Official Website of the North Sulawesi Tourism Promotion Board (NSTPB)

Local Transportation

Local Time Manado:

	Mikrolet The most popular form of transportation in most areas are the Mikrolets (locals sometimes call them Oplet) - blue mini-buses. They take 9 passengers (2 on the front seats next to the driver and 7 on the back seats). Unlike similar mini-buses in other cities in Indonesia, the seats of the microlets in North Sulawesi face forward. Destinations are shown on a card in the front windscreen, not on the side of the van or on the top sign. Buses There are various bus stations around Manado for destinations outside town - get to any of them from Pasar 45 in the city center. Taxis Taxi services in the Manado area are operated by Dian Taxi, Indra Kelana Taxi, Center Taxi and Merit Taxi. Some taxis don't have/use meters, so if you need a taxi, negotiate wisely. Dian Taxi has 110 brand new taxis (02/2003), all with A/C and meters, so it's probably best to use one of those. They will gladly take you wherever, including Tomohon, Airmadidi, or even Bitung. During rush hours taxis can be difficult to get, also on Sundays or late at night. Car Rental Another option for touring the area is to hire a car with driver (rates per hour or per day). Ojek A handy method of motorcycle transport is the ojek, in which you pay a driver for the privilege of riding on the back of his motorcycle to your destination. Though relatively expensive, this is one of the quickest and most convenient ways to travel short distances, especially at late night when mikrolets and taxis become rare. Bendi Bendi - a traditional cart pulled by a horse - is undoubtedly the most picturesque mode of transport in North Sulawesi, aside from the farmers' oxcarts. It is very handy for short distances and small path-ways. Boats The harbour is located in the center of the city, at walking distance from Pasar 45. The harbour serves mid-size ships to Ternate, Bau-Bau or the Sangihe Talaud Archipelago and small boats to surrounding islands like Bunaken, Manado Tua, Siladen, Mantehage, etc. The piers for small boats are located at the mouth of Jengki river (Kuala Jengki), behind the fish market ("Pasar Jengki"). Getting from A to B is always somewhat of an experience here in Indonesia and Manado is no exception. Each town boasts its own form of public transport and for Manado it is the ubiquitous Blue Bus, otherwise known as Mikrolets or Bis Kota. These minivans seem to be breeding at an alarming rate and threaten to completely clog the main thoroughfares in the town. They do however provide an invaluable service of cheaply moving the populace around. And are a great bonus for tourists as well. The going rate for getting around town is officially 950 Rupiah but don’t expect any change from 1,000. For this princely sum you can speed up and down the Boulevard or round about Jalan Sam Ratulangi and jump off at any point. Getting on or off a mikrolet is an art in itself. Merely standing on or off the pavement and looking somewhat intently at an approaching mikrolet may be all you require to get them to swerve in front of all traffic behind them and come to a screeching halt in front of you. Failing that, a slight flick of the wrist will indicate your interest. All mikrolets have a small sign located on the front windscreen to indicate their destination and may also outline which route they are taking (lewat...). Best to check with the driver to see if he’s going your way. Getting off a mikrolet should also present little of a challenge. Most have a buzzer you can press or simply poke the driver or a quick yell out should suffice. Again, a swerve and a screech will have you tumbling off onto the pavement again. At this point it would probably help to have your 1,000 Rupiah ready. Frustratingly however, many locals choose to wait until they have disembarked before they commence ferreting through their purses for a few grubby coins or notes to be thrust back in the direction of the driver. In the process, a line of traffic has banked up behind the mikrolet thus further clogging the Manado roads. Aside from all manner of livestock who may accompany you on your journey (beware of chickens pecking your feet), the true hazard involved in mikrolet riding may well be the real threat of temporarily losing your hearing. Some mikrolet drivers insist on blasting the town with their choice of house music with EXTRA BASS. It’s not uncommon to actually FEEL a mikrolet coming before hearing it, let alone even seeing it! Enjoy a Manado experience local style, wrap your knees up near your ears and fold yourself into a mikrolet seat and soak up a few of the local sights. But don’t forget to jump off before you get too far out of town! By: Louise Lane Source: "What's Happening?" Manado Safari Tours Newsletter		Taxi Companies in Manado Phone Numbers - Dian Taxi: 851010 - Merit Taxi: 861195 - Indra Kelana: 866683 - Cender: 864422 Manado Bus Terminals Paal Dua Terminal Paal 2 terminal in the east of Manado is the terminal for the microlets to the Airport, Poli, Perum, Kairagi, Paniki and also for the buses to Bitung, Likupang and Airmadidi. Malalayang Terminal Malalayang terminal south of town is the terminal for mikrolets and intercity buses to the southwest part of Minahasa such as Amurang, and also for trans-Sulawesi intercity buses to Kotamobagu and Gorontalo. Karombasan Terminal From Karombasan terminal you can go to Tondano, Tomohon and other destinations in Minahasa. Also to Kali (waterfall). Bendi (traditional horsecart)
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