Stand on the waterfront road along Kendari Bay in the late afternoon and the city shows you what it is: a working port town on an inlet of the Banda Sea, with boats crossing to the islands offshore and the Nipa-Nipa hills rising behind the northern districts. The bay has been the reason for the settlement since the fifteenth century, when it appeared on Portuguese charts, and it is still the centre of gravity for anyone passing through.
Kendari is the capital of Southeast Sulawesi and its main gateway, with the province's principal port and airport. It suits travellers who are passing through on the way to elsewhere in the province, or who want a low-key stop to eat well, watch the bay and use the city as a base. This guide covers the places in and around the city that are worth your time, plus how to string them together if you have a single day.
Top things to do in Kendari
1. Kendari Bay
The bay is the defining feature of the city, an inlet from the Banda Sea that the city wraps around. It has been known since the fifteenth century, when it appeared on Portuguese chartered maps, and it remains the working heart of the place, with the province's main port on its shore.
Plan your time here around the water rather than a single viewpoint. The bay is also the natural thing to combine with anything else on this list, since most of the city sits within sight of it.
2. The waterfront and the bay's smaller islands
Several smaller islands around Kendari Bay lie within the city's boundaries, which makes the water itself something you can get out onto rather than just look at. Boats moving between the mainland and these islands are part of the everyday scene on the bay.
If you want to be on the water rather than beside it, this is the way to do it. Keep an eye on the weather and the time of day, since the bay is a working waterway as much as a leisure one.
3. The Nipa-Nipa hills in the north of the city
The northern part of Kendari belongs to the Nipa-Nipa mountain formation, which rises to roughly 450 metres. The city's topography runs from flat coastal ground to hilly country, and the north is where the slopes are steepest.
This is the place to go for elevation and a sense of the city's shape against the bay. Because the northern slopes are the steep ones, treat this as a half-day rather than a quick stop.
4. The port area
Kendari's port is the province's main one, and the city has been an important trade centre because of it. Trade is not a backdrop here; it is the reason the city exists in its current form.
Pair a walk around the port with the bay itself, since the two are the same piece of water. Go when the light is good and you will see the working side of Kendari rather than a staged version of it.
5. Kendari's markets and trade streets
Kendari has been a trading settlement since Bugis and Bajo traders and fishermen settled the villages around the bay in the decades before the 1830s. That trading character has not gone away, and the city remains the economic centre of the province.
Use the markets as your introduction to the city's food and its everyday rhythm. Combine a market visit with a walk along the bay, since the two are close in spirit if not always in distance.
6. The city's places of worship
Islam has been present in the region since the early fifteenth century and was officially embraced by the Kingdom of Konawe during the reign of King Lakidende, who promoted the construction of mosques in each village. That legacy is part of the city's fabric.
Visit respectfully and outside prayer times where you can. This is a good thing to fold into a walk through a neighbourhood rather than a separate trip.
7. Kendari's universities and colleges
Kendari is the educational centre of the province and is home to various universities and colleges. That gives parts of the city a student energy that is easy to miss if you only stay by the water.
Spend an hour or two in the areas around the campuses for cheap food and a different slice of city life. It pairs well with a market visit on the same outing.
8. The city's historical sites from the Konawe period
The Konawe Kingdom, founded in the fifth century by the Tolaki people, ruled the settlement that became Kendari, and its first king, Mokole Roro, ruled between 428 and 447. The kingdom's capital was at Rahambuu, known today as Unaaha, which lies inland from Kendari.
If you have an interest in the region's deeper history, this is the context that makes the city legible. Treat it as background reading before you walk the bay rather than a single site to tick off.
9. The legacy of the 1908 siege and the Laiwoi period
In 1908 Dutch troops besieged Puundombi Fort and Konawe fell, after which Laiwoi moved its capital to Kendari. Armed resistance continued in the region through 1937.
This history explains why Kendari, rather than an older inland centre, became the focus of the area. It is worth knowing before you look at the modern city.
10. The 1942 Battle of Kendari sites
Japanese troops occupied the city after the Battle of Kendari in 1942, and the Dutch garrison surrendered on 27 March. The city later became part of the State of East Indonesia before being incorporated into the Indonesian Republic.
For travellers interested in the Second World War in eastern Indonesia, this is the thread to follow. Read up before you arrive, since the sites are not presented as a formal trail.
11. The city's food, shaped by its trading history
Kendari became a multicultural society during the Islamic period, with merchants from Java, Makassar and Maluku settling in the region, and Bugis and Bajo traders and fishermen settled the villages around the bay in the early nineteenth century. That mix shows up on the plate.
Eat where the traders and students eat, and try what is local rather than what is familiar. The markets and the areas around the campuses are the easiest places to start.
12. The approach to the city by air or sea
Kendari is the province's main gateway, with its principal port and airport. Arriving here is how most visitors begin a trip into Southeast Sulawesi.
If you are using Kendari as a base, build in time on arrival to orient yourself around the bay before heading onward. The city rewards a slow first afternoon.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Kendari Bay, walking the waterfront while the light is still soft and the port is busy. Follow it with a look at the port area itself, which is the reason the city grew where it did.
Afternoon: Head north into the Nipa-Nipa hills for the elevated view back over the city and the bay. On the way back down, stop at a market or one of the areas around the universities and colleges for food.
Evening: Return to the bay for the end of the day, when the water and the boats are at their most active. If you want to be on the water rather than beside it, this is the time to arrange a boat out towards the smaller islands within the city's boundaries.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Kendari?
Kendari is the capital of the Indonesian province of Southeast Sulawesi, on the southeastern part of mainland Sulawesi. It sits on Kendari Bay, an inlet from the Banda Sea, and borders the Konawe Regency to the north and the South Konawe Regency to the south and west.
How do I get to Kendari?
The city is the province's main gateway and has its principal port and airport. Most visitors arrive by air or by sea, and the city is the economic and educational centre of the province.
What is the best way to spend one day in Kendari?
Give the morning to Kendari Bay and the port area, the afternoon to the Nipa-Nipa hills in the north of the city, and the evening back at the bay. Markets and the areas around the universities and colleges fill the gaps for food.
When is a good time to be on the water?
The bay is a working waterway, so the port and the boats are active through the day. Late afternoon is when the waterfront is at its liveliest and the light is best for looking back across the water.
Start with the bay, pick your day around it, and let the rest of Kendari arrange itself from there.