Sightseeing Tour From Manado city

Manado city is the capital of the Province of North Sulawesi in the Republic of Indonesia. It is the destination for visitors who want to enjoy swimming, snorkeling and diving holiday in Bunaken islands or Lembeh Strait of Minahasa peninsula. 

In addition to the above marine tour, visitors who travel to Manado city could enjoy sightseeing tours. The tours include visits to a number of places described below:

Manado city as seen from a hill

Talawaan - This is a small village at the outskirt of Manado city. It has got a road that passes through farmland. Local villagers grow fruits and vegetables. Visitors could see rows of agricultural crops on both sides of the road. There is also waterfall in this village that is located around 10 minutes walk from the roadside. Green tropical vegetation covers the surrounding areas of the waterfall. Visitors could see various colourful of butterflies along the path to the waterfall. The farmland areas along the road of that leads to the waterfall is a good site for visitors who love birdwatching. Birds such as Green Imperial Pigeon, Black-naped Fruit Dove, Barred Rail, Ivory-backed Woodswallow, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Sulawesi Crow, could be seen in this area. 

Waterfall at the outskirt of Manado city

State Museum of North Sulawesi is another tourist attraction in Manado city. It is a good place for tourists who are interested in seeing the history and the culture of peoples who live in North Sulawesi. Visitors could also have brief information of farm and kitchen tools, as well as clothing and traditional weapons which the people of North Sulawesi used in the past. 

State Museum of The Province of North Sulawesi

Bersehati and Karombasan are two traditional markets that city dwellers go to sell and buy their daily needs from agricultural produce such as rice, corn, fish, chicken and meat to electric lightbulb and smartphone. 

Another attraction is Manado Town Square. It is a long mall that is a modern shopping center. There are a lot of shops that sell food, electronics, clothing products, and even electric motorcycles and cars. 

Manado city tour

For visitors who love nature, they could explore more interesting areas such as Minahasa Highland, Mount Tumpa, or Makatete Hills.

The duration of the tour in Minahasa peninsula can be as short as 1 day to as long as 3 days or even up to 1 week. 

If you are interested in exploring Manado city and its surrounding Minahasa regencies, please, contact me by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsappnto: +6281332245180. 

Also read:

• Birding in Sonder of Minahasa regency
• Birding in the Farmland of Minahasa Highland
• Birdwatching Tour in Minahasa Highland of North Sulawesi
• Wilson's Bird of Paradise

Birding in Sonder of Minahasa Regency

Sonder is a small subdistrict town in Minahasa regency of North Sulawesi Province of Indonesia. It is surrounded by forest, agricultural dry land, paddy fields (wet land) and water streams. They are the habitat of various species of birds. Visitors who are interested in taking a birding tour in Sonder need to bring their own binoculars, and other optional equipment such as spotting scope and camera with telephoto lens. 

Sulawesi Myzomela

Birding is usually carried out early in the mornings and late afternoons. In the hill forest of Sonder, we could find such birds as Black-faced Munia, Warbling White-eye, Crimson Sunbird, Black Kite, Sulawesi Crow, Pygmy Hanging Parrot, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Pitta, Van Hasselt's Sunbird, Yellow-billed Malkoha, and etc.

Van Hasselt Sunbird

At a slope of Tounelet village in Sonder town, there is a small forest that is located behind Siloam Hospital. Walking around it, visitors could see Sooty-headed Bulbul, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Black-crowned White-eye, Gray-cheeked Green Pigeon, Black-naped Oriole, Cattle Egret, Chestnut Munia and Sahul Sunbird.

Black Kite

The farmland of Sonder is also great place for sightseeing tour and birding. There are a lot of birds that we could watch including Black Kite, White-breasted Woodswallow, Collared Kingfishers Sulawesi Crow, Barred Rail, Brown-throated Sunbird, and etc. 

More birds such as Green Imperial Pigeon, Sulawesi Myna, Black-naped Oriole, and White-rumped Triller could be seen in paddy field area and inside the forest of Sonder.

Sulawesi Hanging Parrot

Sahul Sunbird, Barred Rail, Gray-cheeked Green Pigeon, Yellow-billed Malkoha

Where is Sonder and how to get there?

Sonder is located in Minahasa highland. It is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes by car from the airport of Sam Ratulangi in Manado city. 

Visitors need to fly to Manado city in order to visit Sonder and other villages in Minahasa highland. Every day, there are regular flights from major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar and Sorong to Manado city. They are served by Garuda, Citilink, Lion Air, Batik Air and TransNusa. There is also direct flight from Singapore to Manado city served by Scoot Air. The next trip to Sonder could be done by car using Grab Car, Go Car or taxis from airport to Sonder town.

Flights to Manado city

Car route between Manado city and Sonder

For accommodation, visitors could stay in homestays in Sonder. For more comfortable accommodation, visitors could stay in hotels in Tomohon town. 

If you are interested in birding in Sonder town of Minahasa and want me to organize your trip and guide you, please, contact me by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Also read:

• Birds in Minahasa
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Birding and Butterflywatching in Sonder of Minahasa Highland