Your Complete Togian Islands Guide: Sulawesi’s Hidden Paradise

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Indonesia has no shortage of idyllic islands rarely visited by the common traveler—there are 17,000 of them, for goodness sake. The Togian Islands are a small cluster of islands tucked into the Eastern arms of Sulawesi, a large Indonesian island that also sees few travelers. These islands are inhabited by sea-faring gypsies and are known for their pristine snorkeling and diving experiences. All on a backpacker’s budget. The only catch is that they can be difficult to navigate due to the lack of tourist infrastructure. It’s not a luxury getaway.

This guide is your cure-all. I’ll help you determine which islands are worth your visit, how to reach the islands from both major cities, and what to do once you get there. This is my complete Togian Island Guide.

Best Backpacker Togian Islands Guide

This is everything you need to know to plan the perfect trip to the Togian Islands.

Why Visit the Togian Islands?

• Snorkeling.
• Diving.
• Peace & Quiet.

Picturesque beaches, rocky coral shelves, and great snorkeling. Add to that turquoise water and very few tourists! The Togian Islands are a good addition to your Sulawesi Itinerary if you’re looking for some off-grid time and are interested in diving and snorkeling on a budget.

Togian or Togean?

It’s both. Whether it’s written as the Togians or Togeans doesn’t matter. Both refer to the same place and are technically correct. I am going to refer to it as the Togian Islands in this blog post.

Map of the Togian Islands

Before we start digging into this Togian Islands Guide let’s figure out where in the world we are. There are technically 56 islands in this collection, but only a few are important to know as a traveler. Here are some helpful maps to get you oriented.

5 Most Interesting Things to Do in the Togian Islands + What To Expect on the Islands

I think it’s important to note that this is a very impoverished area of Indonesia. The communities living on the Togian islands are remote, so access to basic needs and services is difficult. Before you plan a trip to these islands, you should manage your expectations…if you want luxury, maybe you should consider traveling to the Maldives instead.

Be considerate of the local communities during your stay, and only take photos with permission. This is always a good rule of thumb to stick to during your travels.

1. Swim with Stingless Jellyfish in Mariona Lake on Ketupat

This attraction was what put the Togians on my radar in the first place. Indonesia is one of three countries in the world where you can SWIM with clouds of pale pink stingless jellies. It definitely lived up to the hype and we ended up getting the lake all to ourselves.

2. Visit the Bajau Sea Gypsie Community on Pulau Papan

We missed out here and didn’t make it to this particular island. But the nomadic sea-faring free divers of Pulau Papan are well worth a visit if you’re interested in unique cultures.

3. Snorkel the Incredible Reefs like California Reef

There is no shortage of incredible snorkel excursions available to you in the Togian Islands. California Reef was one of our favorites. Most snorkel spots are far from the shore, so you’ll need to pay for a fishing boat to take you to sea.

READ MORE: A Guide to the Best Snorkeling in Raja Ampat.

4. See the Coral Carpet at Karina Beach

While the carpet of coral fans in the shallows of Karina Beach is slowly becoming yet another causality in global warming…for now, they are quite pretty. If you’re staying or snorkeling near here it’s worth a visit for some walk-out beachside snorkeling.

5. Dive on Una Una

There is lots of incredible diving to do in the Togians. Una Una is particularly well set up for even beginner divers. You can also dive lots of reefs and wreck of a B24 Bomber plane from the main tourist island of Kadidiri. While we did like diving in the Togians, I felt like there are many other places in the world with *better* diving.

READ MORE: Budget Traveler’s Guide to Raja Ampat.

How to Reach the Togian Islands

There’s no way around it. Getting to the Togian Islands is a pain in the butt. But it will be very worth your while. You’ll have to take numerous excruciating long bus rides, a few local ferries/small wooden boats, and most likely one overnight ferry. Let’s get into the details.

You’ll either be coming from the North of Sulawesi or the South.

