Going to Manado, Indonesia

I will be going to Manado, North Sulewesi, Indonesia in July. I already
have reservations for a live-aboard that will be operating out of there.
After the cruise I will need a place to stay relatively inexpensive and some
ideas of what one can do on land around there. Also, if you have heard of
any 'bad' news about the area that I should be aware of.

Thanks.

Walter

that northern tip of Sulawesi is Christian whereas the middle and south of the
island are Muslim so it would probably be OK up in Monado. I don't think the
Bugis, the Muslim tribe that thrives in Ujang Pandang are hot-headed Muslims, if
you wanted to fly down there, rent a car and visit the highlands around Rantepau
(further back up towards the center of the island) which is quite beautiful with
those mountains of rocky exposed Karst that are so dramatic and spectacular,
which reminds me of the Win Lin area of China that are so famous. From Ujang
Pandang, that is a long day's drive to get up there. I had a car and driver.

Ujang Pandang (the Southern port on the island) struck me as a fairly liberal
area of Muslim civilization. At night on Carabossi Street, male transvetites
parade up and down looking for interested customers and there are night clubs
where alcoholic beverages are served and some of the entertainment is quite
good.

But back to the highlands ---it is wonderful to see the water buffalo around
Rantepau and the locals bury their dead (mummies) inside cracks of the Karst
mountains. They grow vanilla there, coffee and tea, and also clove trees are
abundant. The beauty of that area is not to be believed.

I would like to have taken the car all the way from Ujang Pandang -- up through
the island, crossing the Equator and arrive in Monado but I would not think of
doing that now since some of the areas in the middle of the island of Sulawesi
have bands of Muslim gangs that would make such a voyage perilous, particularly
if you are an American or Israeli.

Walter Willis wrote:

> I will be going to Manado, North Sulewesi, Indonesia in July. I already
> have reservations for a live-aboard that will be operating out of there.
> After the cruise I will need a place to stay relatively inexpensive and some
> ideas of what one can do on land around there. Also, if you have heard of
> any 'bad' news about the area that I should be aware of.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Walter