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Manado City - North Sulawesi's Beating heart
- Rachel
- 17 hours ago
- 7 min read
We arrived in Manado city on December 29th, and we could feel the excitement buzzing in the air as people filled the streets preparing for the upcoming celebrations of New Years Eve. Blue Micros (local buses) zoomed around the city, ferrying locals about while blasting bright, upbeat Manado tunes through their huge speakers. "Manado music" is an interesting mix that can be super catchy or super annoying - depending on your mood at the time, but it's everywhere here. Being a largely Christian population, Christmas Carols were also still playing everywhere right up to New Year, with lights and decorations galore. The streets were lined with hundreds of pop up stores selling fireworks in every size and colour so we knew we were in for a treat come December 31! We quickly realised that in Manado, it's the sounds rather than the sights that really set the atmosphere.
First impressions: coastal and easygoing
Manado life is shaped by the water. The city stretches along Manado bay, and the waterfront plays a big role in everyday life—people walking at sunset, families eating together, and street vendors setting up as the heat of the day fades away. This coastal city in North Sulawesi has a lived-in vibe that pulls you in quickly, with the sea always just a few steps away. Daily life unfolds outdoors. It’s the kind of place that doesn’t beg for your attention but you can't help but give it anyway. It feels friendly and navigable, making it a comfortable first stop in North Sulawesi. For first-time visitors, it’s a great place to settle in, get oriented, and start exploring without feeling overwhelmed.
📌Jl. Boulevard II is a long seaside strip that comes alive in the late afternoon. It’s casual and quite rustic, but charming nonetheless. Simple warungs with outdoor kitchens and tables and chairs line the water side of the road, while larger restaurants and open air bakar places run along the city side of the road. Fresh fish of every colour and size are laid out on ice, ready to pick for your dinner. Coconut husk smoulders in metal grates and smoke billows as the scent of grilling fish and corn cobs fills the evening air. This area is perfect for sunset walks, relaxed meals, and mingling with the locals who are always happy to see you.
Accommodation Options
When it comes to places to stay, there is no shortage of choice - from big international style hotels like the Swiss Bel and Four Points by Sheraton, to smaller home stays and inns. Hotels along the waterfront or near Megamas put you within walking distance of cafés, malls, and evening sunset spots, making the city easy to enjoy without relying heavily on transport.
We stayed at the Swiss Bel Hotel Maleosan 3 times on our month long trip and were very happy with the quality and value for money they provided. They were also really flexible and allowed us a super early check in when we returned on an overnight ferry trip arriving at 5am, and late checkout for our 6pm flight home.
You can check out all the options available in Manado here:
Exploring Manado: what to see and do
One of the best ways to get a feel for any city is by getting out on foot and simply wandering around. We landed here not quite knowing what to expect - after visiting Makassar last year we wondered if it might be similarly tricky to explore on foot - but within a day, it already felt easier, more welcoming, and full of character. If the heat and traffic starts to wear you down, you can book a Grab with ease although expect to wait 10 minutes or more for one to arrive if you're anywhere near the harbor.
Of course, to use Grab while you're out and about, you need to stay connected. Usually, we opt to use international roaming as my provider only charges $40 AUD for 14 days and 5GB. We started the trip with this but, spending a lot of time in more remote places where wifi is scarce, we needed a lot more than 5GB of data to manage all our photos and videos being uploaded to various cloud storage. We chewed through that 5GB in no time at all and had to think about other options. I was unsure about using an eSIM but we decided to give Nomad a try because they actually offer a 3 day, 1GB trial eSIM for free to make sure that everything will work smoothly with your device. They also use Telkomsel as their network in Indonesia, which is generally the most reliable in the most places. Once we knew it was going to work for us, we purchased a 20GB, 45 day plan for $42.84 AUD. Luckily, we had a referral discount code which knocked a little bit off the price for us. Unfortunately, we grossly underestimated just how much data we needed and had to change to their unlimited plan which lasts for 10 days and costs another $47.12 AUD. With Nomad, we didn't pay the full amount though because we had accumulated points in the first purchase which took a bit off the second, another unique feature we quite liked.
