Banggai: the islands beyond Luwuk

The Banggai islands lie scattered off the eastern tip of Central Sulawesi, in the sea that separates Sulawesi from the Moluccas. There are hundreds of them, most uninhabited, a few with villages, a couple with guesthouses. The water is clear, the reefs are alive and the beaches are the kind that appear on posters, and almost nobody you meet will have been.

The gateway is Luwuk, a port town on the mainland with an airport and a harbour. From there it is a ferry ride or a short flight to islands where the roads are tracks, the electricity comes and goes and the main sound at night is the sea. This is not a place to come for comfort. It is a place to come for coral, sand and the feeling of being somewhere well off the itinerary.

Luwuk and the mainland side

Luwuk is a sleepy port on the Gulf of Tomini, with an airport, a market and a harbour where the island ferries tie up. Most travellers see it as a place to spend one night and catch a boat, which is roughly right. It is also where you should do your banking, buy a mask if you have forgotten one, and eat a plate of grilled fish before the crossing.

The town spreads along a bay of grey sand with mountains behind it, and the market is best in the morning: fish, cloves, bananas, and highland coffee sold in paper twists. Luwuk is not a destination in its own right, but it is friendly and unpretentious, and it is the last reliable internet you will see for a while.

The crossing to the islands

Ferries run from Luwuk to the islands, some to Banggai town on Banggai island, others to Salakan on Peling, and the schedules change with the weather, the season and the state of the boats. Ask at the harbour office the day before, and again on the morning. The crossing takes several hours and is often rough in the afternoon; morning boats are the safer bet.

There is also a small airport on Banggai island with flights from Luwuk and Kendari, which cuts the journey to under an hour when they operate. Either way, plan for a buffer day at each end. Island transport is the part of a Banggai trip most likely to rearrange itself, and the people who enjoy it most are the ones who build that in.

Palam, Pasir Panjang and the beaches

The beach at Palam is the one people come for: a long curve of pale sand with shallow water over coral rubble, leaning palms and a ridge of green hills behind. It is quiet on weekdays and busy with local families at weekends and holidays. There are a few warungs, a handful of simple rooms and no sun loungers.

Further south, Pasir Panjang in Banggai Laut is the other name on everyone's list, a long spit of white sand with water on both sides, best at high tide when the lagoon fills. Both beaches are working places as much as beauty spots: boats are pulled up, seaweed dries on racks, and children will want to know where you are from. Bring reef-safe sun cream and take your rubbish back with you.

Reefs and the cardinalfish

The reefs around the archipelago are in reasonable shape, with good hard coral, plenty of small fish and visibility that can reach twenty metres or more in the calm season. Most of the diving is shallow and easy, which suits snorkellers, and there are drop-offs and pinnacles for those with tanks. Dive infrastructure is thin: a couple of small operators, mostly on Banggai and Peling, and gear that is best checked before you commit.

The islands' famous resident is the Banggai cardinalfish, a small striped fish found nowhere else on earth. It lives in shallow water among sea urchins and seagrass, and the males brood the eggs in their mouths. Collecting for the aquarium trade once hit the population hard; captive-bred fish now supply part of that trade, though wild collection continues, and you will see them in the shallows at almost any beach.

Boats, cash and timing

Island hopping is by chartered boat, arranged through your guesthouse or a fisherman at the jetty. There is no scheduled service between the small islands, and the price depends on distance and fuel; agree it before you leave and take more cash than you think you need. In the dry season, roughly April to October, the sea is calmer and the visibility better.

There are few ATMs outside Luwuk and Banggai town, and cards are close to useless. Bring rupiah, a mask and fins if you are particular, and a dry bag. Mobile signal exists on the main islands and disappears between them. Nights are quiet: electricity may run only part of the evening, and the entertainment is the sound of the water and whatever the family you are staying with is cooking.

• Allow a buffer day on each side of the crossing.
• Bring rupiah from Luwuk; ATMs are scarce.
• Charter boats by the day and agree the price first.
• April to October for calmer seas and clearer water.
• Pack a mask, fins and reef-safe sun cream.

Questions people actually ask

How do you reach the Banggai islands?

Most people fly or drive to Luwuk on the mainland, then take a ferry of several hours to Banggai or Salakan. Small flights also connect Luwuk and Kendari with Banggai island. Schedules change, so confirm at the harbour the day before.

Can you see the Banggai cardinalfish while snorkelling?

Yes. They live in shallow water among sea urchins and seagrass, often right off the beach. Keep your distance, do not chase them and never stand on the coral.