Birding and Sightseeing Tour from Manado City

Birding and sightseeing tour can be arranged from Manado city. Its durations is usually from 1 to 3 days depending on the time which the participants have. For visitors who are interested in a short birdwatching tour, its itinerary can be described as follows:

Birds at the outskirts of Manado city

Sooty-headed Bulbul

• In the morning, we will meet you at your hotel in Manado city. We will organize your tour to a forest at the outskirt of Manado city. There, we will walk along the roadside to look for such birds as Barred Rail, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Zebra Dove, Ivory-backed Woodswallow, Finch-billed Myna, Green Imperial Pigeon, Collared Kingfisher, Black-naped Fruit Dove and etc. 

Collared Kingfisher

• At around 09:30, when the activity of birds in trees has reduced significantly, we will do sightseeing tour to State Museum of Manado to see the historical and cultural background of peoples of North Sulawesi province of Indonesia.
• Lunch at around 12:00. Back to your hotel for rest. At 15:00, we will continue our trip to a hill outside Manado city. We will see the landscape view and look for birds such as the Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Sulaweei Cuckoo-dove, Sahul Sunbird, Brown-throated Sunbird, Gray-rumped Treeswift and etc.

Zebra Dove

Other attractions in Manado city include the traditional markets of Karombasan, Bersehati as well as the Malalayang Beach, Mount Tumpa, and Manado Town Square Mall (modern shopping center).

Flight routes to Manado city

Manado is the capital city of the Province of North Sulawesi in the Republic of Indonesia. It can be reached by plane from major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar and Sorong. The airlines that fly to Manado include Garuda, Citilink, Lion Air, Batik Air and TransNusa. There is a direct flight that connects Manado city and Singapore served by Scoot Air.

Manado city by the beach

Manado city view from the parking lot of Mantos (Manado Town Square)

Booking

If you are interested in taking a birding and sightseeing tour in Manado city, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Birding Tour from Manado City (3 Days/ 2 Nights)

Manado City

Manado city is the capital of North Sulawesi Province of Indonesia. It is the destination for visitors who want to go scuba diving in Bunaken, Siladen and Lembeh Strait. It is also the main gate for visitors who want to go to Tangkoko. 

Birding tour organized from Manado city to Minahasa highland

As a tourist guide, I offer birdwatching and sightseeing tour that starts from Manado city. The tour is suitable for anyone who is a beginner in birdwatching or has just taken-up birding as a hobby for 1 or 2 years. It is also good for birders who wants to visit North Sulawesi for the first time.

Turquoise Flycatcher

The duration of the tour is from 1 to 2 days for areas around the outskirts of Manado city and up to 1 week if the tour includes the highland of Minahasa and Tangkoko Nature Reserve. Here is the program for a 4-day/ 3-night birding and sightseeing tour. 

Sulawesi Hanging Parrot

• Day 1. We will meet you at the airport or a hotel in Manado city. We will organize your transfer to Tomohon town in the highland of Minahasa. Check into homestay. Rest. After lunch, We will start our birding activity by visiting Lake Linow which is located outside of Tomohon town. Birds that we could see in this place include Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Purple Heron, White-breasted Waterhen, Sunda Teal, Barn Swallow and etc. Back to Tomohon town, return to hotel. Dinner. Rest. 

Birds in Lake Linow of Minahasa Highland

• Day 2. We will wake up very early in the morning at around 05:30. We will go by car to Mount Mahawu. We will have early breakfast and then go hiking up to slope to look for Warbling White-eye, Black-crowned White-eye, Red Jungle Fowl, Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Turquoise Flycatcher, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, Sulawesi Myzomela, and etc. We will enjoy birding until around 09:00. After that we will return to Tomohon and visit traditional market. Lunch at 12:00. Back to homestay for rest. At 15:00, we will do birding at Pine Forest to look for Gray-rumped Treeswift, Black-naped Oriole, Collared Kingfisher and Barred Rail. Back to Tomohon before dark. Dinner at 19:00. Back to homestay, rest.

