Gorontalo to Luwuk Banggai, Sulawesi6 Days 5 NightsAsik Original
An Asik Original, run by us
Planned and run end to end by the Asik team. You book and deal directly with us, start to finish.
Overview
Six days: whale sharks, then the Banggai Islands
The longest trip we run in Sulawesi, and the one that pairs the two things the island is quietly famous for. It opens in Gorontalo with a full session in the water beside whale sharks, then boards an overnight boat and wakes up in Luwuk.
What follows is a Luwuk Banggai tour in its own right: Piala and Laumarang waterfalls on the second morning, a full day at Paisupok Lake and the Paisubatango spring, the limestone cave systems at Sasundeng or Babanang with underground pools and shafts of daylight, and freediving and spearfishing off a quiet beach.
Day five crosses back to Luwuk for freediving at Kilometer 5 Beach, known for its underwater arches, and sunset from Kasih Sayang Hill. The last morning is a jungle hike to Mokokawa Waterfall and a stop with the village weavers before the airport.
Why it works as one trip
The whale sharks and the Banggai Islands sit at opposite ends of the same region.
Every transfer, stay and meal is handled, including the overnight crossing.
Six days is enough to see both properly rather than sampling either.
Whale shark sightings peak between May and July and are never guaranteed anywhere, which is worth knowing when you pick your dates.
Itinerary
1
Day 1
Pickup in Gorontalo, whale sharks on Tomini Bay, night ferry to Pagimana
10:00–11:00
Pickup in Gorontalo. This is the one trip that does not start in Luwuk: we collect you in Gorontalo city, from your hotel or from Djalaluddin Airport (GTO), and drive out along Tomini Bay to the whale shark beach.
11:00–17:00
Six hours with the whale sharks, with lunch on the beach. They come in close to shore here and you snorkel with them from a small boat, so there is no diving certificate needed and no long trip out to sea.
17:00–18:00
Back to the vehicle, rinse off and change.
18:00–19:00
Dinner in Gorontalo.
19:00–19:30
The short transfer to the harbour.
19:30–24:00
The overnight ferry from Gorontalo across to Pagimana, on the Luwuk side of the bay.
2
Day 2
Into Luwuk: Piala and Laumarang waterfalls, then Leme-Leme
00:00–06:00
The crossing continues through the night, with sunrise over the water for anyone awake for it.
06:00–08:00
Land at Pagimana and drive down the coast into Luwuk city.
08:00–08:30
Breakfast in Luwuk.
08:30–10:00
Piala Waterfall, the tiered falls above town.
10:00–12:00
Laumarang Waterfall, the quieter one, with a wide pool at the base.
12:00–13:00
Lunch.
13:00–14:00
Rakyat Harbour, the working fishing harbour in Luwuk.
14:00–17:00
The run out to Leme-Leme.
17:00–19:00
Check in and get your gear ready for the islands tomorrow.
19:00–20:00
Dinner.
20:00
Rest.
3
Day 3
Paisupok Lake, Paisu Batango and Puganda Beach
05:00–06:00
Out early towards Paisupok, with breakfast on the way.
06:00–11:00
Five hours at Paisupok Lake. The spring water is clear enough to see the bottom from the jetty and the light is at its best before the day warms up. Swimming and snorkelling throughout; freedivers may bring their own gear.
11:00–13:00
Paisu Batango, the turquoise spring lagoon, with lunch there.
13:00–17:00
Four hours on Puganda Beach: white sand, reef to snorkel just offshore, coconuts and the swings out over the shallows.
17:00–18:00
Back to the accommodation.
18:00–19:00
Rinse off and change.
19:00–20:00
Dinner.
20:00
Rest.
4
Day 4
Sasundeng Cave, Babanang and the beach by the homestay
06:30–07:00
Breakfast.
07:00–09:00
The run out to Sasundeng Cave and Babanang.
09:00–13:00
Four hours at Sasundeng Cave and Babanang, the limestone cave system and the water around it.
13:00–15:00
Back to the accommodation.
15:00–18:00
The afternoon on the beach by the homestay, with nothing scheduled.
18:00–19:00
Rinse off and change.
19:00–20:00
Dinner.
20:00
Rest.
5
Day 5
Back across to Luwuk, Kilo 5 and Bukit Kasih Sayang
07:00–08:00
Breakfast and packing.
08:00–09:30
Down to the harbour for the crossing back towards Luwuk.
09:30–10:00
Into Luwuk.
10:00–13:00
Lunch and time in town.
13:00–14:00
Kilo 5, five kilometres out of Luwuk, where you can swim or snorkel straight off the shore.
14:00–18:00
Bukit Kasih Sayang, the hill above Luwuk, for the afternoon and the sunset over the bay.
18:00–19:00
Dinner.
19:00–20:30
Check in at your hotel in Luwuk.
20:30
Rest.
