Chapter 9 - Jellyfish, Jungle Trails & the Best Sunset in Togean

Chapter 9 - Jellyfish, Jungle Trails & the Best Sunset in Togean

The morning started with mixed feelings.

We were excited because today we were heading to another island, but at the same time, it meant saying goodbye to Poya Lisa.

The previous night had been... interesting.

The electricity disappeared exactly as scheduled, and the mosquitoes decided it was their dinner time. Every now and then we woke up, switched on the torch, and declared war on another mosquito. I think they won the battle, but we definitely didn't surrender!

Out of curiosity, the first thing I checked after waking up was the power supply.

As expected...

No electricity.

Welcome back to island life.

Today's destination was Bolilanga Resort, where we would spend the next two nights.

Goodbye, Marco... Until We Meet Again

At breakfast we met Marco one last time.

He was staying at Poya Lisa for a few more days, happily enjoying his books, sea swims and slow island life.

We exchanged our remaining travel plans, wished each other safe travels, and promised to meet again somewhere in this small world.

After breakfast, Wati and Agunk were already waiting near the dock.

This time, we had a private boat for the rest of our island hopping adventure.

Luxury level: Togean Edition.

Before boarding, I looked down one last time at the hundreds of colourful fish swimming around the dock.

"Take care, guys," I told them silently.

"Stay away from hungry groupers... and overenthusiastic tourists."

With that, we waved goodbye to the staff and slowly sailed away from one of the most peaceful places we'd ever stayed.

Sailing Through Paradise

The sea looked like polished glass.

Not a ripple.

Not a wave.

Just endless shades of blue.

As we sailed between tiny islands, every few minutes the scenery changed.

Some islands were covered with thick forests.

Others were nothing more than giant rocks with trees somehow growing on top.

Tiny fishing villages appeared every now and then.

Fishermen quietly cast their nets, completely unbothered by the outside world.

Crystal-clear lagoons suddenly changed into deep navy-blue water.

Hidden caves could be seen in the cliffs, many of them completely unexplored.

At that point, Google Maps officially retired.

Out here...

The boat captain was Google Maps.

And Google Maps probably needed directions from him.

Karina Beach – A Slice of Heaven

After nearly ninety minutes, we arrived at Karina Beach.

The first thing we noticed?

The sand.

Pure white.

Soft.

Almost unreal.

Snorkelling gear on.

Masks ready.

Within seconds, we were in the water.

The sea was so clear that honestly, the snorkelling mask wasn't even necessary.

There weren't many fish around, but that wasn't the attraction here.

This beach was all about soaking in nature.

No crowds.

No beach clubs.

No loud music.

Just turquoise water and complete peace.

We spent around half an hour floating around before climbing back onto the boat.

Our next destination was only a few minutes away.

And it was something we'd been incredibly excited about.

Welcome to Jellyfish Lake!

Now this...

...was magical.

Hidden beside the beach is an ancient marine lake that's home to thousands of stingless jellyfish.

Unlike the jellyfish we all fear in the ocean, these have evolved without predators over thousands of years.

Which means...

They're completely safe to swim with.

If someone had told me earlier that one day I'd willingly jump into a lake full of jellyfish...

I'd probably have laughed.

But here we were.

Already wearing our snorkelling gear.

Ready.

The lake was unbelievably calm.

No waves.

No sound.

Only nature.

The moment we entered the water, we spotted one jellyfish.

Then another.

Then twenty.

More and more.

Every direction we looked...

Jellyfish.

Some were transparent.

Some had a soft golden glow.

Others carried beautiful shades of orange.

They slowly pulsed through the water, shrinking and expanding as if they were dancing.

Occasionally one floated right beside us, almost posing for photographs.

I tried capturing videos.

But honestly...

Some experiences simply refuse to fit inside a camera.

Reality was breathtaking.

Since we had the lake almost entirely to ourselves, we took our own sweet time.

No rush.

No queues.

No "Move aside for the next group."

Just us...

...and thousands of gentle jellyfish.

Eventually we climbed back onto the wooden pathway.

Still smiling.

Still trying to process what we'd just experienced.

One of the most unique swims of our lives.

Hello, Bolilanga!

Dark clouds suddenly appeared in the distance as we continued our journey.

A few days earlier we would've worried.

Now?

Not anymore.

We had already learned Sulawesi's weather pattern.

Heavy rain.

Short duration.

Repeat.

Around thirty minutes later, we reached our next home.

Bolilanga Resort.

This island was noticeably bigger than Poya Lisa.

The staff welcomed us warmly and showed us to our cottage.

Lunch would be ready in ten minutes.

Perfect timing.

While walking to the room, I asked one very important question.

"Electricity?"

Wati looked at me and smiled.

"Same schedule."

Right.

Of course.

Five in the evening until ten at night.

