Gorontalo

1. Gorontalo: Pieces of Paradise on the Equator

There are just so many things that make Gorontalo perfect for holiday, the beauty of its nature, the culture and not forget to mention, the friendly people. General information about Gorontalo, stated at North Sulawesi. Mountains, hills, shore line are the main characteristic of Gorontalo and it makes the island perfect for marine tourism. Most of diving site take you just a few minute from town, Diving in Gorontalo mean diving within the richness of biodiversity, health and unique coral and reefs. Lots of beautiful places could be found here. Tomini Bay, for instance, is famous for under water habitat and undefined creatures. There is several number of unsettled small islands. Tomini Bay is a heaven for divers, because the geographic position of Tomini Bay itself, which is crossed by the equator line, has naturally presented various kinds of sea creature inside. Desa Olele or Olele Village is well known as the wild diving spot among world class diver. Olele beach is a gate to underwater paradise. The amazing beauty of underwater life on this area has been recognize and proofed by the enthusiasm of the divers who come to Olele beach. The divers called Olele as Traffic Jam dive spot.
In Tomini Bay and Olele Beach, you can find some or maybe the most amazing underwater creatures such as:
o Giant Reef (Petrosia Sp.)
o School of Gobi Fish (Bryaninops erythrops)
o Salvador Dali reef (Petrosia lignose)
o Kipas Laut Biru (Acanthogorgia Sp.). There are only 3 acanthogorgia Sp. In Gorontalo
o Anemon Koralimorf (Discosoma Sp.)
o Nemo
o Ikan Behang (plectorhinchus chaetodonoides), some people call it cha-cha fish caused they dance and swim around the coral.
o Blenni (Escenius Caeruliventris)
o Cardinal Fish, damsel, platax pinnatus, scorpaenopsis, oxycephala, goropa fish, butterfly fish, pusillus, cockatoo fish, Randal fish, parapterois hetururus, Bothus Sp " half face fish, frog fish, Celebes
o Not forget to mention that Gorontalo is the Kingdom of Nudibrancia
o Seahorses and pigmy seahorses
To Do:
o Wreck of Japanese Cargo, Tjendrawasih Ship
o Sail with the fisherman
o Sentinels: Best of the Best in Diving
o Fishing
o Potanga Pool with natural cool and fresh water-directly comes from the mountain spring
o Otanaha Castle was the protection and defense of the Kings of Gorontalo
o White sand of Leato
o Limboto Lake
o Ayuhulalo Waterfall
o Boalemo Beach
o Bolihutuo Beach
o Bajos Tribe Village

2. Mesjid Hunto (Sultan Amai)
Mesjid Hunto (Sultan Amai). Hunto Mosque is one of the oldest mosque in Gorontalo (300 years old). In this mosque, there are well and beduk (an Islamic traditional drum) that has the same age as the Mosque itself.

3. Mesjid Hunto (Sultan Amai)
Otanaha Castle. In the past, the Kings of Gorontalo used Otanaha castle as a place of protection and defense. The unique of the castle applies in the material that was used to build the castle, which was the mixed of sand, plaster and the white part of Maleo egg. The panorama of Danau Limboto also can be seen clearly from the castle of Otanaha, because the castle itself stands in the top of the highland. Precisely, the castle is located in Dembe I, Kota Barat. The distance of the castle is approximately 8 km from the center of Gorontalo city. Beside Otanaha castle, there are two more castles that also located in the same area, Otahiya and Ulupahu castles. The visitor must pass 345 steps of stairs to reach the three of the castles because of its position that located in the top of the highland. There is also alternative way to be able to reach the top of the mountain.

(references: www.indonesia.travel and www.my-indonesia.info)