Manado - City of Indonesia

Manado is the capital of the North Sulawesi province of Indonesia. Manado is located at the Bay of Manado, and is surrounded by a mountainous area. The municipality of Manado is divided into nine districts: Malalayang, Sario, Wanea, Wenang, Tikala, Mapanget, Singkil, Tuminting and Mapanget.

The Dutch East India Company built a fortress in Manado in 1658. As with regions in eastern Indonesia, Manado has undergone Christianization by Dutch missionaries, including Riedel and Schwarz. The Javanese prince Diponegoro was exiled to Manado by the Dutch government in 1830. The English biologist Alfred Wallace visited Manado in 1859, and praised the town for its beauty.

The city was heavily damaged by Allied bombing during World War II. In 1958, the headquarters of the rebel movement Permesta were moved to Manado. When Permesta confronted the central government with demands for political, economic and regional reform, Jakarta responded in Manado by bombing the city in February 1958, and then invading in June 1958.

As the largest city in the region, Manado is a key tourist transit point for visitors. Sam Ratulangi International Airport of Manado is one of the main entry ports to Indonesia. In 2005, no less than 15,000 international passengers entered Indonesia via Sam Ratulangi International Airport. Ecotourism is the biggest attraction in Manado.

Scuba diving and snorkelling on the nearby island of Bunaken are popular attractions. Ban Hin Kiong Temple is another tourism spot in the city, especially during the Chinese new year celebration. Souvenirs shops are located on B.W. Lapian street. Other places of interest are nearby Lake Tondano, Lokon Volcano, Klabat Volcano and Mahawu Volcano.

A rare Coelacanth was caught by a fisherman in Manado in July 2007 and there are plans to display its preserved body in a museum in Manado. Unfortunately, there is NO museum or any representative place to exhibit preserved marine organism specially the rare species found in Manado. This is the remaining problem for local government to face on WOC or other MICE.