Magical Islands Around Sulawesi: Hidden Paradises You Must Explore 2025

Explore the best islands around Sulawesi, including Bunaken, Wakatobi, and Togian in this blog post. It is paradise for divers, nature lovers, and travelers seeking Indonesia’s hidden beauty

In the map of Sulawesi Island, one of the 17000+ islands of Indonesia. It’s a very large island, comprising a staggering 174,600 sq. km! It’s all hands and legs.

In this post, I will talk about the different islands around Sulawesi on all 4 sides. However, before that, here is a basic description of Sulawesi Island.

Sulawesi is divided into various provinces as follows.

Gorontolo
North Sulawesi
Central Sulawesi
West Sulawesi
South Sulawesi
Southeast Sulawesi

Sulawesi Islands involves 5 seas to surround itself.

Celebes Sea
Gulf of Tomini (an extension of Molucca Sea)
Banda Sea
Strait of Makassar
Flores Sea

A few more gulfs are there that are only extensions of the main sea that I have mentioned.

Sulawesi’s seas are extremely rich in marine life, and the underwater seascape lures scuba divers from all over the world.

Magical Islands Around Sulawesi: Hidden Paradises You Must Explore

How many islands that belong to the Sulawesi Province?

The exact count is not available as the islands, and islets that surround Sulawesi are yet to be fully explored. However, there are roughly 100 islands.

Here’s a more comprehensive list of islands surrounding Sulawesi, Indonesia:

To the north of Sulawesi, in the Celebes Sea.

Sangihe Islands
Talaud Islands
Nanusa Islands
Miangas Island
Marore Island

In the east, floating in Molucca Sea.

Molucca Islands-comprises the following islands, and islets.

Halmahera
Amban
Buru
Seram
Saparua
Haruku

Ternate Island
Tidore Island
Bacan Island
Obi Islands
Kayoa Island
Sula Islands

Surrounded by the Flores Sea in the south.

Flores Island
Sumba Island
Timor Island –only west Timor belongs to Indonesia.
Buton Island
Muna Island
Wakatobi Islands-is a small archipelago constituting 4 islands
Selayar Island
Takabonerate Island
Sabalana Islands
Alor
Lembata
Pantar
Adonara

Surrounded by the Strait of Makassar in the west.

Kalimantan that is inside Borneo Island
Banggai Islands
Togean Islands that has the following small islands

Togean
Una-Una
Waleakodi

Talatakoh Island
Limba Island

What are all the major attractions to see and on which islands, that surround Sulawesi?

Since I have written exclusive posts on the majority of the islands, I am skipping them, and focusing on the remaining islands that tourists go to.

For example, the following islands have already been written about by me.

Banda Islands

Banggai Island

Malukku Islands

Hence, I will write about some of the top places to see in a few islands that surround Sulawesi Island. I consider these so many islands and islets to be the children of Sulawesi.

Nice description-eh?

Wakatobi Islands:

What a mesmerizing site! The scene is idyllic, which is typical of a tropical island. It reminds me of Dominica, one of the Caribbean Islands.

A total of 4 islands comprise Wakatobi Islands.

Kaledupa
Tomia
Wangi-Wangi
Binongko

I mean, only these 4 islands are inhabited and are worthy of touring. The remaining 46 islands and islets are empty of human settlements.

Nonetheless, if you care to wet your feet at least in some of them, you are sure to spot several aquatic birds.

The Wakatobi Islands are located Southeast of Sulawesi Island, Indonesia.

They are part of the World Coral Triangle region. It is renowned for its marine biodiversity.

You can see the islands are floating roughly between Sulawesi and Timor.

The underwater living beings including the reefs and corals warranted UNESCO to form a Marine Biosphere Reserve.

Being such a protected site, scuba divers and snorkelers are warned to care for the ecology before they hit the water.

The corals alone count for 750 species! I doubt even the Great Coral Reef System in Australia has that many species of corals.

For your information, there are only 850 species of coral reefs have been identified thus far, globally.

A few different types of rainforests, and a mangrove forest, act as habitats for numerous wildlife.

Wangi-Wangi:

This island is equipped with a domestic airport. The beautiful Brown Booby is one of the biggest crowd-pullers.

Kaledupa island

You can watch three main species of turtles here including the Loggerhead turtle, Hawksbill turtle, Olive Ridley.

I looked at the photos of these 3 turtles and a few more. They all look similar to me.

Tomia Island

There is nothing special here. The water is clear, and you can spot the same species of underwater creatures here too.

Binongko

This island is part of the Wakatobi Marine National Park.

Languages spoken on Wakatobi archipelago.

Sorry, mate. “No English” is the most widely spoken English word. As many as 3 languages are spoken on these 4 islands. Wakatobi, Tukangbesi, and Bahasa Indonesia are the names of the languages.