Black Kite

Crimson Sunbird

• Day 3. We will start at 05:00, our destination is Sonder's hill forest. It takes around 40 minutes ride from Tomohon to the hill. We will look for Crimson Sunbird, Black-faced Munia, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, Superb Fruit Dove, Barred Rail, Black Kite, Pygmy Woodpecker, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Superb Fruit Dove, White-bellied Imperial Pigeon, Citrine Canary Flycatcher, Turquoise Flycatcher, Collared Kingfisher, Black Kite, Sulawesi Crow, White-breasted Woodswallow, Black-naped Oriole, and etc. A stop at the small forest of Tounelet will allow us to find Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Sahul Sunbird, Black-crowned White-eye, Sulawesi Crow, Gray-sided Flowerpecker, and etc. 

We will continue to paddy field area in Talikuran to look for White-browed Crake, Cinnamon Bittern, Purple Heron, Isabeline Bush-hen, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Javan Pond Heron, Scaly-breasted Munia, Chestnut Munia, White-breasted Woodswallow, Zebra Dove and Collared Kingfisher. 

We will have lunch in Sonder, take a rest and then continue birding at 15:00 to Tincep village where we will look for Green Imperial Pigeon, Sulawesi Myna, and White-rumped Triller. Back to Tomohon. Dinner, rest. 

Barred Rail

• Day 4. You will wake up early in the morning. We will transfer you to Sam Ratulangi airport of Manado city. End of the trip. 

If you are interested in taking the birding tour, and want me to organize your trip and guide you, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Minahasa Land Tour

Minahasa is a regency in the Province of North Sulawesi of the Republic of Indonesia. It is a beautiful destination for visitors who are interested in seeing beautiful natural landscape, farmland and flower garden; watching colorful birds, butterflies; or walking through terraces of rice fields. Minahasa highland has got mountains, hills, lakes and waterfalls that are worth visiting.  

Minahasa Peninsula is an interesting destination for visitors

The tour usually starts from Manado city. We will meet participants at a hotel or at the airport. After that we will transfer them to a hotel in Tomohon town or a homestay in Sonder town.

The first place that we will visit is Lake Linow. It is a volcanic lake that is the habitat of a lot of species of birds such as Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Sunda Teal, White-breasted Waterhen, Barred Rail, Barn Swallow, and etc. Sulphuric steam can be seen at the coast and on the surface of the lake. The steam is hot and can be dangerous. So, visitors cannot come closer to it. Lake Linow is surrounded by hills. The scenery is beautiful and tour participants can enjoy its view. 

White-breasted Woodswallow, Pale Blue Monarch, Crimson Sunbird, Collared Kingfisher, Sooty-headed Bulbul

Another interesting site that visitors can see around Tomohon is Mount Mahawu and Pine Forest. The forests in these places are the habitat of butterflies and birds. Visitors could go hiking up the slopes of Mount Mahawu to its crater or walk down the slopes to enjoy birdwatching. A lot of species of birds could be seen in these places including Yellow-sided Flowerpecker, Gray-sided Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Myzomela, Turquoise Flycatcher and Crimson Sunbird and etc.

Palm Sugar from Minahasa

Visitors who are interested in agrotourism can explore farmlands with various kinds of agricultural produce such as palm sugar, vegetables and fruits. Farmers grow rice, sweet potatoes, cabbage, carrots, kangkung, papaya, mango, rambutan and various other crops in their farmland.

Agricultural crops in Minahasa (corn, vanilla, clove, papaya and rice)

The next place to visit is Tincep village that is famous of its colorful flowers along the roadside and the waterfall. Before entering Tincep, visitors could see rice fields on both sides of the road. After exploring Tincep village, visitors could enjoy the view of waterfall that is surrounded by steep cliff. 

Flowers in Tincep Village

Local shops in Kawangkoan town offer roasted peanuts and locally made snacks for visitors to buy. Another important destination in Minahasa is Langowan is a town in Minahasa that is surrounded by extensive rice fields. 

Pulutan village is also another interesting place to visit by tour participants. Earthenware products are produced by villagers in this area.

Booking and More Info

To take the tour, visitors need to fly to Manado city in North Sulawesi Province of Indonesia.

If you are interested in taking a tour in Minahasa and want me to organize your trip and guide you, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Also read:

• Manado Tours
• Manado City Tours
• Farmland Tour in Minahasa Highland
• Trip to Minahasa Highland

Birding in Sonder of Minahasa

Sonder is a subdistrict town in Minahasa highland of North Sulawesi Province of Indonesia. It is a beautiful destination for visiting birders. 

