North Sulawesi as one of the twenty-seven Provinces in the Republic of Indonesia, is situated on the northern peninsula of the Sulawesi Island. It covers an area of 27,515 square kilometers, situated on the position 0° 3°¢ – 4° 3°¢ Northern Latitude and 121° – 127°Eastern Longitudes. Also famous for the fertile soil which made it the home of varieties of plant and animal life both terrestrial and aquatic. Covered by green leaves of coconut and clove plantation, the land also provides a large of fruit and vegetables. It’s well known as “BUMI NYIUR MELAMBAI” or “The land of weaving Coconuts palms”.
The four ethnic groups inhabit this region; witch is called BOHUSAMI, the initial for Bolaang Mongondow, Hulontalo (Gorontalo), Sangihe Talaud and Minahasa. Each with its own culture background, the people is cooperative and communicative. Majority of the people in North Sulawesi are Christian was brought by the Dutch during the Second World War. To the North this region borders on the Republic of the Philippines, Sulawesi Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The eastern part is on the Maluku Sea and the southern side of Tomini Gulf. The Western part is on Central Sulawesi Province.
FLORA AND FAUNA
Sulawesi was believed to be isolated from either continental shelf and therefore has its own special fauna and flora. For botanists are less apparent Sulawesi’s plants appear to be most closely related to those of other dry parts of the archipelago. The endemic animals of this land are Anoa (dwarf buffalo), Babi rusa (a wild boar with tusk growing through the roof of its mouth), black tailless macaques, Cuscus, Maleo bird which incubates its 250gram eggs (six times bigger then chicken eggs) in mounds of soil warmed sunlight, hot springs or volcanic area. Tarsier (Tarsius Spectrum) the smallest monkey in the world with its head and body length of just 15 cm, a tail twice long as long, enormous eyes and weight just 150 gram, red knobbed Hornbill, etc. They may be seen in Tangkoko Batuangus nature reserve and Dumoga Bone national Park.
Several high quality woods that could be found in these two natural reserves are ebony, kayu besi, gopasa, nantu, linggua, etc. Rattan, colorful orchid and various wild palms and other plant species grow in abundant in the forest throughout the region.
CLIMATE
North Sulawesi has a typical equatorial climate with two seasons: wet and hot. The wet season from about November to March or April, and dry season starting from May until October. In North Sulawesi it’s always hot, but due to Mountain breeze and altitude there’s roughly one degree of cooling for 90 m in elevation. In almost areas of the region tend to have their highest rainfall in December. The average temperature is 26° Celsius.
TRAVELLING TO NORTH SULAWESI
North Sulawesi is reachable by air travel, sea and road.
Air travel in North Sulawesi is served by national airline and international airline companies such as Garuda Indonesia, Merpati Nusantara Airlines, Lion Air, Adam Air, Batavia Air and Silk Air (regional carrier of Singapore airlines). National Airlines serves to link Manado with Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar and others cities. Merpati Nusantara Airlines serves a direct flight from Manado to Davao City (Philippines). Silk Air serves direct flights to and from Singapore four times a week.
North Sulawesi is also reachable by sea. The important port of Bitung serves destinations in North Sulawesi and many other parts of Indonesia. It is one of the officially designated points of visa-free entry for foreign tourists visiting Indonesia. Shipping lines in this province are served by PT PELNI, a state owned shipping company, and other private ones.
Overland travel in North Sulawesi is provided by transportation companies, which operate buses and minibuses. They even serve longer distances from Manado to Gorontalo, Central Sulawesi (Palu, Poso) and South Sulawesi (Makassar).
BUNAKEN NATIONAL MARINE PARK & CORAL REEFS
The Bunaken Marine national park with an area 75,265 hectares, off the northern peninsula comprising 5 islands: Bunaken, Manado Tua, Siladen, Mantehage and Nain. The reefs here are basically untouched. It is considered the best walls and drop-offs diving in the world. There is fantastic “underwater great walls” cut by crevices and large caves with hanging masses of coral. The variety of marine life here is excellent, the surface of the walls are crowded with hard and soft corals, sponges and clinging filter feeders like crinoids and basket stars. Also in this unique coral reefs, a tremendous collection of marine life thrives red and orange enrusting sponges, Christmas tree worms, giant tunicates, seawhips, nudibranches (Spanish dancer), transparent and red striped coral shrimps, lobster, crabs, mollucs, thousands of ornamental coral fish and larger pelagics. Often seen are angelfish, blue ribbon eels, stingray, eagleray, morays, Napoleon wrasse, groupers, harmless sea snake, sharks, barracuda, dolphins’ etc.
Dives available at Bunaken Marine National Park are shallow reefs, mid reefs, deep reefs, drop off and careens. With its visibility of 15 – 30 meters, current usually gentle, at some sites to 2 knots or more. With its more than twenty dives site surrounding.
Equipment available to rent Scuba diving tanks, face mask, fins, BCD, vest and regulator. However bring personal equipment are recommended for comfort and familiarity.
For more information please visit the official websites of the North Sulawesi Tourism Promotion Board and of the North Sulawesi Tourism Organisation
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