The Togean Islands sit in the middle of Tomini Bay, in Central Sulawesi, and there is no airport on them. Getting here means a flight and then a boat — which sounds harder than it is, as long as you pick the right combination before you book anything.
There are three ways in: through Luwuk, through Ampana, or through Gorontalo. Here is what each one actually involves, with the timings and the prices we quote our own guests.
The easy way: fly to Luwuk and we take it from there
Direct flights link Luwuk with Makassar and with Manado, and both are bookable through the Traveloka app. Send us your flight details once they are booked, and the rest of the journey stops being your problem.
We meet you at Luwuk airport or in the city centre, any day of the week, and the transfer to Malenge Island takes about four hours in total — a private car and then a comfortable speedboat with a proper connection and safety equipment. It costs 1,100,000 IDR per person, and it is the reason most of our guests arrive relaxed rather than frazzled.
Through Ampana: the boat that goes all the way to Malenge
Susi Air flies Palu to Ampana every Monday and Friday for around 400,000 IDR per person, and Wings Air flies the same route on Thursday and Saturday for around 800,000 IDR, bookable on Traveloka. From Luwuk we can also arrange a private car to Ampana — about five hours, roughly 1,000,000 IDR per car for up to five people.
From Ampana, the speedboat Hercules leaves daily at 09:00 and reaches Wakai in about an hour and a quarter, for approximately 160,000 IDR per person. Better still, the public boat Wamburabura sails on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 09:00 and goes past Wakai and Katupat all the way to Malenge for around 130,000 IDR — no charter needed. It runs back on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at 09:00.
Through Gorontalo: the overnight ferry
Gorontalo (GTO) has direct flights from Manado, Makassar and Jakarta, and there is a bus from Manado that takes around eight hours. The ferry terminal is about an hour's drive from the airport.
The ferry Tuna Tomini leaves Gorontalo on Tuesday and Friday at 17:00 and arrives in Wakai around 06:00 the next morning — roughly twelve hours at sea. A normal ticket is 80,000 IDR; a first-class cabin is 600,000 IDR. The return sails from Wakai on Monday and Thursday at 16:00. It is the cheapest way in, and the one that costs you the most time.
The last leg, from Wakai
If your route ends in Wakai rather than Malenge, a chartered local boat brings you to the resort in about an hour and a half, from 200,000 IDR per person. We are happy to arrange it, and we organise pick-ups from anywhere else in the Togeans too, from 500,000 IDR per boat, in local or comfort boats.
Whichever way you come, tell us your arrival airport and your dates before you book the flights. Ferry days and boat days do not always line up with flight days, and a day spent waiting in a harbour town is a day not spent on the reef.
The numbers at a glance
- Luwuk transfer
- About 4 hours, 1,100,000 IDR per person, every day — car and speedboat, arranged by us.
- Ampana to Wakai
- Hercules speedboat, daily at 09:00, about 1 h 15, approx. 160,000 IDR per person.
- Ampana to Malenge
- Public boat Wamburabura, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 09:00, approx. 130,000 IDR per person.
- Gorontalo to Wakai
- Ferry Tuna Tomini, Tuesday and Friday at 17:00, about 12 hours, 80,000 IDR (cabin 600,000 IDR).
- Wakai to The Cliff
- Chartered local boat, about 1 h 30, from 200,000 IDR per person.
- Elsewhere in the Togeans
- Pick-up from 500,000 IDR per boat — local and comfort boats available.
Still not sure which route fits your flights? Send us your dates and we will build the journey around them — it is the part of the trip we plan most often.