Birding in Subdistrict Sonder of Minahasa Highland of Indonesia

It is surrounded by rivers, rice fields, farmland and forest. Most of its inhabitants work as Farmers. They grow such crops as kangkung, cabbage, carrot, corn, rice, peanuts, papaya, banana, tomato, chilli, coconut, clove and vannila. They run fish, pig and poultry farming. These agricultural and rainforest environments are good places for  visiting birders to explore the diversity of the avifauna of Sulawesi island. 

Black-naped Oriole

In my recent birding tour with a British tourist in higher elevation forest of Sonder, we saw various species of birds including Crimson Sunbird, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Myzomela, Warbling White-eye, Sulawesi Pygmy Hanging Parrot, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Turquoise Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Malkoha, Sulawesi Drongo, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Gray-cheeked Green-pigeon, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, Black-faced Munia, Black-naped Oriole, and etc. 

Crimson Sunbird

There was also a call of Bay Coucal but we could not see it. 

Gray-cheeked Green-pigeon

Various kinds of butterflies could be seen in this high elevation forest of Sonder. There were Blanchard's Wood Nymph, Blanchard's Tree Nymph, The Clipper Butterfly, and Common Birdwing. 

The Clipper Butterfly

The small forest of Tounelet was also an interesting site for watching birds. We saw Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Sooty-headed Bulbul, Chestnut Munia, Sahul Sunbird, Zebra Dove, Hair-crested (White-eyed) Drongo, Gray-sided Flowerpecker and Pale Blue Monarch. 

Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove

Another interesting birding site was the waterfall at the outskirts of Tincep village. We saw Sulawesi-crested Myna, Green Imperial Pigeon, White-rumped Thriller, Gray-rumped Treeswift and Black-naped Oriole. The scenery of the Kengkang waterfall was beautiful. 

Hair-crested (White-eyed) Drongo

Another interesting site for birding was the paddy field areas of Talikuran village. It was the habitat of Barred Rail, Buff-banded Rail, White-browed Crake, Little Egret, Cinnamon Bittern, Cattle Egret and Purple Heron. 

Other birds such as Collared Kingfisher, Scaly-breasted Munia, White-breasted Woodswallow, Rock Pigeon, Zebra Dove could also be seen in the area. 

Collared Kingfisher

As we explored more wooded areas of Sonder, we were able to see more interesting avifauna. When we were at the road that connected Sonder and Kiawa village, we saw Lessert Fish Eagle. At that time, we were looking for Brown-throated Sunbird, and Finch-billed Myna. 

Finch-billed Myna

Villagers in Sonder grew corn, peanuts, aubergine, tomato, spring onion, banana among the durian, coconut and clove trees. 

Visitors could also explore the fish ponds and waterfall streams in Sonder. They could find Barn Swallow, Sulawesi Swiftlet, and Collared Kingfisher. 

Black-faced Munia in North Sulawesi

Villagers constructed concrete roads into deeper areas of farmlands to allow easier access for farmers to their cultivated lands. These roads could also be used by visitors to enjoy birding. The small town of Sonder is surrounded by farm Lands and rice field. It is a good destination for visitors who are interested in farm tour or just sight sering. 

Paddy fields in Sonder is the site for watching water birds

How to get there? 

Manado city is the main gate to enter Sonder town in Minahasa highland. Every day, there are regular flights that connect Manado city with major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makasar, Balikpapan and Sorong. The flights are served by Garuda, Citilink, Batik Air and Lion Air. It takes around 1 hour 30 minutes by car from Sam Ratulangi Airport of Manado city to Sonder town. 

This is the small subdistrict town of Sonder in Minahasa regency

Flight Route between Manado cities and some cities in Indonesia

Car route from Manado city to Sonder town

Accommodation

Visitors who do birding, and walking tour in Sonder town can stay in one of the homestays that is available in the area or they can also book rooms in hotels that are located Tomohon town.

Booking 
The average duration of the birding trip is around 3 to 4 days depending on the request of the visitors. 

If you want me to organize your trip and guide you for tours in North Sulawesi, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.

