a protected Marine Park and offer some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world.
Getting there:
Regular flights from Jakarta via Makassar service to Sam Ratulangi airport in Manado.
Places to Visit in Indonesia