6
Day 6
Mokokawa Waterfall and the flight out of Luwuk
07:00–08:00
Breakfast at the hotel.
08:00–13:00
Mokokawa Waterfall, a long last stop with time to walk in and swim.
13:00–13:30
Transfer to Syukuran Aminuddin Amir Airport (LUW) in Luwuk for your flight out. The trip begins in Gorontalo and ends here, so book your onward flight from Luwuk.
What's included
Private car transport in Luwuk
Entrance fees to all destinations
Photo and video coverage (including drone and underwater)
Accommodation in 3-star hotels and guesthouses
Inter-island ferry transfers
Not included
Airfare
Daily pocket money (snacks and incidentals)
Souvenir shopping
Paddleboat or rowboat rental at Paisupok Lake
Gallery
1 / 6 Full size
Good to know
How do I get to the Banggai Islands from Bali?
Fly Bali (DPS) to Makassar (UPG), around 1 hour 20 minutes, then Makassar to Luwuk (LUW), around 1 hour 15 minutes. From Luwuk, a speedboat to the islands takes 2 to 3 hours and a standard ferry 4 to 5 hours. Expect a 5 to 7 hour travel day overall, leave a comfortable layover in Makassar, and carry cash before you leave the city.
Can I customize this tour or start from a different city?
Yes, completely. It starts from Gorontalo because it suits many travel routes, but the starting point, activities, and duration are all flexible, or we can build a new itinerary from scratch. Message us on WhatsApp and we will tailor a quote.
When is the ideal time to visit Luwuk Banggai?
May to September, the dry months, with clear skies, minimal rain, and calm seas, which is best for snorkeling, island hopping, and trekking.
What is the internet like?
In town and at popular spots, reliable 4G from Telkomsel, Indosat, and XL. Remote villages and Paisupok have slower 3G with occasional dropouts, so a local SIM helps.
Booking and cancellation terms
A 50% deposit confirms your booking. The balance is due the day before the tour starts.
Cancel 7 days or more before the tour date: 75% of the total paid is refunded.
Cancel less than 7 days before the tour date: 50% of the total paid is refunded.
Date changes are not possible once a booking is confirmed. A change request is treated as a cancellation.
Rescheduling is not available on Luwuk Banggai packages once confirmed.
Children aged 5 and over are charged the full adult rate.
Prices are set for the year of publication and can be revised for fuel, added routes, or new government rules.
Full terms are confirmed with your booking. Bank transfer fees are paid by the sender.
Shown in each traveler's own words. Tap a source to read them on the original site.
Gracia
Jakarta, Indonesia · May 2026
My best trip so far
This trip experience was really exciting and very enjoyable. My husband and I took this trip in May 2026. During the journey, we were accompanied by Brother Andry as a tour guide, while travel information was assisted by Brother Fitri. Brother Andry is informative, cheerful, and really understands what kind of travel is right for us. Itinerary during the trip also feels flexible and greatly tailored to our preferences and comfort, from food choices, physical abilities, accommodation, to the driver during the journey. So this trip feels more personal and comfortable to enjoy. Food during the trip was also delicious. We had a chance to try tuna sauce, woku shrimp, yellow rice, and the meal that Brother Andry gave is still my favorite. For accommodation also everything is comfortable, but my favorite is the accommodation whose location is not far from Lake Paisupok. The place is clean, cool, comfortable, and the atmosphere is really good for a break after a day of walks. We're kind of sorry to have booked this trip before we could freedive, so we haven't been able to fully enjoy the beautiful, colorful Sulawesi underwater beauty. But that's exactly what makes us want to go back one day. My favourite moments during the trip were paddling in Kawalu, swimming and playing morning water in Paisupok, enjoying the waterfalls, picking up my own fish, and of course enjoying a lot of delicious food hahaha. Thank you to Luwuk Banggai Tour for this super effective experience ❤️
Great service, great guide, great photography, great food and snacks
I did a private trip for my family, and this tour truly gave incredible service throughout - before, during, and after trip!! Kak Andry was very kind, communicative, and is a great photo/videographer. My sister and I are freedivers, we took turns while he took underwater photos & videos of us for hours in Paisupok Lake. They also provided an excellent spread for lunch (my cousins were 100% mindblown by the grilled fish and sambal btw), and provided banana fritters and warm tea even after our return boat trip to the mainland. The boat ride was cozy too, I felt safe and even napped on our way back from Paisupok. 100% recommended and will likely redo the trip again with them next year!
I cant even express how amazing this trip was. Having everything organised by Andry and Luwuk tour made all the difference. As soon he picked us up we didnt have to worry about anything. We feel like queens. From car, ferry, accommodation, boats, food...everything was done and the best of the best! Forever grateful team The fantastic 4 cant wait to be back
Perfect ! 2 days 1 night and everything was exactly as expected. We were only us and the guide. Stops are perfect, enough Time to trully enjoy those beautiful place of luwuk and banggai islands. Thanks to andry for those two days.
