Manado is the capital city of the North Sulawesi province of Indonesia. Manado is located at the Bay of Manado, and is surrounded by a mountainous area.
The municipality of Manado is divided into nine districts: Malalayang, Sario, Wanea, Tikala, Wenang, Mapanget, Singkil, Tuminting and Bunaken.
Attractions
Manado has many attractions. Fun-loving and extroverted, the Minahasa people live in neat wood frame houses, with fences and flower gardens, giving Manado a European feel. There is a wide range of hotels and restaurants. Those with an adventurous palate should try the famously hot and spicy Minahasa cuisine. The city's numerous shops and markets are filled with an abundance of consumer goods and agricultural produce, while behind every building are glimpses of emerald hills and azure sea. Inland from Manado, a trip through the Minahasa Highlands will take you to intriguing prehistoric above-ground burial sites, volcanoes, hot springs, the highland lake Tondano and breathtaking panoramas of lush mountains, coffee and coconut plantations, orchid gardens and terraced hillsides. From Manado, also be sure to visit the Dua Saudara Nature Reserve - Tangkoko, home to birds and other wildlife unique to Sulawesi, such as the Tarsier - the smallelst monkey, cus cus, Hornbill etc.
Ban Hin Kiong Temple, Manado
Tourism
Ban Hin Kiong Temple is another popular tourism spot in the city, especially during the Chinese new year celebration. Other places of interest include nearby Lake Tondano, Lake Linow, Lokon Volcano, Klabat Volcano and Mahawu Volcano. Citraland, a wealthy suburb of Manado, is home to Asia's 2nd tallest and the world's 4th tallest statue of Christ (Christ Blessing Statue), and perhaps the world's first statue in the flying posture. Indonesia's only active synagogue is in Manado. Tourism Scuba diving and snorkelling are practied in the nearby Bunaken National Park, including the island of Bunaken.Local food tinutuan, or bubur manado, is sold in Wakeke Street, declared by the local government to be an area of culinary tourism. Manado Boulevard Carnaval (MBC) is a Fashion Carnival at every 16 July inline with Manado City Birthday.
Manado city at night
Other Tourist Attractions
Wolter Mongonsidi and Pierre Tendean MonumentThis monument is erected to commemorate the meritorious young men from North Sulawesi, Wolter Monginsidi who fought against Dutch occupation and Pierre Tendean who died in communist rebellion. The monument is situated on the water frontage area, facing the Bay of Manado, with panoramic view of the bay. The monument is located in Bahu at the intersection of Jl. Monginsidi and Pierre Tendean.
Museum Negeri North Sulawesi Province
This Provincial Museum houses displays of the four ethnic groups inhabiting North Sulawesi, as well as the Batak Tribe (West Sumatra), Lombok, Bali, Central Sulawesi and Irian Jaya. Historical artifacts from the Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese and Swedish can also be seen. It is located on Jl. W.R. Supratman, Manado.
Second World War Memorial
A memorial to commemorate the destruction of Manado, which was heavily bombed in 1945, and to honor the victims of World War II. It is located in the center of Manado next to Gereja Sentrum (City Center Church).
Bunaken
Bunaken is an island of 8 km², part of the Bunaken National Marine Park. Bunaken is located at the northern tip of the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. It belongs administratively to the municipality of Manado.
Scuba diving attracts many visitors to the island.
Bunaken National Park extends over an area of 890.65 km² of which only 3% is terrestrial, including Bunaken Island, as well as the islands of Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. The waters of Bunaken National Marine Park are up to 1,566 m deep in Manado Bay, with temperatures ranging between 27 to 29 °C. It has a high diversity of - corals, fish, echinoderms or sponges. Notably, 7 of the 8 species of giant clams that occur in the world, occur in Bunaken. It also claims to have seven times more genera of coral than Hawaii, and has more than 70% of all the known fish species of the Indo-Western Pacific. Oceanic currents may explain, in part, why Bunaken National Marine Park has such a high level of biodiversity. Northeasternly currents generally sweep through the park but abundant counter currents and gyros related to lunar cycles are believed to be a trap for free swimming larvae. This is particularly true on the south side of the crescent-shaped Bunaken Island, lying in the heart of the park. A snorkeler or diver in the vicinity of Lekuan or Fukui may spot over 33 species of butterfly fish and numerous types of groupers, damsels, wrasses and gobies. The gobies, smallish fish with bulging eyes and modified fins that allow them to attach to hard surfaces, are the most diverse but least known group of fish in the park.
