Beyond the Bay of Gold: Why Kendari Is Southeast Sulawesi’s Best-Kept Secret (2026)

In 1905, a Dutch colonial officer named H. F. C. ten Damme stepped off a steam launch onto the shores of a crescent-shaped bay so brilliantly lit by the afternoon sun that he scribbled in his journal, “This must be the bay of gold.” He was not speaking of precious metal, but of the luminous, almost liquid quality of the light dancing on the water at the mouth of Kendari Bay. That moment, recorded in the archives of the Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde, marks the first European chronicling of what the local Tolaki people had long called Kendari—a word believed to mean “the place where the water meets the sky.” Over a century later, travelers who make the journey here discover that this shimmering, unspoiled bay is still the city’s soul.

The Story Behind Kendari

Long before ten Damme’s arrival, the Tolaki people dominated the region, organizing themselves into small kingdoms known as wonua. By the 17th century, the powerful Sultanate of Buton—centered on the island of Buton to the south—extended its influence over Kendari’s coastal settlements. The sultanate’s trade in trepang (sea cucumber) and forest products brought Chinese, Malay, and Arab merchants to the bay, and you can still sense that cosmopolitan undercurrent in the older generations’ culinary and linguistic mix. In 1832, the Dutch East India Company formally claimed the area, but its real grip tightened only after 1906, when Kendari was designated the administrative capital of the Onderafdeling Laiwoi.

The city’s modern identity took shape during the Japanese occupation (1942–1945), when the Imperial Army built a military airfield and forced thousands of locals into labor. That hard history is still visible in the weathered concrete bunkers on the hills overlooking Kendari Bay. After Indonesia’s independence, the city became the capital of Southeast Sulawesi province in 1964—a decision that catapulted Kendari from a sleepy fishing village into a government hub. The 1990s brought a boom in nickel mining and palm oil plantations, drawing migrants from across the archipelago. Today, you’ll find a city that juggles tradition and ambition: young civil servants in batik shirts share sidewalks with Tolaki grandmothers selling kasuami (sago cakes) from bamboo baskets, while the constant hum of bentor (three-wheeled motorbike taxis) fills the air.

The turning point for Kendari’s identity came in 2013, when the newly built Kendari Bay Bridge—the longest bridge in Eastern Indonesia at the time—connected the city’s mainland to the island of Bungkutoko. That 1.4-kilometer span transformed the waterfront, opening up neighborhoods that had been accessible only by ferry. Locals still argue about whether the bridge is a triumph or a loss of character; what you will see is a city reconciling its deep-water traditions with its accelerating future.

Neighborhood by Neighborhood

Kendari Bawah – The Old Waterfront

Start your exploration along Jalan Sam Ratulangi in Kendari Bawah, the oldest part of town, where the Dutch laid out a grid of narrow lanes hugging the bay. Here the air smells of dried fish, diesel, and cloves. Wooden pinisi schooners—traditional Indonesian two-masted trading vessels—dock cheek by jowl with modern speedboats, their decks piled with green coconuts and sacks of cement. You’ll find the historic Pasar Sentral market at the foot of the hill, a chaotic warren of tin-roofed stalls. Arrive by 6 a.m. to watch traders auction ikan cakalang (skipjack tuna) as the morning light turns the bay into a mirror. The streets become quieter by 10 a.m. as the heat builds, but the waterfront promenade—renovated in 2018—is where families promenade in the late afternoon, eating pisang epe (grilled pressed bananas) drizzled with palm sugar.

Mandonga – The Hilltop Haunt

Climb the steep, winding road to Mandonga, the government and university district that spreads across the ridge above the bay. This neighborhood feels like a different country: wide avenues lined with ketapang trees, pastel-colored villas built by mining executives, and the grand neoclassical facade of the Provincial Governor’s Office (Gedung Gubernuran). Students from Halu Oleo University spill out of photocopy shops and warung kopi on Jalan H. E. A. Mokodompit. For the best panoramic view of the bay, walk to the Taman Hutan Raya (Great Forest Park) at sunset—you’ll share the lookout with sweethearts and selfie-taking teenagers. Mandonga’s relative coolness makes it the most comfortable place to stay if you’re sensitive to tropical heat, though you trade that for traffic noise during rush hours.