How to reach Wakatobi Islands:

Bali Island is the gateway by flights. As a matter of fact, only from Bali, you can reach every Indonesian Island that is equipped with an airport. Not even Java and Sumatra Islands offer that much connectivity.

So, from Bali, you can fly up to Wangi-Wangi Island’s Matahora Airport.

However, I doubt there is a daily flight to such a remote island off the shores of Sulawesi.

Nonetheless, chartered flights are only too eager to serve you.

Ah, Makassar, the South Sulawesi capital is also another busy place that operates flights to distant Indonesian islands, including the picturesque Raja Ampat Islands, in Southwest Papua.

From Wangi-Wangi Island, ferries take you to the other 3 Wakatobi Islands. If you are stranded because there is no nearest schedule of a ferry, you can charter a boat.

Beaches of Wakatobi Islands.

All the 4 islands’ beaches will hook you for long. It will be very difficult to extricate yourself from the clutches of absolutely serene beaches, and quaint villages.

Here are a few beaches scattered across the 4 Wakatobi Islands.

Taduno Beach
Goa Kontamale Beach
Mbiha Beach
Camara Beach
Kapota Island Beach-very close to Wangi-Wangi Island.

Seaplane tour:

There is a seaplane tour here. Don’t miss it. You will be speechless when you get an aerial view of the Banda Sea and the islands, and their rainforests.

Hotels to stay on Wakatobi Islands:

After hitting Wangi-Wangi Island, you will feel the compulsion to stay because of the unspoiled white sand beaches and very clear waters. You have to resist jumping into the Banda Sea before you check in to your hotel.

Red Doorz is the most recommended hotel on Wangi-Wangi Island. Kaledupa Island has three hotels including a budget-friendly one.

On Tomino Island, there is only a homestay option. Therefore, it is better to make Wangi-Wangi as your base and make day trips to the other 3 Wakatobi Islands.

Best buy in Wakatobi.

Local spices make great edible souvenirs.

Local dishes to try.

Tuna and Red Snapper are two popular fishes on these islands that surround Sulawesi. So, any dish that is made with these two fish species is worth trying.

Togean Islands

These islands are floating in the Gulf of Tomini. Central Sulawesi is the gateway to these islands.

I wrote a bit about these islands in a post titled “Top 13 places to visit in Central Sulawesi”.

Here is more information about Togeaan Islands.

56 islands, and islets implore you to step into them. If you yield, you won’t regret it.

Similar to the other islands that surround Sulawesi, these distant, and rarely visited islands have pristine beauties.

Lovely, clear water exists that is ideal to swim, and snorkel; the coral reefs will tie you to these islands.

How to reach the Togean Islands?

Ampana, a coastal town in Central Sulawesi should be your departing point. You can fly into Ampana from the city of Palu, the capital of Central Suawesi.

Once you reach Ampana, board a ferry to reach Wakai, the main port city on the island of Batudaka in Togean Islands archipelago The voyage takes about two and a half hours in the Gulf of Tomini.

If you are touring Jakarta and want to see the Togean Islands, you can fly directly up to Palu.

From Palu, the above-mentioned journey is applicable to this route also.

There are flights from Surabaya, one of the largest cities in East Java.

Again, your first destination is Palu, in Central Sulawesi.

Bali and Makassar also can be your starting points to Palu, and then on to Ampana by domestic flight.

Here is a totally different route to Togean Islands. You can reach Gorontalo, one of the provinces in Sulawesi by flight from Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar, or Bali

From Gorontalo, you can take a ferry to Wakai, but the ferries are not frequent. In addition, the sea crossing takes a whopping 12 hours. So, this route suits only seasoned seafarers.

Once you arrive in Wakai, you have to charter a boat to wet your feet on other Togean Islands namely:

Tomini Island
Melange Island
Pisang Island
Kodingareng Keke Island
Kakaban Island
Una-Una Island
Kidadiri Island

All these islands in the Togean archipelago are excellent for scuba diving, snorkeling, and swimming. If you really want a dark tan, sunbathe to your heart’s content.

Major Attractions in the Togean Islands:

Here is a video clip that opens by showing you how clear the water is.

Did you notice the brilliant display of marine life? Even if you don’t know scuba diving to admire the underwater beauty of these islands, you are likely to learn scuba diving and return to these Indonesian Islands that surround Sulawesi. Your effort is worth it.

To lure you further, read on and get to know about all its attractions to see.

Splendid beaches.

You are on a group of islands that are rarely visited. Since getting to the islands that surround Sulawesi involves a lot of time, international tourists are easily numbered.

Visit the following beaches.

