Sulawesi Tengah, IndonesiaPublished in Reader's Digest's, ‘More of Our Canada’ magazine January 2020.
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At sunrise a gentle breeze rustles the curtains of our cabana. Outside, the sea washes softly against the shore. Manolito, our cabana-cat, is meowing at the door. I let him in, then take a shower standing by the palm that grows in our open air bathroom. Coffee awaits; I’ll let my wife Elenka and the cat, who’s now cuddled up with her, stay in bed a bit longer.
Kike and Eva from Valencia, Spain, bought the land and built the Bahia Tomini Eco Resort just 18 months prior to our visit. Their three-cabana establishment sits in a sheltered cove on the small island of Malenge, part of the Togian Islands group, not too many ‘hours’ off the coast of central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Kike and Eva have three dogs, two cats and their own little salt factory from which they extract salt from the sea for us to sprinkle on our food. From the Bahia Tomini kitchen, they concoct their exotic meals, which are served to the eclectic sounds of their World music collection.
Our breakfast eggs are laid by the hen that lives in a basket on the wall by the beverage table.
Each morning, our beachfront-fresh eggs are served in one of perhaps a dozen different styles. The cuisine at the Bahia is local Togian with a Spanish/Continental influence. Fish from the sea, fruit from the jungle, veggies and herbs from the backyard garden — it's all organic. Lunch and dinner can be anything from fish in macadamia nut curry or fideua — small pasta cooked with fish-head broth in a special paella pan on an open-fire — to eggplant in spicy peanut sauce or simply the catch-of-the-day. Appetizers and garnishes come in the form of kue janda — banana wrapped in a mixture of yucca flour and fresh coconut — or dabu-dabu, a spicy Indonesian salsa. Every dining experience is a taste-bud explosion.
In October, when we visited, the Togian skies could be filled with fluffy white clouds one minute, and then—Boom! Boom! — it's a torrential downpour. When it rains, we rush for the sea; the contrast of the warm sea water and the cool rain on your head is magical. But get out before the rain stops, so you can wash the salt away with a proper rain shower rinse.
There’s a crystal-clear reef just 30 metres offshore. Every morning after breakfast, we snorkel the reef for an hour or so, and do the same after lunch. The reef probably surrounds the entire island, and it's not uncommon to see a shark or two while snorkelling. At one point, Elenka spotted a giant-sized unicorn fish. “What better place than paradise to find a unicorn,” she said.
Our hosts Kike and Eva do their best to keep their slice of paradise pristine, leading a simple, quiet and sustainable life, without waste or excess.
Clean energy for their facilities, for example, is supplied solely via solar panelling and their salt "factory" is little more than a cauldron set to boil. Enlisting the participation of local children, and using their time together as "teachable moments," the couple makes regular forays with their boat to clean up beach areas that have had an influx of refuse arriving with the tides.
The Catch: Beachfront accommodation at Bahia Tomini doesn’t come cheap. We’re paying a whopping $60 per day for our cabana, but that does include the over-the-top chow. I hold my palms upward like scales, trying to balance it all in my mind. Elenka shakes her head at my confusion, saying that we can’t expect to pay less than $50 a day forever.
The other Catch: The most feasible way of getting to the Togian Islands is by using one of Indonesia’s major hub airports - either Bali or Jakarta. We came via Bali, which involved three flights for us in all, followed by five hours on a pair of uncomfortable boats, which required some negotiation to hire.
That said, all of the mostly European travellers we’ve met in the Togian Islands smile in awe of where they are. And not one of them has complained about the hardship of getting to this truly remarkable spot … so neither will I.
Val
2017-10-23
Can't imagine anything closer to paradise: happy cats and dogs, beautiful surroundings and great food. So good to hear from you both.
Margo
2017-10-23
You two have found one magical place. I can feel it in your blog and see it in all the photos. Well done!
Basha
2017-10-23
Take me with you! Looks amazing!
Mary P.
2017-10-23
I think Ben Sweetland said it wrong when he said " Happiness is a journey..not a destination". You guys look so totally happy with big beautiful smiles. Enjoy the rest of your trip.
Peter O
2017-10-23
Looks delectable. Now remind me, is Manolito from High Chapparal or Bonanza?
Jay & Soni
2020-03-16
Wow looks amazing. Seems like there is no Covid 19 issues there :)
Cate
2021-12-03
Paradise it is!!……great corresponding pictures…..thumbs up for the possibility of a return trip!