Bitung
Bitung is the main deep-water port of Northern Sulawesi. Located on the eastern side of the province, Bitung provides easy access to volcanoes, parks, and diving.
Get in
By plane
The nearest airport is Sam Ratulangi International Airport (MDC IATA), about 35 km to the west near Manado. Take a taxi or rent a car from the airport to get in here.
By boat
- 1 Port of Bitung (Pelabuhan Bitung). Bitung is the major port of North Sulawesi and you can get on board a Pelni ship to sail towards other area's of Indonesia. Some of the larger cruise ships that travel from Australia towards Thailand or other Asian countries also stop at Bitung.
SHIP ROUTE
1. KM. DOBONSOLO
MAKASSAR (South Sulawesi) - BAUBAU (South East Sulawesi) - BITUNG (North Sulawesi) - SORONG (Irian Jaya) - MANOKWARI (PAPUA) - JAYAPURA (PAPUA)
2. KM. LAMBELU
MAKASSAR (South Sulawesi) - BAUBAU (Buton Island, S.E Sulawesi) - AMBON (Maluku) - NAMLEA (Maluku) - TERNATE N.Maluku) - BITUNG (North Sulawesi)
3. KM. DOROLONDA
BALIKPAPAN (East Kalimantan) - PANTOLAN (Central Sulawesi) - BITUNG (North Sulawesi) - TERNATE (North Maluku) - SORONG (Irian Jaya) - MONOKOWARI (West Papua) - NABIRE (West Papua) - SERUI (West Papua) - JAYAPURA (West Papua)
4. KM. TILONGKABILA
BENOA (Bali) - LEMBAR (Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara) - BIMA (West Nusa Tenggara) - LABUAN BAJO (Flores, East Nusa Tenggara - MAKASSAR (South Sulawesi) - BAUBAU (Buton Island, S.E Sulawesi) - RAHA (Muna Island, S.E Sulawesi) - BITUNG (North Sulawesi)
Get around
By bus
Public buses to Manado operate very often with cheap price, but it's far from convenient. Buses are not airconditioned with many and long stops to wait for passengers.
By taxi
Taxis are also easy to find in Bitung. They are usually taxis from Manado, waiting for passengers from Bitung going to Manado. A few of them will use meters, but most of them will charge on negotiation basis. Depending on your negotiation skill level, the fare could be various between Rp. 200,000 - Rp. 500,000 for one trip to Manado.
By car
The most convenient way is to charter a car from Bitung to Manado from your hotel. The rate is between Rp. 450,000 - Rp. 500,000 per day, depending on the hotel tariff.
- Bitung Rental Car (Coorporated with Manado Rental Car) cost around Rp. 500,000 per day, already included Driver and Gasoline, or Self Drive approximately Rp.300,000.- per day. For information tel +62 852-4022-0620 or +62 431-892-979.
See
- Tangkoko National Park, around 2 hours from Bitung City. You can use cheap public transportation, but it will be very difficult as you have to change several cars. The most efficient and easiest way is to rent a car, which cost around Rp. 450,000 - Rp. 500,000 per day. Here you must stay one night, as there are many resorts and small hotels in this place. At night you can hire a guide to take you to the forest to see the smallest primate in the world called as "Tarsius".
- If a travel to Tangkoko national Park is impossible due to your time, there's a mini zoo in Bitung, only 10 minutes from Bitung's downtown. This mini park has collection of tarsius, birds, anoa, babi hutan, crocodile, etc. They will charge for your volunteerally donation to feed those animals. Usually it's around Rp. 20,000 - Rp. 50,000 depending on the numbers of the visitors in your group.
- Lembeh Strait: 30 minutes from Bitung. It's a diving heaven for divers, but it's quite expensive, because the resort is managed by westerners.
Do
Buy
Eat
- Pork is common in this majority Christian populated city. You can find many many small restaurants. If you are a Muslim, you'd better confirm whether the restaurant is halal or not.
- Bats, dogs and mice are common meat sold in this city. Go to some traditional markets in this city, and you can find them easily. If you're not convenient with this kind of food, you'd better ask first.
Drink
- Beer is easy to find in all restaurants and even small shops.
- Saguer is the traditional alcoholic beverage made of palm.
A highly recommended Chinese seafood restaurant is in a small side street directly across the road from Texas Chicken and next to the Bitungs main fuel depot. It is a small family run place, with ordinary decor, but don't be deterred, the food is terrific ( and cheap, by western standards).
Sleep
Budget
- Nalendra Hotel: Address: S. Languyu Street 5A, Bitung Phone: +62 438-31992
- Other small hotels are easy to find but you must be very selective due to the activities of prostitutes.
Mid-range
- Wisma Pelaut International, pakadonan, Bitung. Phone: +62 438-36078. A dormitory mainly for seafarers but is open to public.
Splurge
- Lembeh Resort
- Bastianos Lembeh Diving Resort
- tangkoko lodge batu putih putih