Related Posts:

• Manado Tours
• Hiking Tour and Birdwatching in Sonder of Minahasa Highland
• Butterfly watching in Sonder town of Minahasa regency
• Farmland Tours in Sonder town of Minahasa Highland

Birding in Mount Mahawu, Lake Linow and Sonder Forest

I guided a British tourist in early October in Minahasa highland of North Sulawesi Province of Indonesia. The first site that we visited was Lake Linow. We watched water birds that swam, walked and flew around the lake areas such as: Sunda Teal, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Black-backed Swamphen, White-breasted Waterhen, Barred Rail, Barn Swallow, Whiskered Tern, Javan Pond Heron, Uniform Swiftlet, Common Sandpiper.

Some birds in Sonder of Minahasa

In the afternoon, at 15:00, we continued our trip to Mount Mahawu where we walked up the stairs that led us to its crater. It was raining at that time, the stairs were slippery. Fortunately, when we reached its top, the rain stopped. 

We saw Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove, Black Sunbird, Turquoise Flycatcher, Glossy Swiftlet, and a large flock of Warbling White-eye in trees at the edge of the crater.

When we walked down the slope to the parking lot, we saw Sulawesi Malkoha. We continued birding along the road of Mount Mahawu where we saw White-bellied Imperial Pigeon and Gray-sided Flowerpecker.

Warbling White-eye

The next morning, we watched Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, White-eyed Drongo and Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove, Gray-sided Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Myzomela still in the slope of Mount Mahawu. There was a Sulawesi Serpent Eagle that was soaring high in the sky above the forest area of the volcano. 

Rice field in Minahasa regency

We continued our birding tour to Subdistrict Sonder that late morning. We saw Crimson Sunbird, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Blue Flycatcher, Gray-streaked Flycatcher, Sahul Sunbird, Sooty-headed Bulbul, and etc. I saw a Pink-necked Green Pigeon and then a Stephan's Dove that were flying down fast from the forest down the slope of Sonder's hill to the farmland area.

In late afternoon, we went birding again along the slope of Mount Mahawu. This time the bird was relatively the same as this morning and yesterday. Warbling White-eye, Black-crowned White-eye, Turquoise Flycatcher, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker.and etc. There were more species that we could later add in our list, i.e. Superb Fruit Dove, Sulphur-bellied Whistler, and Sulawesi Scops Owl. 

Crimson Sunbird in Sonder's forest of Minahasa

The last day of our birding trip in North Sulawesi was conducted in Sonder of Minahasa regency. We saw Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Sulawesi Drongo, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Sulawesi Myna, Green Imperial Pigeon, White-rumped Triller, Sulawesi Swiftlet, Lesser Fish Eagle, White-browed Crake, Collared Kingfisher, Crimson Sunbird, and Yellow-billed Malkoha. We heard the call of Bay Coucal and Isabelline Bush Hen. Unfortunately, we could not see them. 

North Sulawesi is a highly recommended destination for birdwatching and sightseeing. 

Accommodation

Most tourists who travel to the highland of Minahasa chose Tomohon town as their place to stay. There are hotels and homestays that can be booked from the internet. 

Booking

If you are interested in traveling to Manado city and doing a walking tour for sightseeing or hiking for birdwatching, and butterfly watching, and want a guide to organize your trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Birding in Sonder and Mount Mahawu of Minahasa Highland with Polish Birdwatchers

A few weeks ago, I guided some Polish birdwatchers in Minahasa highland. We visited Mount Mahawu, Lake Linow and Subdistrict town of Sonder. 

Finch-billed Myna

Sulawesi Hanging Parrot

We arrived late in Mount Mahawu, It was around 14:00 local time when we went birding. Fortunately, we still saw some birds that we were looking for - the Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker,  Gray-sided Flowerpecker. 

Scaly-breasted Kingfisher

After lunch, we went to the territory of Subdistrict town of Sonder, we saw more birds there including the Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Sulawesi Pygmy Hanging Parrot, Barred Rail, Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove, Gray-sided Flowerpecker, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, and Citrine Canary Flycatcher. Our time window for birding was too narrow. We missed the Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, and White-faced Cuckoo Dove. 

Turquoise Flycatcher

We went to the rice field area but we did not see the Isabelline Bush-hen that we we're looking for. We only heard their sounds in the bush.

Sulawesi Cuckoo-dove

 

If you are interested in taking a birding and sightseeing tour in North Sulawesi of Indonesia and want me to organize your trip, please, contact me (Charles Roring) by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp to: +6281332245180. 

