Top Things to Do in the Manado | Must-See Attractions & Experiences

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Places To Visit In Manado

Ban Hin Kiong Temple

The Taoist temple located in the heart of Manado’s China Town is most frequented by tourists because of its stunning architecture and interesting history. It was established in 1819 during the Qing Dynasty in China and was initially built with only bamboo wood. The temple has been around for 335 years and currently stands as the oldest temple in the city. The name, Ban Hin Kiong, literally translates to a holy palace that exudes positivity, as the word Ban means “a lot”, Hin means a “blessing/kindness” and Kiong means “palace”. The temple is also popular amongst the locals for hosting various annual festivals and for being a place of worship for the followers of Tridharma. Read More

Boulevard Manado is the city's most happening area. This attraction initially had only street-side eateries and cafés lining the beach but over the years has become a commercial zone with a considerable number of shopping malls, showrooms, hotels, etc. Boulevard Manado is where the locals come for retail therapy, entertainment and leisure activities. But, out of these, the food situation is what attracts most of them. Due to the variety of exotic dishes to taste, Boulevard Manado is the best place for foodies, and might also just be an excellent place for restaurant hopping too. Read More

Bunaken Island is a part of the Bunaken National Marine Park which covers a length of 890 square kilometers and includes other islands like Manado Tua, Siladen, Mantehage, Nain and Nain Kecil apart from the Bunaken Island. The island in itself stretches over a distance of 8 square kilometers and it is located at the northern end of the Sulawesi Island in Indonesia. The island is well known to water sports enthusiasts as it offers a great spot for scuba diving, snorkeling, etc. Bunaken is also known for the beautiful, clear waters with almost 35 meters of visibility and the flora and fauna found in the area. There are at least seventy different types of corals, five species of sea turtles and a wide range of fishes with almost 70% of the species found in the Indo-Western Pacific Ocean that are found at Bunaken. Apart from these, the white-tip and black-tip reef sharks can be found along with dugongs, tuna, barracuda and saltwater crocodiles. Read More

The Bunaken National Park is a marine park located on the north-west side of Indonesia near the Sulawesi Islands. This biologically rich region is located near the centre of the Coral Triangle and is home to 390 types of coral, fish, molluscs, reptiles and other various marine mammals. It covers a region of 890.65 km² out of which 97% is the marine-based environment. The remaining 3% of the Park includes the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. In 1991, it was formally set up as a national park and is now among the first of Indonesia's developing marine parks. The Bunaken National Park is a representation of a typical Indonesian tropical water environment, which comprises of extensive mangrove stretches, seagrass beds, and coral reefs. Some of the land animal species that exist on the coast are Timor deer, Sulawesi bear cuscus, Celebes crested macaques and polecats (Ailurops Ursinus). It is also wealthy in its flora with diverse types of palm, sago, woka, silar and coconut. The area is densely populated and provides a strong and rich tourist experience. Read More

Giant Statue of Jesus is a 50-metre-tall monument that is situated in Manado, Indonesia. It consists of a 30-metre-tall soapstone sculpture of Jesus Christ built over a 20-metre-tall pedestal, made of steel and fibre. This attraction is located at the Citra Land Residential Estate. The Giant Statue of Jesus is dedicated to the North Sulawesi Society and the people of Manado. The idea to build this statue was conceptualised by a real estate developer when he was exploring the site with his wife. It cost over INR 5 billion (Indonesian Dollar) and took about three years to build it. What's unique about this attraction is that the statue is the first tallest statue in the world that also levitates with a 20-degree downward slope. Read More

The Hill of Love, also known as Bukit Kasih, is one of the well known tourist attractions in North Sulawesi, located in the Kanonang Village in the Minahasa regency. The active sulphuric hill was built in 2002 as a centre of spirituality where followers of various faiths could gather and have their own private sessions. The name, Hill of Love, came about because of its significance as a harmonious place of worship for different religions. The venue is home to five houses of worship: a Christian church, a Catholic church, a Hindu temple, a mosque and a local temple which attracts heaps of locals and tourists alike. The hill has a 53-meter tall white cross at the peak which is visible from the Boulevard Beach in Manado. To add to its history, the venue has the faces of Toar and Lumimuut carved on the hillside under the second peak, as the hill is known to be the place of origin of the Minahasan ancestral tribe. Read More

