TOMOHON lies in the heart of Minahasa, a narrow 600-kilometer-long peninsula in far northern Sulawesi, a vast and bountiful land of coconut and clove plantations, active volcanoes, high mountain lakes, picturesque villages and ancient burial sites.

The human geography is equally fascinating, a mix of peoples from Indonesia, mainland Southeast Asia, the Philippines, and the ex-colonial countries of Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands, all comprising the present day Minahasan ethnic group living in the densely populated valleys and plateaus of the interior, high above the low-lying capital.

Northern Sulawesi is blessed with a higher living standard, better health care and education systems than most other regions of Indonesia. The population’s literacy rate is rivalled only by the Minangkabaus of West Sumatra.

Although crowded with refugees from the Maluku conflict, this largely homogenous province itself has experienced little of the ethnic unrest that other regions have endured since the fall of Suharto. It even feels like a separate republic, culturally distinct from the rest of Indonesia.

Before the war, because of the Minahasan’s close religious, military, and economic ties with the colonial power, the region even became known as the “12th province of the Netherlands.”

Portuguese trader-adventurers were the first Westerners to arrive on the shores of the northern arm of the island, as early as 1563. The Spaniards were next on the scene, arriving in the late 1500s. Though the Hollanders arrived last, they stayed the longest. In the mid-17th century, the Minahasans called on the Dutch VOC to help them expel the Spaniards. They built a wooden fort in Manado in 1657, driving them out within three years. From 1679 until Indonesian independence 270 years later, the Dutch monopolized the region’s spice trade.

There is still a considerable Eurasian admixture in the population. With their trim rose bushes, blooming sapodilla trees, window sills and porch railings lined with potted plants, and neat gardens bright with hibiscus and bougainvillaea, Tomohon houses still reflect European tastes.

Most travelers head out on daytrips from Manado, but a wiser alternative is to make the cool and scenic mountains your base. Minibuses leave constantly from Terminal Karombasan in south Manado and climb up the winding road past cafes and hot springs perched on the side of the mountain.

Stop for lunch in one of the bracing roadside restaurants built out over fishponds, where you may be offered not only goldfish but kawaok (fried field rats), rintek wuuk (spiced dog), and kelelawar pangang (bat stew), all heavily spiced.

You might want to stick with the goldfish which a kitchen hand will catch, momentarily served up a glowing golden-brown (eat slowly, as ikan mas contain many sharp bones). Swill the meal down with the local rice gin, cap tikus.

Tomohon, 25 kilometers from Manado, is a windy, sunny town sitting in a saddle between two active volcanoes. One of the highest villages of the district, the place has a wonderfully cool climate, not unlike a European summer. From a number of vantage points the visitor can enjoy surpassing views of Manado. At night, strings of lights outline the city far below.

Known as Kota Kembang (Flower City), every wooden house seems to be draped with orchids and angel trumpets. Household gardens burst with enormous zinnias, dahlias, marigolds and perennial gladioli. Even the town’s main road is lined with flower stalls and planted with strong-scented red croton shrubs.

People are friendly to the point of abduction. Tomohon is renowned for its wheelwrights who supply the bendi (horsecarts) of Manado, and its streets echo with the sound of horses’ hooves. The town is also known for the production of sago wines (tuak saguer) of varying potency. Durian, Langsat, mango and other monsoon fruits are in abundance.

Traditional crafts are not. “The Lord gave us cloves,” was an old man’s explanation of why there were so few handicrafts in evidence. During the harvest (July-October), one can hardly drive through the streets, as they are blanketed with clove buds drying on mats. People’s yards are already overflowing.

Packed oplets (taxis) climb up through plantations and pine forests. Two kilometers out of town, on the road to Tara Tara, are World War II Japanese ammunition storage caves and a traditional mill powered by a fast-running stream at the bottom of a small ravine.

The area’s high concentration of hot springs reminds one of the mountain towns of West Java. In Kinilow, 650 meters above sea level, just a few kilometers from Tomohon, is the Highland Resort, an ideal place from which to volcano climb, the tourist’s premier activity of the area.

Mount Lokon (1,580 meters), which erupts about every 10 years, has a duck-egg blue crater lake of considerable beauty. The almost casual 45-minute climb to the top should be no problem for anyone in reasonable condition.

With the help of your hotel staff, a guide can be found in the village of Kakaskasen II. Start early so that you arrive at the top while the air is still cool and the sun starts to fill the crater.

The path first takes climbers through fields of corn and palm oil trees. The final 30 minutes follows a frozen lava flow that forms a rocky river. The steaming crater, about 60 meters deep and encrusted with yellow sulphur, lies 600 meters below the peak. You know you’re close when the acrid smell is unmistakable in the air.

From the rim is an unobstructed view of Manado and the small islands in its bay, whose surrounding reefs are famed all over the world for their steep, pristine coral walls. The Bunaken reefs are only one of the countless natural and cultural assets of Minahasa, a taste for which will take many more visits than one to sate.

Where to Stay

All the rates below include breakfast. The area code for the Tomohon district is 0431 (telephone assistance: 0431-108).

Happy Flower Homestay, Desa Kakaskasen II, Dusun I, Kec. Tomohon, tel. 352-787, hand phone 081-243-01464, e-mail: hflower@divefroggies.com. Located 3 km before Tomohon, take the path by the PNIEL church for 500 meters in the direction of the volcano. Rates: Rp20,000 economy, Rp35,000 private cottage, Rp45,000 double deluxe, Rp70,000 deluxe bungalow.

Highland Resort, Kinilow Jaga IV, tel. 353-333, fax. 353-777, or e-mail: mail@highlandresort.info. A set of quiet, relaxing and spacious cottages nestled in the hills. Rates (15% tax & service not included): Rp200,000 standard, Rp250,000 superior.

Bill Dalton
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