Bitung (Sulawesi Indonesia)

Kota Bitung is a port city in Indonesia, located on Sulawesi Island's northern coast and facing Lembeh Island. The city has a population of around 190,000, ranking it the province's second-largest (after North Sulawesi province's capital city Manado).

As a tourism travel destination, Bitung is famous for the Tangkoko National Park (officially Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve) located just a 1-hour drive away from Bitung. The park covers a land area of 8700 hectares (87 km2 / 33,6 mi2) and includes 3 mountains (Tangkoko, Dua Saudara, Batuangus), lowland rainforest, abundant wildlife (including 127 mammal and 233 bird species), most of which are endemic to Sulawesi island.

Bitung is served by cargo-passenger ferries linking it to Davao City (on Mindanao Island, Philippines). The ferry service was inaugurated in April 2017, with crossing time just 3 days between both cities. The original shipping route's crossing time was up to 5 weeks as Ro-Pax ships had to navigate first northwards to Manila, then through the South China Sea and Malaysia before reaching Indonesian ports. The new Indonesia-Philippines ferry route was introduced by the Philippine company Asia Marine Transport Corporation with the ship "Super Shuttle RORO 12" (combined Ro-Ro-containership with cargo capacity 500 TEUs / containers).

Among the goods transported by the freight ferries are animal feeds, coffee beans, copra (dry coconuts), fresh fruits, water equipment, construction materials, charcoal, fertilizers, food (meats, peanuts, poultry, soy, sugar), beverages.

In 2014 was acquired land for the construction of the Manado-Bitung Toll Road (length 40 km / 25 mi). The project's cost was estimated at around USD 503 million, with scheduled completion by late 2018.

Bitung tours, shore excursions, hotels

City Tours and Shore Excursions

Tangkoko National Park