Sail Sangihe 2014 - Events in Sangihe in Indonesia

About 18 yachts were welcomed to Sangihe Island, in Sept. 2014, for the Festival Sangihe, a festival for the islanders and for the visiting sailboats participating in the Sail Sangihe yacht rally. The “Yachties” were treated like honored guests and celebrities. The first evening we were seated on stage for the opening program which included line dancing, a Sangihe favorite. A govt Coast Guard boat took us to a village, which welcomed us with a “brass” band, which was unique because all the instruments are made from a bamboo that grows only on Sangihe. Great lunches made by the locals and traditional demonstrations were the highlight of the Festival. We met the daughter of the Last Raja of Sangihe, saw the production of the original food staple, Sagu (sago) and witnessed the breaking of the Indonesian official record for the most number of different dishes made with sagu. 259. A renowned Indonesian Chef from Jakarta gave a wonderful culinary demonstration and we also enjoyed a lot of natural beauty around the island: beaches, waterfalls, and watching paragliders float off into the sunset from a breathtaking viewpoint. Thanks to all the Festival Sangihe Organizers and the Vice Regent and all govt officials that helped us, especially Mr. Jeffry, Head of Tourism, and Mr. Humphry of ASWINDO.