Manado

Backed by magnificent mountain scenery on the shore of Manado Bay, Manado is the primary entry point to the scenic gems of North Sulawesi. It is a friendly city with decent amenities and plenty of good restaurants from which to sample the super-spicy cuisine of the local Minahasa people, as well as other Indonesian specialties. But the real charms of the region lie outside the city boundaries: the coastal waters near Bunaken and Lembeh hide a profusion of coral reefs that provide spectacular scuba diving and snorkeling, while Tangkoko-Batuangus Dua Saudara Nature Reserve, found just 2-hours drive from Manado is home to a diversity of bird and animal life.