North Sulawesi is province of Indonesia. The location is obvious from its name. Yes, it is in Sulawesi Island. When you open Indonesia map, you will find a big island in the center. The island looks like giant K or an orchid. North Sulawesi is at northern tip of the Peninsula. Among Indonesian people, this province is called Land of Waving Coconut. It is because North Sulawesi has many coconut plantation. In fact, coconut is an agricultural commodity among several others. The others are clove, nutmeg, coffee and vanilla.
North Sulawesi is an archipelagic province. It means the province has islands. The region borders to the Philippines and Pacific. When you see the map again, you will find several big islands in line with the Philippines to the south. It belongs to North Sulawesi Provinve. The province goes as far as Marore and Miangas Islands. Those two islands are among the islands at border of Indonesia.
Municipalities Of North Sulawesi
There are in total 15 municipalities in North Sulawesi Province. Among them are archipelagic regencies. Again, it is because these regencies are situated as islands. You can call them the land of Nusa Utara. It means group of northern islands. The rest of the municipalities are in the main land.
Overall, there are three regions in North Sulawesi province. Those are The islands of Nusa Utara, the land of Minahasa and the land of Bolaang Mongondow. The region of Nusa Utara are The Regencies of Sangihe Islands, The Regencies of Talaud Islands and The Regencies of Sitaro – Sitaro stands for Siau, Tagulandang and Biaro. The land of Minahasa is divided into three cities and four regencies. The cities are Manado, Tomohon and Bitung. The regencies are North Minahasa Regency, Minahasa Regency, South Minahasa Regency and Southeast Minahasa Regency. There are seven municipalities in total. Lastly is the land of Bolaang Mongondow. This region is divided into a city and four regencies. Kotamobagu is the name of the city. While, the regencies are Bolaang Mongondow Regencies, North Bolaang Mongondow Recencies, East Bolaang Mongondow Recencies and South Bolaang Mongondow Regencies.
The Northen islands
The northern islands were formely one municipality. But after Indonesia applied the autonomy region policy, it is divided into three regencies.
First one is the regency of Sangihe Islands. Tahuna is its capital. It covers the west to northern west side groups of islands. Maru island in Marore region is the outermost part both of the state, North Sulawesi province and regency.
Next is Regency of Talaud Islands. It is North to Northeast side of the group of islands. Melonguane is the capital of this regency. Miangas is its outermost part both of the state, province and regency.
Last is The Regency of Sitaro – Siau, Tagulandang and Biaro. It is south of the group of the islands. It is closer to mainland. Siau is the capital of regency.
The Minahasa Land
Minahasa Land of North Sulawesi Province were formerly three municipalities. But, the autonomy policy splits the regions into seven municipalities.
The Cities
The first one is Manado. It is the capital of North Sulawesi province. It is center of everything in the province. Most of advanced services exist in this city. Manado is the city on the edge of the Manado bay. It is northwest of the Minahasa peninsula.
Bitung is harbor city. It is east of Minahasa peninsula. There is big harbor there. The harbor in Bitung is ocean harbor. It means that big ships can harbor there. Also, it is a place to load and unload goods for expor and import purpose. Ocean harbor usually is equipoed with warehouses.
Next is Tomohon. It is a small town among two active volcanoes. City of Flowers is its second name. Tomohon sits at the table with Bunaken National Park and Tangkoko Nature Reserve in The Province of North Sulawesi’s tourism development. Briefly, tourists come to Tomohon to enjoy the mountain breeze. They get bonus of beuatiful nature.
The Regencies
North Minahasa is the closest to Manado. Hence it gets chances to develop its tourism too. There are several islands famous for diving in this regency. The famous one is Bangka Island. But Lihaga island wins the chinese visitor attention. Anothet thing, the highest volcano in North Sulawesi province locates in regency.
Then comes Minahasa, the parent regency of Minahasa land. Tondano is its capital. It has the biggest caldera lake in the island. This caldera lake is the second biggest in Indonesia too. The lake is named after the name of the capital city.
At the southern part of Minahasa land are two regencies. They are South Minahasa and Southeast Minahasa. The capital of Sout Minahasa Regency is Amurang. While Ratahan is for Southeast Minahasa. Furthermore, Southeast Minahasa got its autonomy from South Minahasa. In these regencies is the most aactive volcano of the province. It is Mount Soputan.
The Bolaang Mongondow Land
Similar to Minahasa Land and Sangihe Talaud Island, Bolaang Mongondow land was formerly a regency. Then autonomy policy happened in this regency. This regency splits into four regencies and one cities. Bolaang Mongondow oftentime shortened as Bolmong. There are Bolmong, Bolmut, Boltim, Bolsel and Kota Kotamobagu.
There is a national park in Bolaang Mongondow Land. It was formerly called Dumoga Bone National Park. In the end the government decided to change the name of that national park. Now it is called Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park. This national park is home for many endemic animals of Minahasa peninsula.
Red Bellied Pitta 
Lihaga Beach 
Rafting in Nimanga Sonder 
Swimming at Toraget Hotspring 
Camping in Lihaga Island
Former North Sulawesi
Far before Indonesia became a nation, North Sulawesi had been visited by many explorers from Europe. Due to distance with spice islands, Molucca, North Sulawesi became second home base from traders for Spaniards, Portuguese, Dutch, Arabs, Chinese and many others. It was among the first colony of Spaniards, Portuguese and Dutch in the archipelago.
The nature was very beautiful at that time. It remains the same until now. Furthermore, after the age of exploration ended, it was almost forgotten by many people. Thanks to Minahasa diaspora in europe, who still remember their home land. The name of Minahasa, specifically and North Sulawesi in general recall.
List of Travel Destination in North Sulawesi
People desire to visit virgin nature, beach and places with sunray. North Sulawesi is fascinating destination for their vacation. Many places of interests, such as islands, jungles, volcanoes and so on await the visit of tourists from all over the world.
Following are places of Interests in Norh Sulawesi.
- Bunaken National Park
- Tangkoko Nature Reserve
- Tomohon
- Minahasa
- Nusa Utara
- Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park
