Kotamobagu

Kotamobagu – A haven for nature enthusiasts

Thanks to its surroundings filled with a large cluster of volcanic mountains, the 108.89 square kilometer market city of Kotamobagu in North Sulawesi is a place that has been blessed with panoramic vistas and scenic views of nature. These mountains have also made the area fertile grounds for plants and wildlife to flourish and have also helped to enrich the livelihoods of the city's 127,710 residents. As such, anyone visiting Kotamobagu has plenty to explore in the way of Sulawesi's nature here.

Being a place surrounded by mountains means that you can't afford to miss the views that hiking on nearby mountains like Mt. Ambang can provide. Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park is the place to go for seeing the island's biodiversity. It is the island's most important site for wildlife conservation, housing over 38 different species of butterflies, 200 species of beetles and various different endangered plants throughout its 287,115 hectares. The local Mongkanai and Molipungan waterfalls allow you to bathe in their plunge pools and relax in places with cool, fresh air untouched by city pollution. Those more interested in culture can visit the Bolmong Traditional House. Here you can learn more about the old customs and ways of living for members of the indigenous Bolaang Mongondow peoples. Culture enthusiasts can also go on a pilgrimage to the gravesites of kings like Loloda Mokoagow and Datoe Binangkang at the Ancient Tomb Cultural Site at the city's Upai Village.

The city's economy has grown steadily over the past few years since the pandemic. At the start of COVID-19 in 2020, it barely managed to scrape by with 0.19 percent growth. Since then, it has grown from 4.22 percent in 2021 to 5.15 percent in 2022 and 5.4 percent in 2023. Its Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) at current prices in 2023 stood at Rp 4,798.75 billion, with the biggest contributing industries being public administration and defense (at Rp 806.74 billion or 16.81 percent), wholesale retail and trade (at Rp 773.88 billion or 16.13 percent), and construction (at Rp 612.72 billion or 12.77 percent).