Tangkoko Nature Reserve

Nature is the best! The Tangkoko Nature Reserve is located on the slopes of Mt. Dua Sudara, just north of Bitung. An important conservation area, its 8718 hectares (34sq. miles) are home to a spectacular array of flora and fauna, including many endemic and endangered species.

We’ll depart Cocotinos mid-morning to begin out leisure drive across northern Sulawesi. When we reach the park, we’ll head into the rainforest with our park ranger and for the Celebes Crested Macaque. This endangered black monkey, with no tail, travels in group and spends most of the day foraging for food along the forest floor. After a few photo ops, we’ll go down to the black sand beach for lunch.

When we’ve finished lunch, we’ll walk back into the forest, listening for the tell-tale “swoosh” of the endemic Sulawesi red knobbed hornbill, and hope to catch a glimpse of it as it soars above the treetops. Heading deeper into the thick vegetation, the excitement mounts as we approach the giant fig tree, the home of our ultimate objective: the tarsius spectrum.

The Special Tarsier is also endemic to Sulawesi (2 other Tarsier species can be found in other parts of S.E. Asia),and with its body and head measuring a mere 12.5cm (less then 5 inches), it is the world’s smallest monkey. Capable of leaping over 6 meters (20 feet), watch it spring with amazing speed and agility to catch a grasshopper sitting on a nearby branch. Being quite shy, we suggest a telephoto lens in order to catch these adorable creatures perched high inside the hollow gif tree. If you can tear yourself away, we’ll stroll back to the van and head for home, stopping for dinner (optional) before returning Cocotinos.

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Mount Mahawu Trekking

We leave Cocotinos Manado by van and head to the city of Tomohon, driving through the vast vegetable planation of the Rurukan Village, approximately 1000 meters above sea level.

This will be your starting point for the trek up Mount Mahawu, an active volcano at an altitude of 1311 meters. It takes approximately 1 hour to reach the volcano’s rim, passing through potato and onion fields dotted with cows. An easy trek for all.

Approximately 20 minutes from the top, the temperature will drop and warm clothes and light rain coat are recommended. Once at the top, you will be rewarded with spectacular views of Bunaken and Manado Tua islands, as well as the bay of Manado.

Below lies the steaming emerald-green lake, ringed with yellow sulphur deposits. Once you’ve had your fill of the breathtaking scenery, we’ll head back down to Tomohon and visit the factory where they make coconut furniture.

From here, we’ll proceed to Tondano Lake for lunch at a traditional Minahasa restaurant to enjoy some succulent fresh water fish and other local delicacies. As we make our way back to Cocotinos Manado, we’ll stop for tea at the volcanic Lake Linow and wander along the its lakeside paths and Zen-like gardens.

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Minahasa Highlands

A scenic and historical tour that takes you to the panoramic hills and mountainous areas of Minahasa. The tour begins with a leisurely drive south through the lush North Sulawesi countryside as we climb 700 meters to the town of Tomohon, whose cooler climate makes it a refreshing getaway from the heat of Manado.

Known as “the Flower City” because of its roadside flower kiosks and fresh cut flower production, it is also the side of a traditional Minahasa market, held 3 days a week. A tour of the market is optional, although it is not for the squeamish due to the various animals sold here which make up part of the local restaurant menu to enjoy some succulent fresh water fish and other local delicacies.

After lunch, we’ll continue to Pulutan, a traditional pottery making village and then on to Kawangkoan to wander through the caves built by Japanese during World War Two as air-raid shelters and for ammunitions and supplies storage. Our next stop is for tea at Lake Linow in Lahendong village.

This remarkable volcanic lake changes color from red to green to blue, depending on the light and viewing perspective, due to its high sulphur content and underwater hydrothermal activity. As we make our way back to Cocotinos Manado, we’ll pass through Woloan village to have a look at its traditional Minahasa-style houses.

Alternative Itinerary: Similar to the one above, we can begin our tour by heading east to the village of Aermadidi, where we’ll stroll through the market and sample some of the locally made sweets. From here, we will head to Waruga to visit the burial tombs of the Minahasan ancestors dating back to the Megalithic age.

The 144 sarcophogi located here are carved with traditional geometrical motifs, like clouds, strings curls, and double braids, as well as, images depicting the original occupant’s trade (all of the tombs are now empty).

Afterwards, we will visit the Japanese caves at Kawangkoan , and then have lunch at Tondano Lake. We’ll stop for tea at the volcanic Lake Linow along its lake side paths before returning to Cocotinos Manado.

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City Tour

Visit the city of Manado, where old meets new in this upcoming urban metropolis. Your tour will bring you to the Second World War Memorial Monument, Ban Hiong Kiong Chinese Temple, Bumi Beringin vista point, Sam Ratulangi University, and Boulevard Road with its Warung (stalls) food vendors and shopping area.

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Other Tours

White Water Rafting, Horse-Back Riding, Golf (9 Holes), River Crabbing, Fishing