Asik OriginalFrom
$230
Labengki & Sombori, Southeast Sulawesi
Labengki & Sombori 3D2N: Karst Lagoons and Island Hopping
3 Days 2 NightsSmall groups
island · Labengki & Sombori
Mahitala / Mahoro Island
A small white-sand islet for a swim and a break between the karst viewpoints.
At a glance
- Entry fee
- No gate. The cost is the boat.
- Opening hours
- Tide-governed. Around low to mid tide the sand bar is at its widest and best for lounging.
- Time needed
- An hour, as a break between the karst viewpoints.
About Mahitala / Mahoro Island
Mahitala, also referred to as Mahoro, is a small white-sand islet in the Labengki and Sombori chain, the kind of low sandy spot that contrasts with all the tall grey karst around it. The sand is pale and soft, the water shallow and warm, and it makes an easy place to swim, dry off and eat lunch.
The naming is inconsistent. Mahitala also appears attached to a tall cliff viewpoint of around 200 metres in the same area, so you may see the word used for both a beach and a clifftop, and Mahoro is the name some operators prefer for the white-sand islet. Ask your guide which one your itinerary means.
There are no shops or facilities, just sand, sea and a bit of shade, so it is a stop rather than a destination in itself.
Getting there
It is reached only by boat as part of an island-hopping day on a multi-day trip. Trips generally start from Kendari (a 40 minute drive to Tanasa Port, then about one hour by speedboat or two and a half hours by wooden boat), with some running from the Morowali and Bungku side; either way it is several hours by boat to reach the islands. The islet is a short hop between other stops once you are in the area.
Best time
Around low to mid tide the sand bar is at its widest and best for lounging. Dry-season days, roughly April to November, bring the calmest water for swimming and the clearest skies.
Good to know
Bring everything you need, including water, sun cover and any snacks, because there is nothing on the islet. Take all rubbish back to the boat, and pack reef-safe sunscreen since you will likely snorkel or swim straight off the sand.
Labengki & Sombori
Things to do at Mahitala / Mahoro Island
01
Swim off the sand bar
A small white-sand islet, best at low to mid tide when the bar is widest.
02
Snorkel straight off the beach
Pack reef-safe sunscreen, since you will likely be in the water within a minute of landing.
03
Check which island your itinerary means
Mahitala and Mahoro get used interchangeably by different operators, so ask your guide.
04
Take everything back to the boat
There is no collection out here and nobody else to do it.
Labengki & Sombori
Tours that include this
Good to know
Mahitala / Mahoro Island FAQs
Is it called Mahitala or Mahoro?+
You will hear both, and usage varies between operators. Mahoro is often used for the white-sand islet, while Mahitala can also refer to a nearby cliff viewpoint, so confirm with your guide.
Are there any facilities on the island?+
No. It is an undeveloped sandy islet with no shops, toilets or shelter beyond natural shade, so bring your own supplies.
What is there to do here?+
Mainly swimming, relaxing on the sand and a bit of snorkelling off the shallows. It is usually a short, restful break between the bigger viewpoints and caves.
Labengki & Sombori
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