Why go
- Capital and largest city of North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
- Served by Sam Ratulangi International Airport (MDC).
History
Manado is the capital city of the Indonesian province of North Sulawesi. It is the second largest city in Sulawesi after Makassar, with the 2020 census giving a population of 451,916, and the official estimates for mid 2025 showing 462,658 inhabitants, distributed over a land area of 162.35 km2. The Manado metropolitan area had a population of 1,377,815 as of mid 2023. The city is situated on the Bay of Manado, and is surrounded by a mountainous area.
Restaurants & places to go
103 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 7 airlines, 11 direct destinations
- Lion Mentari Airlines JT (ATR, 737-900, DH8, 737-300, 737-800) · 10 routes: Balikpapan, Gorontalo*, Jakarta, Kao*, Melonguane*, Naha*, Sorong*, Surabaya, Ternate, Ujung Pandang
- Garuda Indonesia GA (CRK, A319, 737-800) · 5 routes: Balikpapan, Jakarta, Singapore*, Ternate, Ujung Pandang
- Sriwijaya Air SJ (735) · 2 routes: Surabaya, Ternate
- Citilink Indonesia QG (A320) · 1 route: Surabaya
- Interlink Airlines ID (737-900) · 1 route: Jakarta
- SilkAir MI (A320) · 1 route: Singapore
- Singapore Airlines Cargo SQ (A320) · 1 route: Singapore*
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Getting there by ferry
Where things are
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Sam Ratulangi International Airport (MDC). Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: MDC has direct flights to 11 destinations on 7 airlines (incl. Jakarta, Singapore, Surabaya, Ternate, Balikpapan…). By water: 6 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Mall, 0.5 km); routes include Bunaken-Manado, Manado → Bunaken, Bunaken → Manado.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Manado, Indonesia. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.