Bungkutoko Island – The Bridge Side

Cross the Kendari Bay Bridge to Bungkutoko Island, a once-isolated fishing community now linked to the mainland by a five-minute drive. The island retains a village atmosphere: unpaved lanes, communal mosques, and open-sided lapau where men cluster around chessboards. But the bridge has unleashed change—you will spot piles of construction sand and new two-story houses painted turquoise or pink. The real draw here is the Pulau Bungkutoko Seafood Market, which operates from 4 a.m. to noon. Locals recommend buying fresh udang windu (tiger prawns) and having them grilled at one of the simple bamboo stalls on the beach for a fee of about IDR 20,000 (less than $1.50). Seasoned travelers skip the mainland hotels on weekends and rent a basic homestay on Bungkutoko for IDR 150,000 a night to wake up to the sound of oars dipping into the bay.

The Local Table: What Denizens Actually Eat

Clock Monument in Mandonga, Kendari, South East Sulawesi, Indonesia., Kendari, Indonesia

Kendari’s cuisine is a revelation because it sidesteps the familiar Javanese and Balinese dishes that dominate Indonesian restaurant menus abroad. The foundational ingredient is sagu—sago starch harvested from the rumbia palm that grows abundantly in the swamps of Southeast Sulawesi. Locals shape it into kapurung (sago pearls cooked into a thick, gluey porridge) or kasuami (steamed sago blocks that taste like a cross between polenta and mochi). You’ll likely encounter kasuami as a side to ikan bakar (grilled fish)—the city’s ultimate comfort food.

Head to RM Mama Efi, a legendary family-run warung on Jalan Suprapto that has been serving the same recipes since 1987. The dish you must order is sinonggi, a Tolaki sour soup made with fish, tamarind, and the aromatic leaves of the kumis kucing (cat’s whiskers) plant. It arrives steaming in a clay bowl, the broth a pale green from the herbs, loaded with chunks of kakap merah (red snapper). Locals recommend ladling the soup over a mound of kasuami and adding a squeeze of calamansi. Expect to pay about IDR 30,000 for a full meal. For a street-level experience, visit Pasar Senggol (the night market) after 8 p.m. on Jalan Kartini, where vendors fry pisang goreng khas Kendari—banana fritters stuffed with grated coconut and brown sugar—over sizzling woks. The market is a swirling, smoky carnival of grilled seafood, sweet iced tea, and the happy chaos of families eating on plastic stools.

What surprises you first is the relative absence of the heavy coconut milk you find in Padang cuisine or the fiery sambal of Java. Instead, Kendari’s food is bright, sour, and herbal, relying on tamarind, lemongrass, and the pucker of belimbing wuluh (starfruit). The city’s Muslim majority means pork is rare, but you’ll find excellent sate pusut—skewered goat meat seasoned with coriander and grilled over charcoal. Savvy visitors always carry a small bottle of kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) in their bag, as many stallkeepers assume foreigners prefer a less sweet palate.

Art, Music & Nightlife

Kendari’s cultural pulse beats strongest during the annual Festival Teluk Kendari (Kendari Bay Festival), held every November since 2012. For one week, the waterfront becomes a stage: traditional Lulo dancers in gold-brocade sarongs perform the Tolaki circle dance, accompanied by the thrum of gandang (drums) and suling (bamboo flutes). You can join the dance—the steps are simple, and locals will pull you into the ring with wide smiles. The festival also features a pinisi parade, where old schooners are decorated with lights and flowers, and a food bazaar where you can sample bagar ombo (grilled stingray) and es campur khas Kendari—shaved ice with jackfruit, tapioca pearls, and condensed milk.

For a quieter evening, visit Kedai Seni Lulo, a modest art space on Jalan Saranani. Housed in a converted wooden stilt house, the gallery walls display paintings by local artists that interpret the bay in vivid blues and emerald greens. Most nights, there is live acoustic music—usually Tolaki folk songs reinterpreted with a guitar and a gentle beat. The owner, Pak Rasyd, will serve you a cup of kopi pala (nutmeg-spiked coffee) and talk for hours about the city’s disappearing oral traditions. Nightlife beyond the festival is low-key: a handful of rooftop bars near the Bay Bridge complex, such as Kopi Halu, draw young professionals for Bintang beer and sunset views. Clubbing is virtually nonexistent; instead, the city winds down by 10 p.m., and your best bet for a late evening is a long, slow dinner at a seafood warung on Bungkutoko, where the gentle slap of waves takes the place of bass speakers.

