Una Una: the Indonesian island on the rise
21.07.2023 - 08:33
/ roughguides.com
The Togean archipelago in the Gulf of Tomini, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, made the Rough Guide to 2018. However, Una Una, the northernmost and most secluded of the 56 Togean islands, is the one most definitely on the rise. The only volcanic island in the region, it has a fascinating story behind it.
Formed by the multiple layers of hardened ash and lava of the smoking Colo volcano, Una Una island has been the most prosperous among the Togeans for decades. But it was completely abandoned in 1983, when villagers predicted the violent eruption of the volcano, and subsequently fled to the mainland.
Local legend has it that only one man stayed behind on the island. He closed his house doors, locked the windows shut and rolled himself into a thick bamboo mat, and managed to survive the eruption. But, as fate would have it, he died a month later as the result of an accident while working in construction in the city of Ampana on the mainland.
It took many years for the villagers to repopulate Una Una island. Formerly the heart of the province, after the eruption it had little left to sustain their livelihoods. But the prolonged absence of people eventually turned out to be a boon in disguise, as it helped to preserve the stunning marine environment that has led to the island becoming the protected marine park it is today.
Una Una island © Marco Ferrarese
Of Indonesia’s abundance of islands, Una Una is arguably one of the most beautiful, and now is the best time to visit. Since late 2017, more boat connections to the island have been provided by Dutch-Indonesian-run Pristine Paradise, a new intimate resort for adventurous beach-bliss seekers. Because of this, Una Una is finally surfacing on the traveller’s map.
Even more laid-back than the other Togeans, Una Una island also benefits from an unspoilt and incredibly diverse marine life. Its isolation spared it from the blast fishing techniques of the Bugis people, who dwell on the other isles in the archipelago. And the waters around the island offer numerous diving opportunities at 35 known dive sites with fantastic reef walls and drops.
Currently attracting significantly less tourist traffic than the established nearby diving destinations of Kadidiri and Bomba, it’s also the ideal location to experience authentic Togean village life.
Whip coral, Togean islands © J. S. Lamy / Shutterstock
Visitors can decide to do as much or as little as they want to on the island, from diving and snorkelling, to swinging lazily in a hammock for the best part of the day. But Pristine Paradise has more in store for those who wish to truly taste the local flavour.
“I’ve heard that other resorts had problems because they didn’t try hard enough to integrate with the local community,” says