Travelling by "bentor"

I give you the "bentor" - an invention unique to the Gorontalo region of North Sulawesi, and the popular means of getting around from A to B.

The motor tricycles are created from sawing a motorbike in two, and then attaching the handlebars to the two-wheeled cab with the bike part pushing from behind. There is space for two (or three if you squeeze), complete with a rain shield that folds down from the roof. Going rates are around Rp 5,000 per person, but negotiable up or down
to depending on distance.

We rented one for 4 hours this morning for a Rp 100,000 (~£7) to take us 20km out into the countryside to a national park, where we ended up going on a rather arduous jungle trek (having been given the impression it was an easy 3km walk) up a river valley to 'swim' at the foot of a waterfall. There was a waterfall, but the pool was about the size of a large bath tub, and we had to wade across the river five times get there. Still, was nice to get back to nature and all that...

And of course we wouldn't have had the pleasure for the bentor ride. It is defiantly the way to travel. You slowly chug along at around 20kph while enjoying a cool breeze and watching the world go by, with cries of "halo mister!" ringing out from left and right, and memorable looks of astonishment when people realise two foreigners are passing by.

After this morning's excursion, we caught our flight back to Jakarta, having had a great 5 days in Gorontalo - a place that is definitely still off the tourist trail, but warrants greater attention and has truly world class diving along its coast.