Hidden gems, epic adventures and best tour guide which made a friend for life!
If you're planning a trip through Sulawesi, especially some of the more remote and lesser-known parts, having the right guide makes all the difference, and Andry was honestly exceptional. Because Sulawesi is still such a raw, untouched destination, it's not the kind of place where you can easily just turn up and figure everything out on your own, and that's exactly why having Andry was invaluable. From the very beginning, he went above and beyond to make the entire experience seamless, fun, and completely stress-free. Every detail was thoughtfully taken care of, from planning incredible local experiences, organising transport, showing me hidden gems I never would have found on my own, to even making sure my specific food requirements were always accommodated without ever making it feel like a hassle. But beyond being an amazing guide, Andry is just a genuinely incredible human. Warm, fun, thoughtful, knowledgeable, and the kind of person who instantly makes you feel comfortable. What started as hiring a guide quickly felt like travelling with a good mate who genuinely wanted me to have the best possible experience. Some of my absolute favourite memories from Sulawesi happened because of him. Sulawesi completely stole a piece of my heart, and Andry played such a huge part in that. If you're considering exploring this beautiful, raw part of Indonesia, do yourself a favour and book with Andry. I couldn't recommend him more highly.
best tour of banggai islands in sulawesi hands down!
I would give them 10 out of 5 stars if I can on tripadvisor, they are that good!! just got back from the tour and honestly it was way better than I expected... I think paying for a private trip is worth the cost. everything felt smooth and not rushed which was nice. But yeah the tour guide was legit the best part. Super knowledgable about everything and actually made us feel welcome instead of just herding us around like a regular tour group. I travelled with my family including kids so yes its doable. And dude, swimming with whale sharks?? That was insane lol. Didn't think I'd actually get to do that. They're huge and way more chill than u'd expect. Literally one of those things you never forget. also you don't have to worry about getting pictures of banggai island trip too much because the photo shoots are included in tour package. nice!! Solid experience overall. Would defintely recommend if you're heading to Banggai islands. I did the 6Day tour because didnt wanna rush. if you are short on time just do the 4 day trip which I think covers a lot too.
This company is AMAZING!!! We had a group of six and did the 3 night 4 day tour. Our drivers Wawan and Ronnie were professional, accommodating, and kind! Our guide Dwi was also very informative, friendly, and professional! The tour was very well organized, safe, and a highlight of our Indonesia trip! Communication with the company was fast and efficient from point of contact, to booking, during the tour, and afterwards! This is one of the BEST tour companies and I highly recommend booking with them during your stay in Indonesia!
I can't say enough good things about this company and experience. The guide was excellent and patient. The guide was very knowledgeable as well. Drivers were wonderful. Shout out to Ronnie our driver who was a joy to be around. Ronnie went above and beyond transporting us and meeting our requests. I would 100% go back and would recommend them.
23 Mar 2026 - My sister and I booked a private day trip to Paisupok for 10 pax and had the best time ~
Really good value for money!!! I paid 3.7mio trip package and got: motor boat to and fro Banggai Islands + underwater documentation + drone footage + Prasmanan-style lunch (Ikan bakar dabu2 + bakwan + sayur + nasi) + light evening snack (pisang goreng rica + teh merah)
That's basically 370k per person!! For background of why I'm appalled of this price; I went to Paisupok last year with another tour for 600k per person, and the lunchboxes that we got weren't nearly this good. This time around though, we even packed some of the lunch to bring home and my cousins kept eating the leftovers for dinner 😂
Also, we had drone footages!!
Kak Andry was a really amazing freediver, guide, and underwater photographer as well. We went to a Reef Wall just outside of Paisupok and it had amazing corals and view! He also directed me and my sister on where and how to pose, and even shared some advices as to how to stay more relaxed and improve our freediving technique.
All in all, I would recommend this tour to anyyyyone who visit Luwuk, Banggai :)
Nous avons eu un séjour incroyable avec cette agence, tout était parfait nous avons pu profiter au maximum des îles banggai. Je recommande cette agence les yeux fermés pour vos prochains voyages !
Unser Guide Andry war fantastisch. Der Ausflug zu den Banggai-Inseln war ein Erlebnis, das uns noch lange in Erinnerung bleiben wird. Alles war perfekt organisiert, insbesondere das Zeitmanagement. Wir hatten das große Glück, die verschiedenen Orte mit nur sehr wenigen anderen Besuchern genießen zu können. Andry hat all unsere Fragen kompetent beantwortet, ohne dabei aufdringlich zu sein; er hat genau verstanden, wann wir einfach nur die Ruhe genießen wollten, was wir sehr geschätzt haben. Er hat sich den ganzen Tag über hervorragend um uns gekümmert. :) 5 von 5 Sterne!
