All those transitions in one day - island to floating village to Jago's place to the city - how does your body even know what timezone it is at that point?
Untold Miles - Chapter 11 – Goodbye Togean, Hello Luwuk: Meeting a Living Legend
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Chapter — Goodbye Togean, Hello Luwuk: Meeting a Living Legend
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All those transitions in one day - island to floating village to Jago's place to the city - how does your body even know what timezone it is at that point?
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Chapter 11 – Goodbye Togean, Hello Luwuk: Meeting a Living Legend
Today was the day we had to say goodbye to Togean.
Three nights and four days had gone by so quickly that it honestly felt like we had just arrived. We had got used to the slow island life, the limited electricity, the sea, the sunsets, the amazing food, and of course, our new friends.
But today, we were heading back to Luwuk — and before leaving Togean completely, we had one more special place to visit.
One Last Walk Around the Island
We woke up early and decided to take one final walk around Bolilanga.
We walked across the island, took a few pictures and, of course, made our way back to our favourite sunset spot at the dock.
There was something special about knowing that we might never come back here again.
The same place where we had watched the sunset, snorkelled, waited patiently for the turtle, watched the fishes doing their underwater gymnastics and simply sat doing absolutely nothing.
And somehow, doing nothing had become one of the best parts of the trip.
We said goodbye to the island, knowing we were carrying back a lot more than just photographs — memories, stories and a few new friendships.
The boat was ready around 8 AM.
We said goodbye to the staff, thanked everyone for their wonderful hospitality and boarded the boat.
No swimming today, so we were dressed appropriately for the journey. 😄
Our Last Boat Ride in Togean
The boat slowly moved away from Bolilanga.
The sea was incredibly calm, almost like a giant mirror.
And yes...
I was still secretly looking for dolphins.
At this point, it had become a personal mission.
Nothing.
Not even a tiny fin.
But I kept looking anyway. 😂
On the way, we saw several fishing boats carrying people from the villages. I noticed something interesting about some of the women — their faces had a slightly unusual colour, almost as if they had applied some kind of cream or powder.
Naturally, curiosity kicked in.
I asked Wati.
She explained that the women make a special herbal powder and apply it to their faces during the day. It helps protect the skin from the strong sun and has medicinal properties as well.
And then came the next sentence:
“When we reach the village, they will put it on your wife.”
I looked at my wife.
She looked at me.
Okay... apparently this was happening. 😄
Welcome to the Floating Village
After around 40 minutes, we reached the floating village.
The route itself was fascinating. It almost looked like a backwater system, except this wasn't really a backwater. We were navigating through the sea, surrounded by small islands and villages.
This village was noticeably bigger than the ones we had seen earlier.
There were scooters moving around, plenty of houses and quite a large population. I remember hearing that around 5,000 people live across these floating villages.
As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by curious little faces.
A few children started following us, smiling and watching these two strange tourists walking through their village.
We smiled back.
Communication?
Almost impossible.
Smiles?
Universal language. 😊
There was also a small Sunday market area. We could see cloves spread out for drying, small shops and people going about their daily routines.
And then we were heading towards the person we had come to meet.
Meeting a Living Legend
Wati told us we were going to meet someone special.
His name is Jago.
He is known as a legendary maritime nomad and is famous for his extraordinary free-diving abilities.
He was known to dive extremely deep using simple wooden goggles and hold his breath for several minutes.
Basically, things that make ordinary people like us question whether we were even designed correctly. 😂
We finally met him.
He was already in his 80s.
He was sitting there making wooden goggles.
From our conversation, we understood that he no longer goes out to sea like he used to. But his legacy continues through his son and the younger generation of free divers from the village.
His underwater hunting skills are incredible.
The divers can remain underwater, sitting quietly around the coral, waiting for fish to come close. Once the opportunity comes, they move quickly to catch the fish.
There have been documentaries made about these incredible divers, and after meeting Jago, I could understand why.
We took a few photographs with him.
It felt very special.
Not because we had met a famous person in the usual sense, but because we had met someone whose entire life was connected to the sea.
The Herbal Face Powder Experience
And then came the moment Wati had promised.
Jago's granddaughter was there and asked if my wife wanted to try the herbal powder.
Of course, she said yes.
The powder was applied to her face and apparently gave a very cooling sensation under the hot sun.
She was absolutely thrilled.
I, meanwhile, was happily standing there watching the whole process.
Some experiences are meant to be enjoyed.
Some are meant to be photographed.
And some are meant to be experienced with your wife while you stand safely outside the herbal powder department. 😄
We thanked everyone and said goodbye.
I genuinely hope that the world continues to discover these communities and that tourism can help improve their lives without disturbing their traditions and way of living.