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As foreigners wandering around the city, we found we were a bit of a novelty and locals took great pleasure in announcing us with an exclamation of "Bule!" or a simple "Hello Mr!" People stopped us everywhere we went to ask for photos, practice some english, or just to ask about our plans - people here are genuinely interested and want you to have a great time. Locals will freely share information with you and are genuinely proud of their home.
In the city itself, you can see the complex mix of cultures that have shaped Manadonese life. Chinese Temples offer a peaceful pause and a glimpse into Manado’s cultural mix with
📌Ban Hin Kiong being the oldest in Manado city. Located in Chinatown, it’s surrounded by markets and food stalls, making it easy to pair sightseeing with street-level exploration. You can also see the 📌Gereja Sentrum Manado - or Sentrum Church - which is the oldest church in the city, built in 1677.
Kwan Im Tong Temple, Manado
Like many cities, Manado relies on it's bustling harbor area for transport and produce movement. We found wandering through here a great way to witness the rhythm of life in Manado as locals loaded and unloaded supply boats, waited for ferries, or jumped on board to make sales to departing passengers.
📌Pelabuhan Manado is the docking area for the large fast ferries and overnight ferries that travel to surrounding islands. If you're looking for a boat to Bunaken Island, head to
📌Pelabuhan Dermaga Wisata Kalimas, where public boats depart around 2pm each day. Private boats can also be organised from here. Be sure to check out the bustling market and fish market right next door to the harbor for even more local vibes. TIP - go early in the day before the fish market gets a little on the nose!
For a midday break, 📌Manado Town Square and 📌Megamall provide air-conditioned comfort, dining options, and a look at modern local life. They’re also practical reference points when choosing accommodation.
Food that defines the place
Manado’s food scene is bold, spicy, and steeped in local tradition. Expect fiery sambals, fragrant herbs, and an emphasis on fresh seafood. Dishes like rica-rica chicken, Ikan Bakar (grilled fish) with dabu-dabu, and Tuna woku (my personal favorite) with coconut-based vegetables are staples. Even the smallest local warungs deliver big flavour. While not quite as prolific as Makassar, coffee shops here are plenty and excellent, serving local coffee and delicious cakes and snacks.
If you're a meat lover, you absolutely have to track down some Sate Ragey to try. Big chunks of pork belly on skewers,marinated and grilled over coconut - heaven on a stick!
We tried this local specialty in Tomohon but actually found it a bit tricky to find it in Manado. Plenty of restaurants showed up on google when we looked for it, but were either closed down, moved, or not open every time we attempted to find one.
Manado is easy to explore on your own, but if you prefer a more relaxed pace in air conditioned comfort, why not book a private tour such as this one, Private tour of Manado and Tomohon including lunch and driver or check out some more options with Expedia here:
A gateway to North Sulawesi
Manado works brilliantly as a base to explore the wider region of North Sulawesi.
From here, it’s easy to reach Bunaken National Marine Park for world-class diving and snorkelling, head inland toward the cooler Minahasa Highlands, or get up close and personal with a crater on nearby volcanoes Mahawu and Lokon. You can even comfortably do Tangkoko National park as a day trip from Manado if you're short on time, but we'd recommend spending at least one night there to give yourself the best chance of encountering all the animals. The city feels like a launch point rather than a final stop, and there’s plenty of things to see and do.
Final thoughts
Manado is the kind of city that grows on you. It’s relaxed, the people are friendly, and exploring is a patchwork of small moments—sunsets by the water, enlightening and uplifting spontaneous conversations, unforgettable meals. For travellers arriving in North Sulawesi for the first time, it’s the perfect introduction to the region and a city that quietly encourages you to relax and mould into the local way of life. Visiting Manado soon? Hit us up on socials for more info and we'll do our best to share what we know with you.
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