I didn't even argue anymore.

Acceptance had officially arrived.

The good news?

There was Wi-Fi.

But only when electricity was available.

That felt like receiving bonus marks in an exam.

Coral Gardens and Our New Tour Guide

Lunch was another feast of freshly cooked fish.

At this point, we had completely forgotten chicken even existed.

After lunch we decided to explore the island.

A long wooden dock stretched almost a hundred metres into the sea.

Halfway along it were little seating areas with cushions where guests could simply sit and watch the ocean.

Now let me introduce another important resident of Bolilanga.

Samba.

One of the island dogs.

Friendly.

Gentle.

Professional tour guide.

The moment we started walking...

Samba joined us.

No invitation required.

Looking down from the dock, we could see one of the most beautiful coral gardens we'd encountered.

Bright corals (pictures doesn't justify).

Schools of colourful fish.

Tiny fish moving together like perfectly synchronised dancers.

Every now and then a larger predator would appear, sending hundreds of smaller fish darting in every direction.

Nature's version of an action movie.

Meanwhile Samba quietly stood beside us, probably thinking,

"You humans are getting excited over something I see every single day."

Into the Jungle

Near the resort we spotted a sign that read:

Forest Trail.

Naturally...

We followed it.

The path immediately became steep.

Thankfully, a thick rope had been fixed along the climb because the ground becomes incredibly slippery after rain.

Our guide, Samba, confidently marched ahead.

Every few minutes he looked back.

If we weren't following fast enough...

He actually came back to check on us.

Best guide ever.

The trail soon disappeared beneath towering tropical trees.

The sounds of birds echoed everywhere.

Tiny shiny lizards darted across the path.

Not giant iguanas.

Just small, colourful forest residents.

At one point we heard a strange bird call.

We searched the trees.

My wife managed to spot a hornbill flying between branches.

I looked in the exact same direction...

...and still couldn't find it.

Story of my wildlife photography career.

We continued walking until sunlight suddenly appeared ahead.

That could only mean one thing.

The viewpoint.

And what a viewpoint it was.

A full 180-degree panorama of endless deep-blue ocean.

No buildings.

No boats.

Just sea meeting the sky.

There were simple wooden benches overlooking the view.

We sat there in complete silence.

Sometimes...

The best conversations happen without speaking.

Sunset... and a Turtle Surprise

We eventually made our way back down, once again relying heavily on the safety rope.

Coming down slippery slopes is far more difficult than climbing them.

Our knees were extremely grateful.

As we reached the resort, one of the staff casually mentioned,

"A turtle comes here almost every afternoon around four o'clock to feed near the coral garden."

Wait...

What?

Apparently we'd missed it by less than an hour.

Decision made.

Tomorrow we were definitely coming back.

No negotiations.

The Best Sunset of the Trip

We returned to the dock just before sunset.

Without question...

This became our favourite sunset of the entire trip.

Golden light spread across the calm sea.

The sky slowly changed from orange to pink, then purple.

Samba quietly sat beside us like he'd been posing for travel brochures his entire life.

Other guests slowly joined us.

One couple confirmed they had indeed seen the famous turtle earlier that afternoon.

Now we were even more determined.

Tomorrow...

Mission Turtle.

Dinner Conversations

Dinner was served after seven.

By now, electricity had returned, and so had everyone else.

The dining area became a place where complete strangers turned into friends.

We spent hours chatting with Wati and Agunk.

Listening to stories from years of guiding travellers across Indonesia.

Local traditions.

Balinese dances.

Life in Jakarta.

Funny travel incidents.

The owner of Bolilanga joined us too, sharing his vision of making this island an even better destination while preserving its natural beauty.

Then came another surprise.

"The Wi-Fi is available now."

Curious, I connected.

Service provider?

Starlink.

I couldn't help smiling.

Here we were on a tiny remote island with only five hours of electricity every day...

...yet connected to the internet through satellites orbiting above us.

Technology really is incredible.

The evening disappeared into stories, laughter and conversations with people we'd only met a few hours earlier.

One of the best things about travelling is this.

You meet strangers.

By dinner...

They already feel like friends.

Visitors at the Cottage

After dinner we slowly walked back to our cottage.

One important lesson we learned on island life...

Always carry a torch after dark.

Mosquitoes aren't the only ones waiting outside.

There were tiny crabs.

Friendly lizards.

And plenty of other curious visitors who apparently wanted to check into our room before we did.

"Not today, guys," I laughed while gently encouraging them to stay outside.

Thanks to Starlink, we managed to send a quick message home.

"All good. We've reached another island safely."

Mission accomplished.

Now there was only one task left.

Sleep before ten o'clock...

...because once the electricity disappeared again, so would our faithful little fan.

Tomorrow promised another adventure.

And hopefully...

A turtle would finally make an appearance.