Beginning about 20 million years ago, the crashing of tectonic plates created a chain of small volcanic islands in northeastern Indonesia, just south of the Philippines. Strung along the northern end, the Sangihe (pronounced san-ee-ye) archipelago features active volcanoes that have erupted within the last 100 years, but southern Sangihe island is quiet on that front. Instead of the ominous bubbling, hissing and booming of volcanic activity, one hears—if lucky enough—birdsong.
An inactive “extinct” volcano, Mt. Sahendaruman dominates the southern half of the island, rising to 2,644…
