North Sulawesi is one of the recommended tourist destinations for the domestic category. The reason is, this province covering an area of 46,717 km2 has many interesting places to visit. If you are in Tomohon City, don’t miss the opportunity to stop by the beautiful Tomohon City Forest.
Located in the center of Tomohon City, this city forest is very easy to reach from various directions. Imagine how unique it would be to be in the middle of a busy city but with a shady green area. Surely people who are used to seeing tall buildings want to feel cool in green areas.
This natural tourist attraction has been around since 2020 and is still one of the list of popular places in Tomohon City. There are many interesting things to do with friends or family. Coming here alone to sit and relax while listening to music is no less enjoyable.
The Attraction of the Tomohon City Forest
Built with the concept of “Sustainable Tourism”, Tomohon Park is not just a seasonal natural tourist attraction, but is expected to have a sustainable impact and continue to exist in the long term. Here are a number of attractions that make it always busy with visitors, including on weekdays:
✦ Various game rides
This attraction is what makes Tomohon tourism look different from other city parks. So here, tourists can not only sit back and relax while enjoying the beauty of nature, but can also try out various types of games. Some of them are quite relaxing and safe for children, and some other games can test your adrenaline.
A number of rides on offer include a water park, flying fox, skate park and wall climbing. There is also a jogging track and area for cycling.
✦ Multifunctional City Forest
Another reason why Tomohon City Forest is visited by many is because it is a multifunctional place. Visitors can come to just walk, jog, photo hunt with friends, picnic with family, take their children to play, or indulge in their hobbies on one of the rides.
But that’s not all, there are also sports buildings, museums and arts venues here. There is also a large building with a large yard which is often the center of local community activities.
✦ Mountain Landscape
The view of this city forest is even more beautiful with the mountain landscape. One of them is Mount Lokon which appears to stand proudly from a distance. If you want to get this view and so that the results look good on camera, it’s best to come during the day in the dry season or when the weather is sunny.
✦ Cool air amidst hundreds of thousands of trees
You don’t have to go all the way to the mountains or hilly areas, because by stopping by the Tomohon City Forest you can also feel the cool and fresh air. The reason is, there are around 225,000 trees in this city forest. It is not surprising that stepping foot into this area will make tourists feel a cold sensation, especially in the morning.
Address and Route to the Forest Location
If you are interested in coming to see the attractions above firsthand, tourists can visit Talete Satu Village in Tomohon Tengah District, Tomohon City, North Sulawesi. This popular tourist attraction is only about 3 km from the city center, and can be reached in less than 10 minutes’ drive.
Because it is located in a city area, this natural tourist attraction certainly has good road access and is easy to pass by various types of vehicles, from motorbikes to tourist buses. If you are in Manado City, the distance is around 22 km. If you have arrived in Tomohon City, the route can be found from Google Maps or directly follow the road signs.
Nature Tourism Entrance Ticket Prices
Tomohon City Forest can be visited every day, including red dates and national holidays, with operational hours 10 am – 10 pm. Especially on Saturdays and Sundays, the operating hours are longer, namely from 10 am – 2 am. However, access to the game rides is only open from 12 noon to 5 pm Monday – Friday.
Meanwhile, on weekends, the rides open earlier than 10 am and close at 5 pm. Every visitor who wants to enter must buy a ticket for IDR 5,000/person. If you want to try the rides, you need to buy another ticket at a price of IDR 15,000. Tourists also need to prepare a parking fee of around IDR 3,000 – IDR 5,000 per vehicle.
Interesting Activities to Do
Here’s a list of fun things you can do when you’re in the Tomohon City Forest area, which you can try alone or with friends:
1. Swimming and playing slides
If you come with children, swimming will be an interesting activity to do. Tourists can enter the water park area to teach their little ones to swim or just play in the water. It can also be a place to channel the hobby of swimming for teenage and adult tourists.
Tomohon pool is made without a roof or with an outdoor concept and with views of the surrounding shady trees which can provide the sensation of swimming in the middle of the forest. What’s more interesting is that there is a spiral slide here which will add to the excitement.
2. Try Flying Fox and Wall Climbing
This is a type of exciting activity for tourists who want to test their adrenaline in the Tomohon City Forest. This game is guaranteed to be challenging and momentarily tense, but in the end it will provide excitement and even become addictive for some people.
There is also wall climbing which is no less exciting to try. You don’t have to be an expert, tourists can also ask for directions from existing guides to learn wall climbing. For beginners, make sure you have the courage, don’t have a phobia of heights, and step on your feet slowly and step by step according to the instructions.
3. Play at the Tomohon City Forest Skate Park
A skate park is an outdoor area with a flat surface and is suitable for jogging, cycling, skateboarding or scootering. The shade of the surrounding trees makes this area remain shady even during the day.
4. Photo hunting
As one of the natural attractions with beautiful panoramas, of course there are many aesthetic photo spots in the Tomohon City Forest. Tourists can pose standing under the shade of trees, in the swimming pool area, capture the moment when trying out wall climbing and flying fox, or take picnic-style photos on a mat. There is also a long wooden bridge which is suitable as a photo spot.
5. Lie down in the Hammock
If you want an activity that doesn’t drain your energy too much but is still fun, you can try lying down on a hammock installed under the trees. You can listen to your favorite music or read a book.
6. Climb into the Tree House
Apart from hammocks, there are also tree houses made from wood. Climbing here will not be so difficult because it is equipped with stairs. The size is not that big, but it is equipped with a roof and has a balcony.
7. Watch Art Events
If you come at the right time, tourists can enjoy art events held in the main building. This event is usually held by the management and the time can be afternoon or evening.
Available Tourist Facilities
Apart from a number of facilities in the form of rides as above, Tomohon Park is also equipped with public facilities such as toilets, parking areas, seating and food stalls. If you want a more contemporary dining atmosphere, there is also a cafe with a modern minimalist design around the park area.
Tomohon City Forest is a place that offers many things, from taking a leisurely walk, swimming in the middle of the forest, lying down in a hammock, jogging or cycling, to having fun at the climbing wall, skate park, or flying fox.
