Togian Islands – Sulawesi

We while away the days in the Togian Islands.

Togian Islands
Clear waters

After a two-day drive through the mountains from Rantepao, it’s another full day journey on the water from Ampala to the Sandy Bay Resort, on the island of Malenge.

Togian Islands
Boats in Ampana harbour

We have to thank Soufiane and Jessica once more for this experience: we share a car and driver with them for the journey to Ampana. They plan to stay in the Sandy Bay Resort, so we tag along.

Togian Islands
Approaching Malenge

It’s a short boat trip further to arrive at the resort.

Togian Islands
Soufiane guards the luggage on the outrigger to Sandy Bay
Togian Islands
Sandy Bay

It’s pretty nice, I must say. Even snorkeling in the bay is like a mini Great Barrier Reef.

Togian Islands
Local transport

It’s about $CAD70.00 per day, three meals included (for two people).

The small boats are how we get around.

Togian Islands
Maria and her anti-sun headgear

But it’s hard to get here. And once you’re here, it’s hard to get around: boat schedules and availability of accommodation are difficult to verify without internet service.

Togian Islands
The view from our first bungalow

A noteworthy day trip is to the jellyfish lagoon. In fact, this is one of the more remarkable places we’ve seen so far. In a lagoon cut off from the sea, we drift in bathwater-temperature water for an hour among serenely floating sting-less jellyfish. It’s like ‘floating among corpuscles in a blood vessel’, or ‘floating among souls in purgatory’; pick your own analogy.

We set out for another expedition to several offshore reefs.

Togian Islands
Embarkation

In the front are Frans, from the Netherlands, and Alina and Dominick, from Germany.

Togian Islands
Day trippers

In the rear (or ‘abaft’ is the nautical term), Soufiane, Jessica, Maria, and a pale-looking me.

Togian Islands
More day trippers

Snorkeling on these reefs is like swimming in an aquarium.

Togian Islands
Is that a Cheilinus undulatus I see?

We’ve never seen such crystal-clear water.

Togian Islands
Pass the spear gun

And the sunsets are superb.

Togian Islands
Sandy Bay sunset

Something to keep in mind: there is no cellphone or internet service, electricity is limited to a few hours of generator-supplied juice per day, and you’d better like fish, because that’s the main dish for most meals. Freshness guaranteed.

Sight or Insight of the Day – Togian Islands

We make an excursion to the Bajau village in Pulau Papan  to see how the sea gypsy people live.

Togian Islands
Me, Jessica, Soufiane

Like many countries in this part of the world, the government encourages the ‘Sea People’ to settle in permanent villages.

Togian Islands
Kilometer-long boardwalk to Pulau Papan

They have live lobster for sale, but no one has the heart to transport them home to meet a turbulent fate in the pot.

Togian Islands
Bajau pirogue

We’re a source of amusement for the locals.

Togian Islands
Three little maids from school are we…’

The village at the end of the boardwalk.

Togian Islands
Pulau Papan