General information about the Togian Islands
The Togian Islands, located in the Gulf of Tomini, are a little paradise. Even if the journey is a bit arduous, unless you fly, I’ll tell you one thing – you won’t regret it! Palm trees, white sand, a great underwater world and authentic food – all this awaits you here.
But let’s take it one step at a time: The Togian archipelago consists of 56 islands and is located between the northern and eastern mainland arms of Sulawesi. Not all islands are inhabited or accessible to travellers. I myself have been there twice and would go again and again. One should know in advance that there is neither internet (can be booked expensively at some receptions) nor other luxuries there. Many bungalows are rather spartanly furnished and equipped with a bed with mosquito net, a small bathroom and a hammock.
Activities on the Togian Islands
1 Diving & Snorkelling
Due to the fact that the underwater world of the Togians is absolutely breathtaking, most accommodations offer various excursions to different spots. Of course, you can also rent the equipment on site. If the accommodation itself does not offer diving trips, it will refer you to a “partner accommodation” and organise the diving trip for you. As I am “only” a snorkeller myself, I recommend checking out the “house reef” first.
2 Jellyfish Lake (Lake Mariona)
Katupat Island is home to an almost unique sensation – Jellyfish Lake. But what is so special about this lake? The basin was cut off from the surrounding sea several millennia ago and thus the once poisonous jellyfish have evolved into harmless inhabitants without poisonous nettles, as they no longer had any natural enemies. This has led to the lake in question being full of jellyfish, thousands of which swarm peacefully through the lake. There are several species of jellyfish in the lake.
3 Discover the island
Whether by kayak or on foot, there is plenty to discover on the islands. From Poki-Poki, you can rent a kayak and sail along the coast to explore secluded beaches or paddle through mangroves. Or ask locally if you would like to set out bait together for coconut crabs to watch them eat the coconuts.
Die Togian-Inseln
First of all, it should be said that there is no “place to be” on your holiday in the Togian Islands. Rather, everyone here has different ideas of what is right for him/her. Batudaka, Malenge, Kadidiri, Una Una and Katupat are particularly popular. In my opinion, there is only one way to gather the necessary information on accommodation – and that is via the Travelfish website.
Kadidiri:
Kadidiri is located just north of Wakai and is touristy by Togian standards (which does not make it a tourist island). The island is relatively close to Wakai and can be easily reached by boat from Kadidiri Paradise or Harmony Bay. There are 4 accommodations on the entire island: Kadidiri Paradise, Black Marlin, Pondok Lestari and Harmony Bay. While the first 3 accommodations more or less share a coastal strip, Harmony Bay, which is a little further south, has its own bay. If you take the boat from Kadidiri Paradise to this island, the trip is free. I myself have seen all the accommodation here and stayed at Paradise and Harmony Bay. Both offer a fantastic location and are well suited for divers. The food was also very tasty. What bothered me a bit was the somewhat commercial appearance of the two accommodations.
Batudaka Island
One of my all-time favourite places to stay is Poki-Poki, which is part of the village of Bomba. This accommodation simply has that certain something. The manager of the facility is super accommodating, charismatic and knows how to make his guests happy. Here you have the feeling of freedom, you are not asked to pay for everything. There is a kayak on the beach, just get in and explore the surrounding mangrove forests. Personally, I really wanted to see a coconut crab, which are almost exclusively found on the Togian Islands. So the manager looked for one with me and showed it to me. The atmosphere is unique. As there are only 7 huts, you don’t run the risk of it being overcrowded. We rented the simplest bungalow and were super happy with it. Absolute MUST! Other places to stay here are Poya-Lisa and Island Retreat.
Una Una
Just outside is the volcanic island of Una Una. The journey to and from the island is therefore a little more expensive than for the other accommodation. Many accommodations can be reached by speedboat, which runs between the islands. Just ask at the accommodation. The island is especially popular with divers.
Malenge
Another island that is frequently visited is Malenge. We didn’t make it here because we found other islands much more attractive – but as I said, that’s all a matter of taste. Malenge is certainly worth a visit. On the island are the accommodations Bahia Tomini, Sandy Bay, Sera Beach, Lestari Cottages and Malenge Indah.
Katupat
Katupat is one of the smaller islands. I am not aware of any accommodation on Katupat itself. There are 2 accommodations located on the offshore islands. These are Fadhila and Bolilanga Cottages.
Journey to the Togian Islands
As already mentioned, the Togian Islands are a perfect fit for a trip through Sulawesi. You can reach them by ferry, either from Ampana in the south or Gorontalo in the north. There is an airport in both Ampana and Gorontalo. However, for the sake of the environment, this is a flight you can really do without, as you can also reach both places by public transport. You can get to Gorontalo by a kind of minibus from Manado (journey time approx. 6 h 150,000 Rupiah). The route to Ampana is much longer and takes about 24 hours if you want to do it in one piece. Therefore my recommendation: Take about 3-4 weeks for Sulawesi, because there are some other exciting things to discover! On this page you will find everything you need to know about your holiday on Sulawesi. I have compiled the important travel times in a table. You should definitely check the dates again on site.
Gorontalo <->Wakai
From Gorontalo to Wakai in the Togian Islands, it takes about 12-13 hours on a ferry. The cost includes a small place to sleep. The bed is like a gym mat. It’s all perfectly fine and an experience in any case. If you want something more comfortable, you can also rent a cabin.
| Boat | From | To | Departure | Arrival | Costs |
| Public ferry | Gorontalo | Wakai | Tue & Fr 5 PM | 6:00 AM | 73,000 Rupiah (+/- $ 5) |
| Public ferry | Wakai | Gorontalo | Mo & Tue. 4:00 PM | 5:00 AM | 73,000 Rupiah (+/- $ 5) |
Ampana <-> Wakai
Um von Ampana nach Wakai zu kommen und umgekehrt brauchst du dir keine Gedanken machen. Es gibt tägliche Speedboote, die öffentliche Fähre und wer möchte kann sogar ein Speedboot chartern. Informiere dich aber auch hier nochmal vor Ort nach den aktuellen Abfahrtszeiten.
| Boat | From | To | Departure | Arrival | Costs |
| Public ferry | Ampana | Wakai | Tue, Thu, Sat 10 AM | 10:00Uhr 16: | 73,000 Rupiah ( +/- $ 4.50) |
| Speedboat | Ampana | Wakai | Daily 9 AM & 4 PM | 11:00 AM & 6 PM | 130,000 Rupiah (+/- $ 7.50) |
| Public ferry | Wakai | Ampana | Mo, Wed, Fr 8:30 AM | 12:30 PM | 73,000 Rupiah ( +/- $ 4.50) |
| Speedboat | Wakai | Ampana | daily 8:30 AM & 12:00 PM | 10:30 AM & 14:00 PM | 130,000 Rupiah (+/- $ 7.50) |