Goodbye, Togean
This was our final destination in the Togean Islands.
We had spent four unforgettable days moving from island to island, meeting people, swimming with jellyfish, discovering coral reefs, watching turtles, chasing sunsets and learning to live without constant electricity and internet.
Now it was time to leave.
Our next destination was Bunta, about two hours away by boat.
We took a few final pictures with the smiling children and boarded the boat.
The journey was going to be long, so most people pulled down the blinds to escape the sun and took a nap.
I?
Still looking at the sea.
Still on dolphin duty.
Still unsuccessful. 😂
After around two hours, we reached Bunta.
We thanked the boatman and navigator who had safely taken us around the islands for the last few days.
It was time to say goodbye to the sea.
At least for now.
And Yes... There Was Durian
While we were waiting for the car, Agunk suddenly appeared with his favourite travel companion.
Durian.
Of course.
At this point, I had stopped being surprised.
He bought several durians from the village and, since we had around 30 minutes to wait, he started opening them and sharing them with everyone around.
Agunk and durian.
A love story that deserves its own chapter. 😂
Back to Luwuk
The drive from Bunta to Luwuk was around two and a half hours.
It was the same road we had travelled earlier when we first came from Luwuk towards Ampana.
We stopped at a restaurant along the way for lunch and then continued towards Luwuk.
The next five days were going to be completely different.
No more island hopping.
No more boat journeys every morning.
We had two nights booked at 88Happy Homestay followed by three nights at Swiss-Belhotel Luwuk.
By around 3:30 PM, we reached the homestay.
We met Ikka, the owner, who works with the tourism department. She welcomed us warmly.
Wati and Agunk also joined us for a quick coffee.
And then came the moment none of us really wanted.
It was time to say goodbye.
Goodbye, Wati and Agunk
When we first met Wati and Agunk, they were simply our guide and driver.
Four days later, they felt more like family.
They had taken care of us, arranged boats, helped us communicate, introduced us to people, shared stories and made the whole Togean experience incredibly easy.
We took some pictures together and promised to stay in touch.
We even told them that if they ever came to India, they would have friends here.
I genuinely hope that one day they do.
Sometimes travel gives you beautiful places.
Sometimes it gives you beautiful memories.
And sometimes, it gives you people.
Wati and Agunk definitely belong in the third category.
Exploring Luwuk on Two Wheels
I had already arranged a bike for the next few days in Luwuk.
The young guy who brought the bike was named Iqual.
Since it was already evening, we decided to take the bike out, fill up the fuel, get a feel for the city and, of course, find some fruits.
Our first stop was the famous 5 Kilo Beach.
There were quite a few people around — some learning to swim, some enjoying food from the small eateries and others simply sitting by the sea enjoying the evening.
We spent some time there and picked up some fish cakes from a small vendor selling them from a bike.
Then we decided to head towards a viewpoint.
It was actually a restaurant located on a hill overlooking Luwuk.
By the time we reached there, it was around 7 PM.
We weren't hungry, so we simply ordered a juice and found ourselves a good spot overlooking the city.
And what a view!
The city lights below, the endless sea stretching into the distance and the cool evening breeze made it the perfect introduction to Luwuk.
We sat there for a while, enjoying the view without rushing anywhere.
After all those days of boats, beaches and islands, it felt good to just sit and watch a city from above.
One Last Stop — Mangosteen!
On our way back to the homestay, we passed by some fruit markets near Luwuk port.
And there it was.
Mangosteen.
We are big-time fans.
There was absolutely no discussion required.
We bought a kilo to enjoy the next day.
Because apparently, every day of this trip needed to end with some kind of fruit story. 😄
We finally headed back to the homestay.
The Togean chapter was officially over.
But something told us that Luwuk wasn't going to be quiet either.
The terrain was changing.
The islands were behind us.
And from tomorrow...
Waterfalls.
Lots of them.
The next adventure was already waiting.
Thoughts
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Still on dolphin duty, still unsuccessful. The commitment to a bit made me smile.
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What was the thing that made Jago's face light up most - was it the diving stories or the woodworking or something else?
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I'm sitting with the fact that they asked you to come to India and you meant it. That's not a travel story, that's something that actually changed.
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The agunk-and-durian subplot running through everything is honestly the glue holding this whole trip together. More real than the waterfalls.
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All those transitions in one day - island to floating village to Jago's place to the city - how does your body even know what timezone it is at that point?
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The herbal powder detail got me. Your wife was thrilled and you just stood there documenting it. Very you.
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Is Jago still diving much these days or has it all become the woodworking now?
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The way Wati and Agunk went from guide and driver to family in four days, that's the thing about travel nobody talks enough about.