Sulawesi: outer-islands endemics

Wangi Wangi, Togian, Peleng, Selayar, Kalao and Taliabu

11th - 26th October 2025

Leader: James Eaton

This is truly one of the most remote regions and tours of Asia, the islands of Wangi Wangi, Togian, Peleng, Taliabu and Selayar around Sulawesi have barely been visited by birders despite hosting some of the world’s rarest birds, except by us, with multiple private visits and on tours - we've even discovered new species to science here. Years of planning and our intimate knowledge of the area means we manage to do a thoroughly comprehensive itinerary in as short a period of time as possible.
There are some 33 currently-recognised species strictly endemic to the islands we visit, and obviously a few more expected future splits (most of which are already recognised in the field guide for the region). Visiting these islands is well-known for its discomforts and lack of luxury. However, aboard our luxury liveaboard vessel, we are able to offer this tour from the comfort and luxury of excellent cuisine, hot showers and a comfortable bed (as well as the obliagetory cold towel and fruit juice on returning from the field). Those that have experienced our Banda Sea Cruise will very much appreciate, and understand this!

There is a whole raft of mouth-watering species to search for and enjoy, several of which are either endangered or only very recently described to science: Bare-eyed Myna, Helmeted Myna, Banggai Crow, Sula Scrubfowl, Sula and Banggai Fruit Doves, Red-and-black Thrush, and Taliabu and Peleng Leaf Warblers, Wangi Wangi, Togian and Wakatobi White-eyes, Tukangbesi Sunbird and Solilongan Cuckoo Dove. We also have the prospect of an endemic pitta too, Sula Pitta. While at night, we have two endemic scops owls, a masked owl and a boobook to find. All these species that you will have read about in our 'Remote Sulawesi' tour reports, which was previously only for the most dedicated, fit and insane of birders - we're making these islands accessible for all of you.

‍Day 1:
Arrivals into Labuanbajo International Airport (LBJ) on Flores. Night in Labuanbajo.
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Day 2:
After breakfast we will board our fine, private liveaboard boat - those that have joined our Banda Sea Cruise can expect a similar quality vessel - and begin our journey on the open ocean, heading north deep into the Flores Sea.

Day 3:
An afternoon birding the little-known Selayar will be an early cruise highlight. It may not have any endemics accordingly to IOC taxonomy, but the same can be said for several islands we visited on our Banda Sea Cruises in the early days, yet now due to advancements in taxonomy, several are present on most islands. The same is true of Selayar. BirdLife recognises a 'golden whistler' here as Selayar Whistler, as does the Indonesian field guide, and there is an endemic, undescribed Phylloscopus warbler, that James discovered here in 2018, that doesn't look like any other warbler in the region, and found only in the remnent forest blocks, which we shall visit. In addition, Selayar Tarsier is endemic to the island, and there is an endemic race of Sahul Sunbird.
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Day 4:
Morning birding on Selayar once again we spend the rest at sea.

Day 5:
We make a stop en-route, with a chance of our first endemic Zosterops - Kendari White-eye (also known as Pearl-bellied and Sulawesi).

Day 6:
Arriving in the Tukangbesi islands, a small island chain off southeast Sulawesi is home to three recognised endemics - Wangi Wangi White-eye, Wakatobi White-eye and Tukangbesi Sunbird, all three of which are quite easy to see. There's also a number of other endemic subspecies we will search for. We bird here for a morning, and then spend much of the next 38 hours at sea.

Day 7:
Day at sea, sailing through the northern end of the Banda Sea, a vast, deep-sea area, ornithologically unexplored - we hope to find some intresting seabirds and cetaceans during this time, and who knows, maybe even another surprise landing.

Days 8-9:
Our two days on Taliabu will be mainly spent in the coastal lowlands. Birding along the coastal roads through degraded forest we should see the vast majoirty of the Sula Archipelago endemics, all of which are found on Taliabu. Pride of place goes to the huge Bare-eyed Myna, Sula Lorikeet, Sula Fruit Dove, Sula Cicadabird, 'Sula Spangled Drongo', Sula Jungle-flycatcher, Sula Golden Bulbul, Sula Dwarf-Kingfisher, While at night, Sula Scops Owl and Taliabu Masked Owl. Of course, the white-eye here, Black-crowned, will likely become the next endemic here. In addition, several species are shared with the Banggai islands, and we have a good chance of those too - Helmeted Myna, Sula Pitta, Slaty Cuckooshrike, Solilongan Cuckoo Dove (also more boringly known as Sula Cuckoo Dove), Red-and-black Thrush, Sula Hanging-Parrot and Sula Scrubfowl.
For those keen enough, we plan to spend the second day here trekking into the highlands (up to 800m), where a trail leading up should get us into the zone for the recently-described Taliabu Myzomela, Taliabu Leaf Warbler and perhaps Taliabu Fantail - this will be a long, arduous day for those fit enough. Others can stay in the lowlands to bird for the morning and afternoon with local bird guide.

Day 10:
‍We have a final morning on Taliabu, if required, before setting sail once again, heading west , to the Banggai archipelago.
The cetacean action can be highly productive between Taliabu and Peleng, and we've also encountered Heinroth's Shearwater on all our previous visits to this area.

Days 11-12:
Next island is Peleng, part of the Banggai island group. Peleng is home to a whole swathe of Banggai endemics too, Peleng Leaf Warbler, Peleng Fantail, Banggai Golden Bulbul, Banggai Jungle-flycatcher, Banggai Scops Owl, Banggai Crow, and even some endemic mammals we could see including Peleng Tarsier and Peleng Cuscus.
In addition, several species are shared with the Sula islands, and we should see all of these during our time spent across both islands - Helmeted Myna, Sula Pitta, Slaty Cuckooshrike, Solilongan Cuckoo Dove (also more boringly known as Sula Cuckoo Dove), Red-and-black Thrush, Sula Hanging-Parrot and Sula Scrubfowl.

Day 13:
Heading around the eastern arm of Sulawesi is a well-known hotspot for cetaceans, including a few rarities possible - let's see what we see! Eventually we'll arrive in the Togian islands. If required, we can spend part of the morning on Peleng.

Day 14:
A full day birding will be concentrated on the two new species to science recently described from Togian islands, namely Togian Boobook and Togian White-eye, along with the islands third endemic, Togian Golden Bulbul.
In addition, the Togians have three mammals we're search for: Togian Tarsier, Togian Babirusa and Togian Macaque. There are also a good number of Sulawesi mainland endemics possible, along with migrant Elegant Pitta that visits during its non-breeding season.

Day 15:
Potentially we can remain on Togian for early morning birding, if it's required, before heading to the Sulawesi mainland. Night in Luwuk. After arriving back into Luwuk we will do some Sulawesi mainland birding, we can visit an area of lowland forest where both Snoring Rail and Sulawesi Ground Dove have been recorded. Night in Luwuk.

Day 16:
We have a morning birding neary lowland forest, where Snoring Rail and Sulawesi Groudn Dove have both been recorded - obviously a large slice of luck would be required to encounter either species, but you never know!
Departures from Luwuk Syukuran Aminuddin Airport (LUW).

Note: itinerary is for illustrative purposes, the final itinerary will likely vary slightly from the above, but we still visit Selayar, Wangi Wangi, Peleng, Taliabu and Togian.

Extensions
Should you be keen on an extension to anywhere in-and-around Sulawesi, we can organise this wishing our network of local guides, including Sangihe and Talaud.