Trekking to Kali Waterfall in Manado, Sulawesi

Kali Waterfall (“Air Terjun Kali”) is located in the rain forest surrounding Kali village, about twenty or so minutes from downtown Manado. Along the way to Kali, tarps spread with freshly plucked cloves (“Cengki”) dry in the sun. Sulawesi is one island west of the famed Spice Islands, where Columbus himself set sail for, so…

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The Legend of Toar and Lumimuut

Toar and Lumimuut are the ancestors of the Minahasa people of north Sulawesi’s (formerly referred to as Celebes) highlands. From what I gather, the story goes like this:* In the beginning, the region was sparsely populated, but one day, a rock in the hills began to sweat from the heat and produced a beautiful woman…

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Manado: Touring the Minahasa Highlands

The Minahasa Highlands begin about one hour’s drive inland from North Sulawesi’s capital city of Manado. And while most visitors fly into Manado for its world-class diving venues, the Minahasa Highlands offer something completely different: volcano trekking, white-water rafting, extreme cuisine, moss-covered jungle hikes and glorious waterfalls are just some of the choices. And if you’ve got…

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