Sera Beach
Malenge Beach
Kidadiri Beach

This beach’s backdrop will make you drop your jaws. A thick forest abuts the beach. In fact, some trees bend so much so that they touch the sea, like a Giraffe that bends down to drink water from a pond.

Kidadiri Island is part of the Togean National Park. The brilliant coral reefs will justify the island’s inclusion in the Coral Triangle.

Isn’t this fact alone enough to travel all the way from Surabaya to Togean Islands?

Wildlife in Togean National Park.

Since all the islands in Togean archipelago are part of the NP, you need not go anywhere else to watch some rare wildlife.

Sulawesi Hornbill
Togean Macaque
Togean Tarsier
Togean babirusa
Coconut Crab

Oh My God! This is looking deadly!

These islands are great for enjoying a true tropical climate, or just relax on the uncrowded beaches.

The food will turn you into a gastronome.

Since these islands are remote, you need a guide to visit them and look at the major attractions. To do that, you have to join any organized boat tours.

Some of them to consider include:

* Diving and Snorkeling Tours

This is only for those who are not afraid of getting into the sea.

* Sunset viewing

Just before dusk, boats leave with eager passengers for a breathtaking sunset view.

* Island Hopping Tour

This is the most ideal way to visit all the inhabited and a few empty Togean Islands.

Una Una Island:

This island, which is part of the Togean Islands, deserves an exclusive day trip if not a weekend trip.

Una-Una Island has more diving spots than its siblings in the Gulf of Tomini. In addition, the beaches are more beautiful here, with gently lapping waves and crystal clear water.

It is situated more towards the curve of the Gulf of Tomini and hence a bit far off from Ampana city.

How to Reach Una Una Island:

As mentioned above, reach Ampana city from wherever you are in Indonesia,

From Ampana, sail into Wakai, Batudaka Island, one of the Togean Islands.

Another 3 hours voyage from Wakai is required to disembark on Una-Una Island.

Places to see on Una-Una Island

The biggest attraction on this island is an active volcano called Mount Colo.

Tourists enthusiastically hike on this mountain. They are eager to see the caldera on the summit. At its widest point, the crater measures 2 km!

The caldera’s height is less than 1700 feet which is easy to reach. The topography is captivating.

Colo volcano last erupted in 1983.

Black beaches

Being a volcanic island, the sand turned into a black color. Black beaches are unique and attractive. But not all people like beaches with black sand. Sadly, I could not find a single image.

Generally, jellyfish are said to sting. However, in this lake, the jellyfish are harmless. The lake’s name is Danau Mariona.

Bunaken

This lush Indonesian island that surrounds Sulawesi is floating in the Celebes Sea. That implies the island of Bunaken is off the shores of North Sulawesi.

I said, ‘lush’ island. I meant the incredibly rich marine life, including countless coral species. Bunaken is part of the Coral Triangle.

Hence, the island attracts marine biologists and diving enthusiasts. A national marine park on Bunaken Island is aimed to preserve the precious marine life, surrounding the island’s waters.

Reaching Bunaken Island

Reach Manado first. It is the capital of North Sulawesi.

Refreshingly, Singapore acts as the gateway to Manado, in North Sulawesi.

Board the much-celebrated Singapore Airlines and fly for a little less than 4 hours to reach Manado. Our destination, Bunaken Island is within the administrative powers of Manado.

Just an hour of boat ride is needed to reach the island from Manado.

Bunaken is a highly popular diving destination because of its diverse species of corals.

More than one spot for getting into the Celebes Sea is available. Exclusive boats take you near the diving spot.

As a matter of fact, the Bunaken National Marine Park is the main tourist attraction.

Apart from coral reefs, the divers will recognize giant clams and butterfly fish, dolphins, and whales.

West Timor Island

Timor is a large island in the Timor Sea, It is divided into two, namely East and West Timor.

While East Timor is an independent nation, the West Timor belongs to Indonesia.

The area of West Timor is a mind-boggling, 15,770 sq. km! That is huge by any standard.

Strangely, it was under the region of Dutch until 1949.

Nob-Indonesian tourists to West Timor need a local guide because English is sparsely spoken here. As many as 6 other languages are spoken throughout Timor Island.

Places to see.

Kupang City

Kupang is the capital of West Timor and is worth spending two days here.

Crystal Cave

Inexplicably, a cave exists near the Kupang City. Actually, it is not the chamber that attracts tourists but a pool.

The water invites every onlooker to take a dip in it. I think, almost no one resists the urge because the blue water is ultra-clear.

Beaches

With over 15k sq. ft area, I am sure you are bound to find more than 100 beaches. If I were to visit West Timor, I will inquire about all the unpopular beaches and visit them one by one.

However, I could find the names of such beaches but only a few highly-visited beaches, namely: