This route covers different islands from the other two Togean itineraries—if you're deciding between them, the Togean routes are the more classic pick; this one goes deeper off the beaten track through the Gulf of Tolo and the Banggai archipelago.
This 11-day trip starts in Kendari, the main city of southeast Sulawesi, and travels north through the Gulf of Tolo to finish in Luwuk. The route takes in Labengki and Sombori Islands—a stretch of karst coastline and turquoise lagoons that rivals Raja Ampat in beauty but sees a fraction of the boat traffic—before heading into the remote Banggai archipelago, with its vibrant reefs, endemic marine life, and Bajo stilt villages. Days are built around paddling, snorkeling, and optional diving, with a liveaboard base that gets you to places day trips simply can't reach.
Arrive in Kendari, the main city of southeast Sulawesi, and make your way to the group hotel, where check-in is from 2 pm. The rest of the day is yours to explore or settle in before meeting the guide in the late afternoon for a trip briefing. Kendari sits along sloping hills above a bay, and if you have time, the Moramo waterfall—a 50-minute drive out of town with tiered falls and clear jungle pools—is worth the detour.
Accommodation: Swiss-Belhotel Kendari
We transfer from the hotel to the harbor, board the liveaboard, and meet the captain and crew. After a safety briefing and kayak orientation, we settle into life on board and begin sailing north toward Labengki Island. Time permitting, we get our first paddle and snorkel in before dinner under the stars.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Liveaboard
Labengki is made up of two islands—Labengki Kecil and Labengki Besar—surrounded by smaller islets, all formed by karst rocks thick with palms and forest. We kayak along white-sand beaches, poke into hidden lagoons and caves, and snorkel over beds of giant clams. On the hike ashore, we keep an eye out for wild orchids and the Sulawesi hornbill.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Liveaboard
We stop at Pulau Tarape first, home to a jellyfish lake where millions of stingless jellyfish drift through clear freshwater—a genuinely surreal swim. Then we sail on to Sombori, a mountainous peninsula ringed by limestone karst and turquoise lagoons. There are easy lookout climbs with views over the islands, and Gua Allo, a cave accessible by kayak at high tide with hundreds of bats on the ceiling and a hidden natural pool beyond.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Liveaboard
We continue north, with stops possible at Pulau Cinta Bersemi for a paddle and snorkel, or the islands near Pulau Bunta for birdwatching. Sulawesi has around 350 known bird species, up to 100 of them endemic, including the ornate lorikeet. After a day exploring, we settle in for the overnight crossing to the southern Banggai Islands.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Liveaboard
The Banggai Islands don’t get many tourists, and we may find ourselves paddling coastlines where few kayaks have been before. Today we circumnavigate the small island of Sago—just over 8 km (5 mi) of shoreline, perfect for a full loop—then head to Pulau Telopo for snorkeling over vibrant coral gardens. Divers here have a chance to spot the Banggai cardinalfish, a small, striking black-and-white species endemic to this archipelago.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Liveaboard
We spend the day between Pulau Batuampas and Pulau Melilis, kayaking and exploring. A trek inland leads to a waterfall, a welcome cool-down from the tropical sun. Along the way we may come across Bajo communities—people who live on stilts above the reef, travel by dugout canoe, and free-dive using only goggles and spears.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Liveaboard
We kayak the inlet at Teluk Ombuli on the southeast side of Banggai Island, then make for Tanjung Gundul—a beach of white pebbles rather than sand, with a giant limestone arch carved by the wind and waves. After lunch we sail on to Peleng, the largest island in the archipelago.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Liveaboard
On the northeast coast of Peleng, we walk or paddle Mandel Beach, a pristine kilometre of white sand and crystal-clear water. Sailing west, we reach the large bay that splits the island in two, where a group of small islets tucked deep in the bay makes for excellent paddling, snorkeling, and diving.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Liveaboard
We continue exploring Peleng with a visit to Paisu Pok Lake, a closed freshwater lake sitting inside a jungle crater with 10–15 m (33–49 ft) of visibility. Snorkeling through it, you can see fallen tree trunks resting on the bottom and tiny fish threading through the clear water. Tonight the group gathers for a farewell dinner, the last night aboard.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Liveaboard
We dock in Luwuk by mid-morning. After breakfast on board, it’s time to say goodbye to the crew and disembark. If you have a flight out today, book no earlier than 1 pm. If you have time to spare, the Piala Waterfall—a large turquoise cascade 15 minutes outside town—is worth the short detour.
Meals: Breakfast
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All three routes run on the same liveaboard, with the same crew, the same activity format, and the same level of comfort—the difference is purely in where you go.
The Gorontalo–Luwuk and Luwuk–Gorontalo routes cover the same ground in opposite directions, spending most of the trip in the Togean Islands. These are the more well-known of the three, with calm lagoons, stingless jellyfish lakes, volcanic islands, and Bajo stilt villages. Choose whichever direction fits your flights better—the experience is the same either way.
The Kendari–Luwuk route is a completely separate itinerary through different islands. Starting in southeast Sulawesi, it travels north through the Gulf of Tolo, taking in Labengki and Sombori—a stunning stretch of karst and turquoise water that sees far fewer boats than the Togeans—before finishing in the remote Banggai archipelago. If you’ve already done the Togean routes, this is the obvious next trip. If you’re choosing for the first time, go Togeans for the classic experience, Kendari–Luwuk if you want to go further off the beaten track.
The best thing about this Indonesia luxury tour with liveaboard and kayaking is that it rewards steady effort rather than peak performance.
This trip is suited to travelers with moderate fitness who are comfortable spending several hours a day paddling at a relaxed pace. Some kayaking experience is required. Snorkeling and short walks ashore are optional, and there is time each day to rest on board. As long as you’re generally active and enjoy being on the water, you’ll be well prepared for this adventure.
Scuba diving is available on this trip at an additional cost and must be arranged in advance, please let us know beforehand if it’s something you’d like to do. The liveaboard is fully equipped, with a divemaster on board, rental gear, compressors, and support boats, and diving takes place in generally calm conditions with excellent visibility and varied sites. Divers must hold a valid PADI certification, provide dive logs, complete required medical forms and waivers, and carry dive-specific insurance.
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Group sizes and pricing
Indonesia luxury tour can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
If your group has participants under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
Due to very limited options aboard the Jakare boat, a single occupancy cabin is not available.
This Indonesia luxury tour runs in two directions, starting either from Gorontalo or Luwuk. Regardless of the direction, you’ll meet your guide in the late afternoon at the designated hotel on Day 1.
If starting from Gorontalo:
If starting from Luwuk:
If starting from Kendari:
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.
Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.