As a tourist destination, Luwuk, the capital of Banggai regency, Central Sulawesi, is not among the most popular places to visit. Most people probably have not even heard of it. The Togean Islands in Ampana, the regency capital of Tojo Una-Una, on the contrary, is a must-visit area that locals of Central Sulawesi promote to travelers. Its 60 islands are often referred to as the province’s “paradise”, due to the beauty and diversity of wildlife there, from various species of fish and coral reefs — the most extensive in the nation — to interesting flora and fauna. Togean Island itself has beautiful underwater attractions, with its giant tropical coral reefs and its wide range of ornamental fish and crabs. It is the only tourist area in Indonesia that has three different types of coral environments; barrier reefs, coastal reefs and atolls, all home to various oceanic flora and fauna. The best way to reach the islands is by flying from Jakarta to Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi. From Makassar, travelers can continue their trip to Central Sulawesi’s provincial capital of Palu and then travel around ten hours by land to Ampana and rent a speedboat to get to the Togean Islands. Or, alternatively, visitors can take a short cut to Ampana from Luwuk, which is around six hours away by land. Luwuk itself is an hour away from Makassar with flights being offered by Sriwijaya Air and Wings Air (and coming soon from Citilink). If you happen to be one of those travelers who choose to stopover in Luwuk before escaping to the Togean Islands, there are at least four fun things you can do during your time there. Water activities If you are more of a beach person, visit Kilo Lima Beach, which as its name explains, is only five kilometers away from southern part of the city center. Regular water activities such as swimming and canoeing are popular there, especially for the locals. Or you can simply people watch while munching on some fried banana with chili sauce and other traditional snacks at one of the stilt-style food stalls along the beach. Snorkeling and diving are not very popular in Luwuk, but Dua Island and Tikus Island have been said to offer a nice underwater vista. The latter, situated not far from Tangkiang Harbor, is also a great spot to catch some fish such as kerapu (grouper). Seafood feast While in Luwuk, one of the countrys seafood exporters to countries such as France, you can expect to enjoy delicious seafood dishes. If delectable seafood is not enough for you, head to a unique restaurant called Empang Kuliner Kayutanyo in Kayutanyo village, which offers stilt-style huts with a view, about an hour away from the city center. Sing your heart out To entertain yourself at night, follow the locals by visiting one of the citys karaoke spots and go mimic your favorite singers. Family karaoke houses such as Hush Puppies and Nav are among the favorites there. Take a break If getting some rest is high on your list, the recently opened Aston Luwuk Hotel & Conference Center provide a resort-like ambience with four-star amenities (which fortunately includes free Wi-Fi ). Built to cater to mining companies employees such as Pertamina, Medco and PT Donggi Senoro LNG , who often visit Luwuk to visit natural gas exploration sites, the 92-room property offers an all-natural design and colors, a swimming pool and spectacular view of Jolo Bay. Only ten minutes away from the airport, the starting price per night at Aston Luwuk is Rp 700,000 (US$61) for corporate guests and Rp 1.3 million for regular guests. Before you go - Only a few telecommunication operator networks are available in Luwuk so make sure you are using one that works (Telkomsel, Telkom and Indosat). - Electricity in Luwuk is regularly switched off due to limited supply. - There are no shopping malls in Luwuk but it offers local stores centralized in one area instead. - Presently, Sriwijaya Air and Wings Air offer one-flight a day from Makassar to Luwuks Syukuran Aminuddin Amir airport. Fares are around Rp 700,000 to Rp 1 million. While from Palu and Manado, visitors can take Express Air, which flies to Luwuk three times a week. When to go The best time to visit Luwuk is during the summer, which is usually from October until January. The weather is fine so any outdoor activities will be pleasant. What US$5 can buy You can bring home seafood, such as Luwuk’s famous ikan asin (salted fish) kerapu. Also take home with you the citys delicious sweet potato and taro chips.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 11:36:15 +0000
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