Written by Hannah McKinsey, Jake Evans, Budi Santoso
17/08/2025
Luke Price from Rotterdam, Netherlands, Wikimedia Commons
Wakai is the primary transport hub within the Togean Islands, while Ampana and Gorontalo on mainland Sulawesi serve as the main gateway cities.
To Ampana (Southern Gateway):
Fly to Tanjung Api Airport (OJU) in Ampana directly from Palu (PLW) with Susi Air (approx. 45 minutes, IDR 350,000-385,000), operating Mondays and Wednesdays.
Consider flying into Luwuk, then taking a 5-hour car journey to Ampana; this route offers more frequent flight options to Luwuk.
Travel by bus or shared taxi from Tana Toraja to Tentena (15 hours, IDR 250,000), then continue from Tentena to Ampana by shared taxi (5 hours, IDR 300,000).
To Gorontalo (Northern Gateway):
Fly to Jalaluddin Airport (GTO) in Gorontalo from Makassar (approx. 1.5 hours, IDR 600,000-800,000), Luwuk (less than 1 hour, IDR 350,000), or Manado (less than 1 hour, IDR 400,000-500,000).
Take a public bus from Manado to Gorontalo, with a journey duration of up to 10 hours.
From Ampana to Togean Islands (Wakai or other islands):
Utilize the public ferry, which takes approximately 5 hours to reach Wakai; note that it does not operate daily.
Opt for a public speedboat (e.g., Hercules, Cahaya Manakara), taking about 1.5-3 hours to Wakai or other specific islands, with costs around IDR 160,000 for residents and IDR 160,000-210,000 for non-residents.
Arrange a chartered boat, with prices varying by destination, starting from approximately IDR 1,000,000 (about €60) for closer islands. Resorts can often assist with these arrangements.
From Gorontalo to Togean Islands (Wakai):
Take the Tuna Tomini ferry, which runs twice weekly, departing Gorontalo around 17: 00 on Tuesdays and Fridays, arriving in Wakai by 07:00 the next morning (around 12 hours). The return journey from Wakai to Gorontalo departs on Mondays and Thursdays at approximately 16:00. A private cabin is available for a more comfortable overnight journey.
Inter-island transport within Togean Islands:
Public and private boats are available from Wakai to other islands. Resorts typically facilitate these transfers.
Private boat transfers between islands can range from IDR 1,200,000 to IDR 2,500,000, depending on the distance (e.g., from Buka Buka Island to Bomba or Una-Una).
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