Also read:

• Birdwatching and Photography Trip in Sonder of Minahasa Highland
• Butterflywatching in Minahasa Highland
• Birds in Minahasa

Birding in North Sulawesi

The Province of North Sulawesi is a beautiful destination for visitors who love nature. Its capital is Manado city. Birdwatching is one of the popular outdoor activities which tourists can do while visiting Manado. 

Sulawesi Hanging Parrot in Subdistrict Sonder

Some Birds in North Sulawesi

There are a lot of birding sites which are good watching avifauna of Sulawesi. Some of them are described below:

Some birds in Subdistrict Sonder

ITINERARY

• Day 1. When you arrive in Manado city, we will meet you at Sam Ratulangi airport and organize your transfer to a nearby hotel. You will take a rest for around 2 houra. After that we will organize a short tour for you by car to Talawaan Forest - this is a good site for watching birds that live in warm tropical climate such as Asian Short-tailed Starling, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Zebra Dove, Black-naped Fruit Dove, Sulawesi Crow, Green Imperial Pigeon, Little Egret, Sahul Sunbird, Brown Throated Sunbird, Glossy-swiftlet, Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon in this area. The magnificent scenery of Manado city with the Bunaken islands could be seen from the coast of Manado city.

Spectral Tarsier

• Day 2 - 3. We will check out of the hotel and organize your transfer to Tangkoko Batu Putih Nature Reserve. This is a great destination for birdwatching. We will spend two days here. A lot of tropical lowland birds from Sulawesi island could be watched there. They include Yellow-billed Malkoha, Black-faced Munia, Red-backed Thrush, Knobbed Hornbill, Sulawesi Hornbill, Green-backed Kingfisher, Sulawesi Lilac Kingfisher, Ruddy Kingfisher, Sulawesi Dwarf Kingfisher, Great-billed Kingfisher, White-eyed Drongo, Purple Rolling, Finch-billed Myna, Sulawesi-crested Myna, and a lot more. 
• Day 4-6 We will continue our trip to Sonder where you will enjoy birding and sightseeing in it's hill forest, valleys and farmland. There are various species of endemic birds such as Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker and Gray-sided Flowerpecker could be watched in this region. Tomohon town is also the main gate to visit Mount Subdistrict Sonder. They are highly recommended destination for visitors who love watching birds. Visitors could go hiking and birding throughout the hills, slopes and paddy fields of Sonder to watch Sooty-headed Bulbul, Sulawesi Hanging Parrot, Gray-sided Flowerpecker, Yellow-sided Flowerpecker, Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker, Crimson Sunbird, Citrine Canary Flycatcher, Sulawesi Bush Warbler, Sulawesi Cuckoo Dove, Pale Blue Monarch, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Chestnut Munia, Scaly-breasted Munia, Purple Heron, Sulawesi Pygmy Woodpecker, Ashy Woodpecker, Black-naped Oriole, Barred Rail, White-browed Crake, Black-crowned White-eye, Warbling White-eye, Black-naped Oriole, Sulawesi Drongo, and a lot more. Subdistrict town of Sonder is surrounded by water. There are fish ponds and rice fields that provide food for birds. Visitors who love to see farmland can go to Sonder to enjoy its natural beauty. 
• Day 7. At the end of the tour, we will transfer you to Sam Ratulangi Airport of Manado city again where you will continue your trip to another destination or fly back to your country.

Birds in lowland forest of North Sulawesi

Crimson Sunbird

The entry point for taking a birding holiday in North Sulawesi is Manado city. Visitors can fly from major cities in Indonesia to Manado city. Regular daily flights between Manado city and Jakarta, Makassar, Denpasar, Surabaya, Sorong are served by Garuda, Citilink, Batik Air, Lion Air and TransNusa. 

There are international direct flights between Singapore and Manado city served by Scoot Air. 

Flight routes between Manado city and major cities in Indonesia

There are hotels in Manado city and Tomohon that can accommodate visitors who want to stay for a few days or weeks in North Sulawesi. 

Celebes-crested Macaque

If you are interested in traveling to Manado city to see its beautiful natural landscape and watch birds and want me (Charles Roring) to organize your trip, please, contact me by whatsapp to: +6281332245180 or by email to: peace4wp@gmail.com.