Everything that mattered, next to the bag that kept it dry.
On my first trip, in July 2024, I learned more about cash and signal in the Togeans than about anything else, mostly by getting them wrong. I'd assumed I would be able to top up cash somewhere in the islands and that I'd have at least some signal most of the time. I was wrong about the first and only half right about the second.
Cash
Bring all the cash you'll need from the mainland. I can't put it more plainly than that. I didn't find a cash machine anywhere in the islands that I could rely on [TODO: verify whether Wakai now has a working ATM], and paying by card wasn't an option anywhere I stayed or ate. The last places I used ATMs were Luwuk and Ampana [TODO: verify ATM availability in Ampana].
How much to bring
I'm not going to give a figure, because prices change and every trip is different [TODO: add a rough daily budget once verified]. What I'd do instead is add up the accommodation, which was most of my spending, then the boat transfers, then a margin for trips you decide to take once you're there. Then add a bit more. Most places I stayed included meals in the nightly rate, which made the arithmetic easier.
The thing I underestimated was boats. Every move between islands costs money, and so does every snorkelling or diving trip. If you split a boat with other guests it gets cheaper, but you can't count on there being anyone to split it with.
Small notes
Bring a good share of your cash in small notes. Change was hard to come by everywhere I went, and on a small island nobody wants to break a large note for a drink. I kept one wallet for small notes and the rest in a dry bag at the bottom of my pack.
Keep your cash dry. Small boats are wet, and a soaked bundle of notes takes a long time to dry on a veranda. I learned that one on the transfer out of Wakai.
Signal
Signal in the Togeans was better than I'd feared and worse than I'd hoped. Around Wakai I had a usable connection most of the time [TODO: verify current coverage and which networks work best]. On the islands it varied from place to place, and sometimes from one end of a beach to the other. Where I stayed on Kadidiri there was one spot near the dining area where messages would go through if you stood still [TODO: verify]. Further out, I had nothing for days at a time.
I'd plan as if you'll be offline for the whole time you're on the islands, and treat any signal you get as a bonus. That means sorting out anything important before you leave the mainland. Before leaving Ampana, I would now do these things:
- Download offline maps for the whole area, and save whatever ferry information you have [TODO: verify where current schedules are published].
- Message the places you are staying with your arrival date, and get a reply before you board.
- Tell someone at home you'll be out of contact, and for how long.
- Buy a local SIM card on the mainland if you haven't already [TODO: verify which network has the best coverage in the islands].
- Download books, podcasts and anything else you'll want in the evenings.
Power
Power goes on the same list as signal: things you can't count on. Most places I stayed ran a generator for a few hours in the evening [TODO: verify typical power hours]. I charged everything at dinner and used a power bank the rest of the time. I'd brought a laptop with the idea of doing some work in the evenings. I tried for two days, gave up, and carried it around unused for the rest of the trip. Next time it stays on the mainland.
What I wish I'd packed
- More cash than I thought I'd need, much of it in small notes.
- A dry bag big enough for a phone, a wallet and a camera.
- A power bank, charged before every boat.
- A head torch. Paths between bungalows and the dining area are dark once the generator goes off.
- Reef-safe sun cream, bought on the mainland.
- A basic first-aid kit, including something for coral cuts.
- A paperback, for when the power bank runs out.
Since I wrote this, we've added more on the practical side. The order I'd do the crossing in is in Ampana to Kadidiri, and Wahyu's ten-day Togean itinerary shows where to leave spare days for the boats.
