Dodging the potholes in Manado city sight-seeing

Dodging the potholes in Manado city sight-seeing

Bruce Emond, The Jakarta Post, Manado

Travelers headed to North Sulawesi rarely include more than a
day on their itinerary for the hot, sticky provincial capital.

With underwater delights beckoning at nearby Bunaken island,
there really is not much point in staying put in Manado, even if
the travel books wax on about it being a pleasant little town
nestled by the bay (maybe that was the case 10 years ago).

Manado today is showing the same ills -- unrelenting
development coupled with erratic infrastructure maintenance --
that have turned once attractive Indonesian towns and cities into
frustrating encounters with traffic jams and pothole-laden
sidewalks.

But forces of nature made it impossible to make it out to
Bunaken during a recent trip (and we heard reports that some of
those who did get to the marine park were forced to spend a
couple of days waiting for calmer seas before making it back to
Manado).

Making the best of a bad situation, we took a trip around town
and nearby areas to find out what to do in Manado when you are
left high and dry.

Getting There: Located on the northernmost tip of the jigsaw
puzzle piece that is Sulawesi, Manado is a mighty distance from
Jakarta. But it is now cheaper to fly to the city than ever
before, at a relative bargain price of about Rp 1 million return
(including Mandala, Bouraq and Batavia airlines). This will
probably include a short stopover, although Garuda does fly non-
stop.

Accommodations:Manado has it all, from simple homestays to
ritzy (literally) accommodations. A drive around the city shows a
sampling of them all, from tiny holes in the wall, sprawling
family-style hotels that have seen better days to the Ritzy,
formerly managed by Novotel, which is located on the famed
boulevard overlooking the bay. The latter looks good from the
outside, and it boasts all the standard swimming pool-cavernous
lobby-buffet dinner offerings of a star-hotel, if that is what
you came all the way from Jakarta to experience.

Seeking a more rustic experience? Head to Molas, a beautiful
area overlooking Bunaken. For diving, a friend is a devout
advocate of the Nusantara Diving Center, having returned there
several times over the last 10 years. The center offers a variety
of diving courses and instruction for different levels.

There are several other dive centers located in the area,
including one at the luxurious Hotel Santika Manado further up
the road. This is much more of a full-on resort experience, with
a swimming pool, good coffee shop (unfortunately, the other one
looking out to sea is closed but you can still order from its
menu) and cottage-style accommodation. But there is no beach to
speak of (it's all mangroves) and a trip to Bunaken from here
costs a steep Rp 500,000.

Getting out to Molas is expensive by taxi from Manado (we
bargained to about Rp 35,000 as the driver wouldn't use the
meter) but it's better to take public transportation. Ask for
directions to Jl. Hasanuddin, where you can take vans up to Molas
from the small market area. That will set you back about Rp
1,500, with Santika the last stop on the journey. It's cramped,
you will be treated to an earful of simpering ballads but the
people are helpful and friendly.

Sights: Everybody calls Jl. Pierre Tendean the "Boulevard",
and it must have been something way back when. Now, with a
megamall being built along the shore, the street resembles
nothing more than a vast construction site. Not attractive by any
means, with an eyeful of laundry hanging over corrugated iron
fences and endless traffic jams caused by the light blue mikrolet
(public minivans). It's said that the best time to visit is early
evening to catch the sunset and avoid the traffic jams.

Sitting somewhat incongruously smack in the center of bustling
downtown is the 19th century Ban Hian Kiong Buddhist Confucian
temple on Jl. Panjaitan. You can go inside, but be discreet and
respectful of the worshipers, especially if you want to take
photos. It is supposed to have a couple of old cannons on its
roof, but we did not make it up to the top.

Right across the street is Warung Ventje I, which sells a
selection of local snacks, from bagea (a type of hard cookie made
from sago, palm sugar, coconut milk and kenari nuts), candied
nutmeg and a delicious nut brittle. Bargain for the best price or
buy snacks from the special North Sulawesi snack section at
Matahari, also in downtown.

Eats:Locals will tell you to go to "Samrat", as in Jl. Sam
Ratulangi, for the best ayam bakar rica-rica (grilled chicken
basted in Manado chili sauce). After spending a good 20 minutes
walking back and forth looking for Tinoor Jaya restaurant
(apparently it's under renovation), we settled for another
restaurant, Gracia, on the same street.

The grilled chicken and sauteed vegetables in turmeric were
tasty, but we gave a wide berth to some of the more exotic meats
on the menu (especially with a despondent looking pooch sitting
outside).

Although Manado is an overwhelmingly Christian town,
restaurants are very accommodating when it comes to diners who do
not partake of the local fare. There are also places serving
halal (conforming to Muslim dietary proscriptions), including
several smalls sidewalk eateries near the end of the road from
Molas to Jl. Hasanuddin.

A more scenic spot to dine is on the winding road up to
Tomohon in Tinoor, the area's own equivalent of Puncak in West
Java. It's a refreshing drive up into the hills, with small
restaurants clinging to the side of the road and providing a
stunning view of forests and Manado Bay in the distance. We
settled on Tinoor Jaya to try its dishes after missing out on its
branch in Manado town.

We once again gave a miss to what the waitress termed
"batman", but tucked into some very good chicken, fish and
vegetables in the small but clean eatery (Rp 23,000 for two).

Of course, any culinary stopover in Manado must include
seafood. The place to go is Malalayang on the road to Tasik Ria
beach, with many restaurants offering the freshest catch of the
day.