Situated outside Tomohon in Indonesia, the volcanic Lake Linow seems like a place straight out of the fairytales. Owing to its varying chemical compositions, the tranquil lake Linow miraculously changes colours, from dark green to Prussian blue to a brilliant red! With Mount Mahawu on one side and Mount Lokon on the other, Lake Linow is a popular spot for tourists to relax for an hour or two amid the refreshing environment. Linow, which translates to ‘water gathering place’ in the Minahasa language, is encompassed by thousands of colourful flora giving it a breathtaking appearance. The sulphur present in fair quantities in the lake may give a rotten egg odour, which is why it is best to visit the lake in the early hours when the air is comparatively fresh. There is a restaurant on the banks of the lake offering snacks and coffee/tea. Read More

Lake Tondano is a beautiful and popular tourist destination located near Tondano city and is surrounded by Caldera rim on the east side and rice fields on the west. The road from Manado to this volcanic lake is spectacular with stunning views all the way up and has many restaurants lined along the road. It is the second-largest lake in Indonesia covering an area of 4278 hectares. and is one of the best places to spend a lovely evening and enjoy an amazing sunset over the serene lake. The lake occupies over 4 hectares of land surrounded by rolling mountains (Kaweng, Lembena, Tampusu and Masarang Mountains). It is situated about 600 metres above sea level and occupies portions of Eris, Remboken and Kakas sub-districts. Its picturesque neighbourhood and non-polluted natural environment draw tourists in a considerable number. The village is located just about 3 kilometres from another Indonesian city, Tomohon, and therefore, is a preferred choice for a weekend getaway or a picnic. The atmosphere turns cold and breezy in the afternoon, a perfect ambience to enjoy a cup of any of the nearby cafes. There are many fish farms and restaurants built on stilts on the lake. The restaurants around the lake serve incomparably fresh seafood. The fish and lobsters caught from the massive fish nets placed in the lake are cooked in local Indonesian sauce and served. With all the boats, wooden restaurants on stilts, fishnets and fishing activities going on in and around the lake, the place is really pleasing and ideal for photography. Read More

Known for its marine park and the colourful varieties of coral reefs with flourishing biodiversity of a mixed and wide range of species of fish and other aquatic creatures, the Malalayang Beach is perfect for a relaxed day amongst the scenic environment with family and friends. The shores are lined with black, hard river stones and the tides are mostly calm. Visitors also enjoy diving in the waters, with guides from dive shops who sail the dive boats to appropriate diving spots, and equipment can also be acquired by the visitors at the beach itself. Known for its colourful and healthy reef, allied with the abundance of fish make this a favourite amongst divers. There are various local food stalls available at the beach too, where visitors can enjoy the local Pisang Goroho with dabu-dabu, along with a few souvenir and dive shops. Read More

Manado Town Square is located in the centre of Manado – on the Jalan Pierre Tendean (Boulevard) and is a shopping centre with upscale multinational shops. It was first opened in 2006 and wasn’t as big of an establishment as it is in the present day. Manado Town Square 1 and 2 was first established here and this is what has driven the administration to extend the building size and expand the number of shops and build Manado Town Square 3. People often tend to prefer Manado Town Square 3 as the former two have the ambience of a trade centre than that of a shopping mall. Manado Town Square 3 feels like a shopping mall with its high decorated ceilings. Manado Town Square 1 and 2 is less pleasant because of a small corridor that connects the two which makes it look like a conventional marketplace. Manado Town Square 3 also has an extensive corridor and doesn’t get as swarmed as the corridor of Manado Town Square 1 and 2. Read More