Jakarta (Antarasulteng.com) - Participants of the upcoming international cycling race of Tour de Central Celebes (TdCC) this year will be able to enjoy the leading tourist attractions, consisting of beautiful landscapes, historical, cultural, religious, and prehistoric sites, in the Indonesian province of Central Sulawesi.
Central Sulawesi is rich in natural, maritime, and cultural tourism potential that can make the province a leading tourist destination in Indonesia and abroad.
These natural, marine, cultural, and religious tourism potential, if introduced and promoted optimally, would continue to attract huge number of local and foreign tourists.
In his effort to spread Central Sulawesi's tourism potential worldwide, Governor Longki Djanggola has initiated the TdCC, which will be held from Nov 6 to 8,2017.
Although the TdCC will be the first ever cycling race in Central Sulawesi, Djanggola expressed his hope that the event will develop into a prestigious sports-based tourism event abroad, since it is supported by the enormous potential of natural resources as well as various natural, marine, cultural, and historical tourism attractions.
Some 120 cyclists from 29 countries will participate in the TdCC 2017. During the race, they will enjoy art and cultural performances, traditional culinary delight, and the beautiful scenery of Tomini Bay.
The governor of Central Sulawesi expressed belief that the number of TdCC participants from abroad will increase in the coming years.
Djanggola remarked that the success of the TdCC will be a benchmark for the implementation of a similar international cycling race in 2018 and beyond.
"God willing, I will flag off the participants of TdCC in Ampana, Tojo Unauna district," the governor noted in the provincial city of Palu on Monday.
The TdCC 2017 race will cover a total distance of 486.9 kilometers, crossing the districts of Tojo Unauna, Poso, Parigi Moutong, and Sigi, and the city of Palu.
The cycling race will be divided into three stages, with the first one from the Tojo Unauna district town of Ampana to Tentena at the side of Lake Poso; the second from Poso to Parigi; the third from Parigi to Sigi; and finishing in the city of Palu.
Djanggola has called on the entire community of Central Sulawesi to support the success of the event, so that it can leave a memorable impression and turn out to be an interesting experience for the participants of the cycling race.
"I hope the participants of the cycling race would not feel bored but be eager to explore the entire route and enjoy the beauty of nature and tourism in this province," the governor remarked.
Central Sulawesi is beautiful with its fascinating mountain, lakes, and valleys that can make foreign tourists love every minute of their stay.
This is why, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is determined to promote the valuable assets of the province¿s natural beauty in other countries.
Central Sulawesi Tourism and Creative Economy Office Chief Norma Mardaju has stated that the province has a lot of interesting and unique places for tourists to visit, but the problem was that the road access to those places were yet to be developed for the convenience of tourists.
Tanjung Karang beach in Donggala district, some 37 kilometers northeast of Palu, is also one of the places recommended to tourists.
By travelling about one hour from Pulu city, tourists would find an extremely peaceful spot attached to a beautiful tropical garden and a relaxing atmosphere on the white sandy beach of Tanjung Karang.
A protected coral reef, just off the white sandy beach of Tanjung Karang, would also enable the tourists to explore its magnificent underwater dive spots.
Each year, hundreds of European tourists visit Tanjung Karang beach and Togean Islands in the province, and the number is predicted to keep increasing following the intensive promotion.
Togean Islands, or just the Togeans, is an archipelago of 56 pristine coral and volcanic islands and islets located in the Gulf of Tomini in Central Sulawesi.
The Gulf of Tomini is rich in fish and other marine resources, and is expected to emerge as a popular tourist destination, thanks to its biodiversity and natural beauty.
In addition, the province is famous for its underwater habitat and creatures, such as Gobi Fish (Bryaninops erythrops), Salvador Dali reef (Petrosia lignose), Ikan Behang (Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides), Cardinal Fish, Damsel, Platax pinnatus, Scorpaenopsis, Oxycephala, Goropa Fish, Butterfly Fish, Cockatoo Fish, Randal Fish, Parapterois hetururus, Bothus Sp, Half Face Fish, Frog Fish, and others.
Another major tourist destination in the province is Tojo Una-Una district, a part of Togean Islands, owing to its beautiful underwater park across the Gulf of Tomini.
The Togean Islands, located a few kilometers east of Palu in the Gulf of Tomini, have been named by the government as a national park, with an ecosystem covering an area of 70 thousand hectares.
Togean Islands share similarities with the diving destination of Raja Ampat in West Papua. Both contain many clusters of islands adorned with shady trees, and, of course, their world-famous amazing underwater sights that are reputed to be even more gorgeous than those in Bunaken, North Sulawesi.
The Togean Islands underwater gardens are very beautiful, so much so that they have been acknowledged as a heaven for divers. Its waves, which are not too big, make the islands an even more exciting place to visit.
Most of the islands were formed, thanks to coral formations and fertile soil caused by volcanic activities millions of years ago.
Visitors will see islands densely populated by trees, as well as coral hills poking out here and there. The sights, combined with the blue ocean vista, make for stunning sights.
The coral-walled island clusters, the verdant trees, the luminous sunlight-reflecting white sands, and the clean blue oceans provide a magnificent vista to greet visitors.
