Island Retreat was
created in l998 with love, and built
entirely of local natural materials,
using local village carpenters, with
the aim of being eco-friendly and in
harmony with the surrounding forest,
mangrove, beach, and sea. All our
staff are local islanders
representing the three major
indigenous groups of the Togian
Islands. The snorkeling is
beautiful right from the beach or
from our long jetty, and we also
offer boat snorkeling trips. We are
also a Padi Dive Resort and there
are about 20 dive sites within 35
minutes of the retreat.
We are located on 11 acres of
primary forest and a 400 meter long
white sand beach, though we offer
only 10 cottages to guests in order
to preserve the natural environment.
All our spacious cottages have a
panoramic view of the sea and only 3
meters from our beach. Because
we are close to the equator, our
sunsets are spectacular. Guided
jungle walks, canoeing,
village cultural tours, and rental
of paddle boards, are also
available. We welcome families,
non-divers, couples, singles, groups
- who yearn for a place where Nature
is still pristine, where the call of
night birds and the whisper of the
sea can lull you to sleep.
We
are located in the Togian Islands of
Central Sulawesi on the westernmost
part of the island of Batudaka.
Island Retreat is surrounded by sea,
a white sand beach, mangrove, and
rainforest. The equator lies
30 kilometers north of us, and to
the west, between Sulawesi and
Borneo, is the Wallace Line, which
divides the New and Old Worlds,
defined by their flora and
fauna. Some endemic species of
the Togian Islands are endangered
wildlife, such as the coconut crab,
the dugong, and the marsupial kuskus
bear.
When you visit us at Island
Retreat, you will find one of the
last untouched places in the
world. Within 20 to 40 minutes
from the Retreat, you will find the
3 major reef formations – fringing,
barrier, and atoll reefs. It
is rare to come across all three
formations in one area. The
Togian Islands are known for this
uniqueness. There are over 300
species of coral, some yet to be
classified, and a wonderful
diversity of life and color in the
underwater realm. Along with
great diving and snorkeling in the
warm, turquoise waters, the wildlife
is very diverse. Hardwood
forests shelter beautiful birds of
different species and other
interesting inhabitants of the
forest and mangroves and sky
We may not be so
easy to get to, but our isolation
helps to preserve the uniqueness of
the Togian Islands and its sea,
forests, and wildlife.