Most people disregard Gorontalo while heading to Togean Islands yet they are depriving themselves of an experience like no other. This peaceful province of northern Sulawesi has a calm environment hard to find in other Indonesian places with clear streets, friendly locals who really say “hello” to you, and lack of tourist crowds.
The magic really lies underwater. Swimming with whale sharks here is not like being at some crowded tourist show where these gentle giants pass by just 20 meters off Botubarani beach, and you can walk in and see them literally which feels a lot less commercial compared to those huge commercial outfits elsewhere you may have seen!
The diving at the Olele Marine Park is really underrated. Divers can see sweeping walls dropping precipitously to unknown depths with big sea fans and black coral adorning them and are especially interesting to photographers.