Getting to Togian Islands from Makassar (South Sulawesi)

If you’re coming from South Sulawesi, it’s likely you’ll be making many stops along the way. You can read my full Sulawesi itinerary to see the bus route. Let’s assume you’ve made it to Ampana. From here, you’ll catch the port’s local ferry to either Wakai, Malenge, P. Papan, or Ketupat (depending on your desired first destination). The ferry is an easy walk from Ampana town.

Once in the port town of Wakai (or whatever island you’ll stop at first), your guesthouse will meet you with a boat and pick you up. You’ll want to book your hotel and discuss the ferry you plan to take ahead of time so they can arrange to meet you. This is how transport is done in the Togians. There is also spotty cellular reception once you start on the boats, so it’s very important you plan ahead of time.

For exact ferry schedules from Ampana, check out this website.

Air Transport: There are a few airports still functioning in the Ampana area if you don’t want to travel through either South Sulawesi or North Sulawesi. Flights don’t run every day, so be sure to book your fares in advance. The airports to check are Pula Airport, Tanjung Api Airport, and Luwuk Airport.

Getting to the Togian Islands from Manado

If you’re coming from the island’s north, you’ll lose land in Gorontalo. From Gorontalo, you’ll be required to take an overnight ferry (a miserable one at that) to Wakai. Then, essentially, follow the exact same instructions as above! All I can say about the ferry is to arrive early!!!! The overnight ferry is first-come-first-served, and they run out of beds. Coming from someone who had to sleep on the floor of the upper deck….you’ll want to arrive early and get settled.

A word of warning: Do not listen to your resort if they say they have reserved you a spot on the boat. We and many others showed up thinking they had a reservation, but this boat does not take reservations.

Getting From Island to Island in the Togians

Island hopping is fairly straightforward. This website shows the entire local ferry schedule. For islands not on this list, like Una Una, you’ll have to utilize the guesthouse or hotel you book on the island. The guesthouse will send a small boat to pick you up on whatever island you are currently on.

This is the easiest way to travel, although it is a little more expensive than the local ferry. Sometimes, you get lucky and can split it with fellow travelers going to the same island.

Getting Around The Togian Islands Summary

Assuming you’re coming from the south of the island…

• Arrive in Ampana
• Local 2-hour Ferry from Ampana to Wakai
• Guesthouse picks you up on Wakai
• Island hopping in this manner with guesthouse pick-ups
• Drop off in Wakai
• Overnight Ferry from Wakai to Gorontalo

Or you’ll do the whole thing in reverse!

Gorontalo Overnight Ferry Information

This is extremely important.

This boat does not run every single day.

• Wakai to Gorontalo runs on Monday + Thursday departs at 3 PM or 15:00
• Gorontalo to Wakai runs on Tuesday + Friday at 5 PM or 17:00

I found this website very helpful when I was planning my ferry routes in the Togians.

Which Togian Islands We Visited

Let’s take a look at the places we chose to visit in the Togians and why we felt some of them fell a little short.

Katupat

This is the name for the “big” island. It’s also just called Togean Island. We chose here as a good base for our snorkeling trips and because it’s super budget-friendly. The most budget-friendly of the Togians, in fact. It’s extremely rustic, however.

But you can go snorkeling for very cheap from Sunset Homestay!

Una Una

As you’ll notice from the maps above, Una Una is waaaay off in the middle of nowhere. We loved our time on this island. This is also one of the only islands with a fully equipped dive center.

Togian Islands Guide: The Islands YOU Should Visit

Here are the three islands that I would recommend travelers stay at if they plan to visit the Togian islands.

Kadidiri

Kadidiri island is NOT overly touristy. Unfortunately, as it’s the destination most travelers head to, I assumed (wrongly) it would be. This island would be a more comfortable and centrally located destination than Katupat. Harmony, Black Marlin, and Kadidiri Paradise all seemed like an excellent place to stay right on the main beach.

