Jalaluddin Airport

Lajmoli Airport occupies a single 1,500-metre runway carved through jungle on the northern edge of Lajmoli Island, one of the least accessible inhabited islands in Indonesia's Togian group. The terminal is a simple concrete building with a corrugated iron roof, opened in 2008 to provide the archipelago's first scheduled air service. Flights arrive three times a week from Gorontalo, cutting a journey that once took two days by ferry down to just over an hour. For locals and travellers alike, this airstrip is the lifeline to the outside world — a place where the approach over turquoise water and the unobstructed landing strip make for a consistently safe arrival.

Getting There

Lajmoli Airport is reachable only by air from Gorontalo's Djalaluddin Airport (GTO), located on the mainland of Sulawesi. Wings Air operates the route using ATR 72 turboprops, with scheduled departures on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 7:00 am. The flight takes 1 hour 15 minutes and offers window seats with views of the Togian Islands' limestone karsts and coral-fringed lagoons. Return flights leave Lajmoli at 9:00 am on the same days. Fares start at around IDR 400,000 one-way but can double during peak season.

Alternative transport is impractical: the ferry from Gorontalo to the Togian Islands takes 12 to 18 hours, followed by a speedboat connection to Lajmoli that adds another two hours. Most visitors book a package from Gorontalo that includes the flight and accommodation. From the airport, the only way to reach the main village (Lajmoli Village, 5 kilometres southeast) is by pre-arranged motorbike taxi or guesthouse pickup. Expect to pay IDR 50,000 per person for the 15-minute ride on a rough dirt road. There is no public transport.

Inside the Terminal

The terminal at Lajmoli Airport is a no-nonsense affair. A single rectangular room serves as both departure lounge and arrival hall. Check-in is handled at a counter near the entrance, where staff weigh luggage manually and print boarding passes on thermal paper. Security screening consists of a hand-held metal detector and a visual inspection of carry-on bags — no x-ray machine. The wheelchair-accessible entrance is a ramp at the front door, and the single toilet is a squat-style WC in a separate room that is cleaned before each flight.

The atmosphere is unhurried. On flight days, the terminal becomes a social hub: passengers chat with staff, and locals gather outside to watch the plane land. There is no air conditioning, only ceiling fans that struggle against the humidity. No shops, no cafes, no vending machines — bring water and snacks. For departure, arrive 30 minutes before the flight. Baggage is weighed and then carried by hand to the aircraft. On arrival, passengers walk across the tarmac to collect luggage from a cart. The entire process, from landing to road, takes about 15 minutes.

Lajmoli Airport and the Region

Lajmoli Airport is the primary gateway to the Togian Islands, an archipelago of 56 islands in Tomini Bay that forms part of the Coral Triangle — the global epicentre of marine biodiversity. The islands are characterised by forest-covered limestone peaks, coconut-fringed beaches, and some of the most pristine coral reefs on Earth. Diving is the main draw: sites such as Bom Island, Una Una Volcano, and the Tanjung Koris Coral Garden offer encounters with reef sharks, manta rays, pygmy seahorses, and soft coral walls. Snorkellers can access many sites from the shore, especially around the uninhabited atolls of the Togian National Park.

Beyond the water, the region offers opportunities for jungle trekking to see endemic species like the Spectral Tarsier and the Togian Hornbill. Cultural encounters include visits to traditional Bajau (sea nomad) communities that still live in stilted houses over the water. The airport has been transformative: it now takes a little over an hour to reach a destination that once required a multi-day sea journey. Yet the Togian Islands remain remarkably quiet — tourist numbers are a fraction of those in Bali or Lombok, and the pace of life follows the rhythms of tide and sun.

For the local population of roughly 40,000 spread across the islands, the airport is equally vital. It carries medical evacuations, supplies, and government officials. The airstrip's safety record is strong, a result of its straightforward approach and dedicated staff. For the traveller, Lajmoli Airport is not an attraction in itself — it is the threshold to a place where the principal luxury is isolation, and where the absence of amenities is precisely the point.

Practical Information

The airport operates only on flight days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) and is closed to the public on other days. Opening hours are limited: the terminal opens 30 minutes before the scheduled flight and closes shortly after departure. Busiest times are Monday at 6 am, Tuesday at 11 am, Wednesday at 9 am, and Thursday at 7 pm — note that Tuesday and Thursday are not flight days, so these peak periods likely reflect ferry or cargo activity. There is no official phone number or website; information is best obtained through guesthouses in Gorontalo or Lajmoli Village.

Key tips: bring cash (no ATM on the island), pack light (baggage allowance is 10 kg on the ATR), and arrange onward transport before arriving. The dry season from April to October offers the most reliable weather, but flights can be delayed by storm clouds. One concrete piece of advice: book your return flight before you leave Gorontalo — there are only three flights per week, and seats fill quickly, especially during peak months.