Practical Guide

• Getting There: Haluoleo Airport (KDI) is served by Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, and Wings Air with direct flights from Makassar (1 hour) and Jakarta (2.5 hours). Book well in advance on Skyscanner as fares spike during the November festival.
• Getting Around: Bentor (three-wheeled motorbike taxis) cost IDR 10,000–15,000 for short hops within the city. For the hilltop neighborhoods like Mandonga, add IDR 5,000. A ride to Bungkutoko Island from Kendari Bawah via the bridge costs about IDR 30,000. Uber and Grab are not available; negotiate before you board.
• Where to Stay: For convenience and bay views, book the Claro Hotel Kendari (from IDR 500,000) near the bridge entrance. For authenticity, rent a homestay on Bungkutoko Island (search “homestay Bungkutoko” on Booking.com). Mandonga offers mid-range options like Swiss-Belhotel Kendari (from IDR 400,000).
• Best Time: April to June and October to December are dry and sunny. Avoid January–March, when monsoons flood the bay-side roads and afternoon downpours are relentless. The November festival is ideal but expect accommodation to be booked months ahead.
• Budget: A shoestring traveler can survive on IDR 200,000–300,000 per day (street food, bentor rides, basic homestay). Midrange travelers should budget IDR 600,000–800,000 daily (hotel, warung meals, taxi hires). Budge an extra IDR 200,000 for seafood feasts.

White cat with kittens, Kendari, Indonesia

What Surprises First-Time Visitors

The first surprise is the quiet. For a provincial capital of over 350,000 people, Kendari is remarkably free of the honking, sputtering traffic that defines cities like Makassar or Surabaya. Yes, there are bentors, but they’re quieter, their drivers rarely aggressive. The bay acts as a natural sound absorber, and if you walk along Jalan Sam Ratulangi at dusk, what you’ll hear is the splash of fish, the creak of boat lines, and the laughter of children jumping off a wooden pier. Visitors often say they feel as if they’ve arrived somewhere that hasn’t yet learned to rush.

The second surprise is the friendliness—but not the pushy kind. In Kendari, you will be greeted with a gentle nod and a soft “Mau ke mana?” (Where are you going?), which is not an interrogation but a casual greeting. Strangers will offer to guide you to a good sate pusut stall, then refuse any reward. The Tolaki social code emphasizes malu (shame/respect), so you will rarely be pestered to buy things. Locals recommend that you return the respect by dressing modestly—covered shoulders and knees—especially when entering markets or visiting village areas on Bungkutoko.

The third surprise is that the city’s most famous attraction—Kendari Bay—is not a “sightseeing” spot in the usual sense. There is no grand boardwalk café strip, no jet ski rentals. The bay is simply used: for washing kapal boats, for baptisms at the nearby Protestant church, for evening swims by boys who tie a rope to a bamboo raft. You will find yourself sitting on a dock for an hour, doing nothing, and feeling that it’s the most productive thing you’ve done all trip. That is Kendari’s ultimate gift.

Your Kendari Questions

White cat eating on green bowl, Kendari, Indonesia

Is Kendari safe for solo travelers, especially women? Yes, but with standard precautions. The city has a low violent crime rate, and most locals are genuinely helpful. Women traveling alone should avoid walking along the dark, unlit sections of the waterfront after 10 p.m., as the dock areas can attract drunk fishermen. Stick to the main roads (Jalan Sam Ratulangi, Jalan Kartini) and use a bentor for short distances. The local police post at the Bay Bridge entrance is staffed 24/7 and happy to assist.

What language do I need to know? Do people speak English? English is not widely spoken outside the university and a few hotels. You will get by with basic Indonesian phrases like “Berapa harganya?” (How much?) and “Saya mau makan ikan bakar” (I want to eat grilled fish). Download the Google Translate app with Indonesian offline pack. Carrying a small notebook for scribbling prices helps. Many older vendors speak a mix of Tolaki and Indonesian; a smile and a nod go a long way.