Tomohon Traditional Market, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES OF DEAD ANIMALS AHEAD

Travel ain’t always pretty. In fact, it can get downright grisly. And nowhere is that more apparent than at the Tomohon Traditional Market in the hills of North Sulawesi, Indonesia – home to an entirely different sort of meat market.

Well, they have fruit and veggies too, but trust me, that’s not the memory you walk away with. Because for every corner with a scene like this…

There’s another one with a scene like this…

If you’re getting a little squeamish already, I’ll give you a nice little exit in the form of this post with pretty photos of origami. Click away…

Are they gone?

Alright then, on with the gore…

I was in North Sulawesi for the ASEAN Tourism Forum Travel Conference and it was there that I met up with Mario-Ben Gavriel from Flower’s Lane Vacations (Tomohon, ironically, is also known as the City of Flowers) for a rat-hunting tour. And while I did end up schlepping through the jungle for the honour of hunting, preparing, and eating a rat, it was a walk in the park compared with the sights and smells of the Tomohon Traditional Market.

I had heard of the market before, and I’d even seen photos of it, but honestly, photos cannot do a place like this any justice. I think it is the first time I smelled death and that last desperate gasp of air when warm blood turns to cold.

The Tomohon Market starts out innocuous enough – lots of pretty red and green chilli’s…

And then onto your assorted fruit and veg section…

They even make and package tofu here…

It’s not until you get to the tail-end (no pun intended) of the vegetable section that you notice that this is not your typical market.

They do however sell the freshest chicken possible…

That’s when the smell hits you.

Bats. And plenty of them.

But be aware that wings are sold separately…

Rats are even more common here than at your average food market.

There’s even an odd snake thrown in here and there…

This is probably one of my favourite photos from the market. Can you spot how many dead (and living) animals there are in this scene?

(Click on photo to enlarge)

I’m not entirely sure how this chap can keep his breakfast, much less eat it in these surroundings.

This is the head of a Babirusa (wild pig) with tusks partially removed.

This is a dead sloth — completely illegal according to my guide Ben – but something that does turn up from time-to-time in the market.

There are plenty of various monkey bits scattered throughout the market as well.

The saddest thing for me though was seeing the dogs, not just the dead ones…

But the living ones too.

Is this not the saddest face ever?

For me, it was easier to stomach the entrails of monkeys, rats on a stick, and decapitated pigs then it was to see these live dogs awaiting their fate. Maybe it’s because the bats, sloths, and snakes and all those things just seemed so foreign.

I have friends who have dogs though.

And maybe it was because I knew exactly what the fate of all these poor little guys would be.

I like to travel with the mindset of “It’s not wrong, it’s just different.” I had a hard time sticking to that here though.

What are your thoughts? Would you visit the Tomohon Traditional Market or one like it?

If this market is not for you, check out other Things to Do in Manado.

Tomohon Traditional Market, Tomohon, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Best visited early morning Saturday when the market is in full swing. For guided tours of Tomohon Traditional Market (including the rat-hunting tour) you can book directly through Mario-Ben Gavriel at Flowers Lane Vacations or through LocalGuiding.com.