For a little more privacy and local prices, check out Pondok Lestari Kadidiri.

Malenge

On Malenge, you can visit the sea gypsies as well as enjoy some incredible coral. Definitely DO visit Malenge for fan coral underneath the bridge.

Since we didn’t stay here I don’t have any recommendations for places to stay BUT the ferry terminal in Ampana lists out contacts and information for all the best places on the island.

Una Una

Diver’s paradise. Snorkelers will love it. We spent about half of our time on this island. Early mornings sipping coffee on the dock and exploring the beaches…when we weren’t face deep in the ocean, that is. All my favorite snorkeling spots were actually here in Una Una. We even got to see some reef sharks one day!

There are two dive resorts on the island. Sanctum is the better of the two.

Cost of Travel in the Togians

Fortunately for you, I’m insane and record every single expense when I travel. Here’s what the costs of travel in the Togian Islands look like.

Togian Islands Guide for Budget Travelers

• Togian Islands Marine Park Fee: $10 per person.
• Ampana to Wakai Local Ferry (1.5 hr version): $9.50 per person
• Lodging (including 3 meals per day for two people): $30 a night
• Snorkeling/dives Excursions: $10-20 depending on how long each was
• Overnight Ferry from Wakai to Gorontalo: $6 per person.

Is it Really a “Poor Man’s Raja Ampat”?

The Togian Islands are frequently called the “poor man’s Raja Ampat.” I don’t really think this is a fitting name for the islands. They are totally different from one another. While yes, the snorkeling and diving is what brings travelers to both sets of islands…Raja Ampat is incomparable.

If I’m being perfectly candid and honest, if you have the choice between the two, I would choose Raja Ampat over and over again. Here’s our collection of Raja Ampat posts in case you need some inspiration and assurance that it can be done on a backpacker’s budget.

Looking for a Full Itinerary to Sulawesi, Indonesia

Don’t worry we’ve got you covered. Here are our blog posts about Sulawesi.

7 Tips for Visiting the Togian Islands

Before we wrap this Togian Islands Guide up here, there are a few more things it’s important to know.

1. Visit from March-December

This is the dry season for the islands and the best time of year (clarity-wise) for snorkeling and diving.

2. There is ZERO cell signal.

Do not bank on Wifi (rarely, if ever, does it exist) or SIM to communicate with guesthouses. Try to get it all squared away before you set off on the first boat.

3. Prepare for repetitive meals and basic accommodations

I’m fairly certain that I ate whole fish with rice for about 12 of 18 meals on the islands. Rooms have varying levels of comfort, but all are going to be sand-swept. This is for beachy travelers only.

4. Boats Rarely Run on Fridays

When it comes to reaching Wasai or getting around the islands, remember that Friday is the Muslim Sunday and most boats won’t be operational on that day of the week.

5. No ATMS!!!

Bring all the cash you are going to need BEFORE you go to the islands. Most (all) places will not accept card because of the spotty signal and inability to use card machines in the area. Cash is King. Bring lots of it.

6. Electricity from 5 PM -11 PM on most islands

This is standard in remote areas of Indonesia. Not a place you want to go if you’re looking to be a digital nomad. This is much more of a digital detox destination.

7. Quick Packing List of Items You Might Need for the Togians

• bug spray
• Towel 
• Itch-cream 
• Sunscreen (reef-safe) 
• Hand sanitizer & baby wipes 
• Snacks 
• Lots of cash 
• SIM card 
• Kindle 
• Lifestraw 

A Budget-Friendly Digital Detox Destination

The Togian Islands were a welcome departure from the grueling bus journeys of Sulawesi. It offered an opportunity to exit the jungles and rice paddies and enter a tropical underwater world without breaking the bank. I hope that more travelers put the Togian Islands on their Indonesia itineraries and continue to integrate the sea-faring communities into the growing tourism network in the area. Thanks for reading this Togian Islands Guide and I hope it helps better prepare you for this particular island vacation!

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