Tumbak Island

a truly unique and off-the-beaten path experience, bungalows built amongst mangroves surrounded by amazing snorkeling

What is Tumbak Island

Tumbak Island is a small mangrove island on the southern coast of North Sulawesi, about an hour from Tomohon/Manado. A French man who had been working and living in the village of Tumbak with his Indonesian wife, opened the Tumbak Island Cottages, a few simple bungalows built onto the mangrove island. It’s an absolutely unique experience to stay in these bungalows built on the stilts within the trees of the mangrove island, almost like staying in a treehouse on the ocean. I would definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a peaceful, off-the-beaten path, and away from it all experience. The stay costs 300K IDR ($19) / person / night, and includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

How to get to there

We rented a scooter in Tomohon, and then drove to Tumbak Island. It’s about a 1 hour drive from Tomoho with very nice scenery along the way. When you book a stay at the cottage, the owner will give you a location to meet in the village of Tumbak. From there, they will take you by boat to Tumbak Island, about a 10 minute boat ride.

What to do on the island

You’ll be staying in a bungalow surrounded by amazing marine life. They have free snorkel gear, and the best thing to do is to explore the beautiful reef all around the island! The reef is large and teeming with marine life, and you could spend days exploring it. They also offer snorkeling trips, taking you to explore other reefs by boat if you’d like.

How long to spend there

We spent 2 nights there which was good for us, but we also would’ve enjoyed staying 1 more night if we had the time. We spent our days relaxing amongst the mangroves, soaking in the beautiful ocean views surrounding us on all sides, snorkeling, swimming, and enjoying meals with others staying with us. It’s a very simple, rustic life, but a nice and unique experience to be disconnected from everything and just enjoying the pure nature. If you want luxury, this stay won’t be for you. But if you’re okay without modern conveniences for a few days: think bucket showers, and sleeping in a very warm room, you’ll be in for a very unique treat here.