Manado

NORTH SULAWESI

Manado

DIVING & VOLCANIC HIGHLANDS

Manado

Manado, North Sulawesi's capital, has under half a million people in its urban core. About 68% of them are Christian (BPS, 2023). Most travellers use the city as a base for Bunaken, Lembeh, Tangkoko and the Minahasa highlands.

The old town around Pasar 45 has the central market. Tomohon and its market are an hour uphill. Lake Tondano, a volcanic lake surrounded by villages, is 90 minutes east. On Mount Mahawu, a 20-minute walk leads to a green crater lake.

Minahasan food is spicy, with plenty of ginger, lime and pork. Tinutuan, a rice and vegetable porridge, is the breakfast dish. Rica-rica is chicken or fish in a hot chilli sauce. Woku is a milder sauce of turmeric and ginger.

Two or three days cover the city, the highlands and the food. A ten-day trip fits two days here, four on Bunaken and two at Tangkoko. The sea off Manado is calm most of the year. Waves reach 1.25 m at most 4% of the time, in January and February.

Ask us on WhatsAppSee where to stay

Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi: the gateway to the coral walls of Bunaken, muck diving in Lembeh, the Tangkoko tarsiers and the Minahasa highlands.

When to go and how to get there

Rain in Manado, month by month, and the journey in from the nearest airport.

Driest months

Jul – Sep

August is the driest month, with 101 mm of rain on average. January is the wettest, with 412 mm. Every month here averages more than 100 mm of rain.

  • Driest months
  • In between
  • Wettest months

January: 412 mm, February: 352 mm, March: 306 mm, April: 254 mm, May: 220 mm, June: 217 mm, July: 139 mm, August: 101 mm, September: 140 mm, October: 198 mm, November: 279 mm, December: 345 mm

Rain: CHIRPS v2.0, Climate Hazards Center, UC Santa Barbara, average of 1991-2020. See the weather in Sulawesi by month

Getting there

  1. 01 · Fly

    To Manado (MDC)

    Daily direct flights from Jakarta, about 3 h, and Makassar, about 1 h 40. Scoot flies from Singapore five times a week (from 26 October 2026).

  2. 02 · Drive

    Airport → city

    The airport is 13 km north-east of the city. A Grab or Gojek car takes 25 – 40 min to the Boulevard.

Manado weather by month

The average rain, temperatures and sea of each month, measured over many years.

MonthRain (mm)High / low (°C)Sea (°C)Rough for small boats (% of time)
January41229 / 2528.63
February35228 / 2528.34
March30629 / 2528.41
April25429 / 2528.90
May22030 / 2529.30
June21729 / 2529.40
July13929 / 25290
August10129 / 2428.80
September14030 / 2529.10
October19830 / 2529.30
November27930 / 2529.30
December34529 / 25292

Rain: CHIRPS, 1991-2020. Temperatures: NASA POWER, 2001-2025. Sea temperature: NOAA Coral Reef Watch, 1991-2020. Waves: NOAA WAVEWATCH III, 2017-2026, in the open sea about 40 km away. Bays and straits are calmer. Rough means waves of 1.25 m or more, BMKG's warning level for small boats.

See Manado on the live weather page

Manado travel guides

The Sulawesi.com guides that cover Manado.

Tours that go to Manado

Every published trip that reaches this part of the island.

Plan your own trip

Or plan a trip of your own: answer seven questions, and get a first plan for it.

Plan my trip

Where to stay

See all 228 places to stay in Manado

Local businesses in Manado

Contact each business directly.

So, ready to start?

Chat on WhatsApp