"TOGEAN" Hidden Paradise in Central Sulawesi
I never imagined I could go to the Togean Islands. In the past, about 4 years ago I just knew the name Togean. Originally while surfing the internet, my fun to open a travel website (overseas) is quite famous and found the name Togean ,. Interested because of the interesting pictures and reviews I said to myself, "hopefully some time get there". And it turns out in a few years later this year aka I can make it happen! Togean, it sounds familiar to most Indonesians. My friends on campus and in the tutoring place no one knows the name of this island. Even people who claim to be nature lovers and travelers do not know. Though these islands are geographically not hidden. I do not think the place is alienated.
Lots of caves on the reef containing bats Togean or Togian? Many people are confused by the existence of two different names, including me. So I asked the locals there, "Sir, real name Togean or Togian anyway?". "Togian, actually Togian, but a lot of outsiders who say Togean, he said better", replied Mr. Ambi. Archipelago which since 2004 status of national park is located in Tomini Bay, Central Sulawesi, precisely in Tojo Una-una Regency. The extent of 292,000 hectares in the form of ocean and land area of only 70,000 hectares. With this area makes Togean the largest marine national park in Indonesia. Togean itself consists of 6 main islands Batudaka Island, Waleabahi, Malenge, Una-una, Talatakoh, and Waleakodi along with hundreds of other small islands.
Wakai is the name of the sub-district that also functions as the "capital" of the Togean islands, this is the center of community activities and the place of looking for signals / internet for tourists, like me who had to Wakai just for browsing and phone. To reach Togean I have to travel almost for 24 hours. The combination of transportation is quite a lot, ranging from airplanes, cars, and ships, depending on where we start the journey. But after arriving at Togean, fatigue and fatigue during the trip paid off with what I got. The good news is that by 2016 the airport in Ampana is completed and some scheduled airlines can land here like Garuda or Wings. Actually there are already flight operations served by Aviastar but only 3 times a week and uncertain. From my observations (quasi geologists when their work is counting money) the type of island structure here is mostly coral / karst, same as mainland Central Sulawesi mostly. At first glance like Raja Ampat, there is even a place that is a small bay containing small karst islands scattered, I myself call this place "Togean's mini-Queen Ampat".