The district of Kao used used to be a major Japanese base during World war II, but today Kao town is really just an overgrown, sleepy village that comes to life on market days. But its airport, bulit by the Japanese and now served by several commercial flights from both Ternate and Manado weekly, is still the main gateway to Halmahera from outside Maluku.
The surrounding district has some fine beaches, a nice off-shore island, and - rare in Halmahera - a string of interior villages that serve as a good starting point for hikes across the northern peninsula to Ibu.
A few decades ago, the southern part of Kao district was split off to become the new district of Malifut, a resettlement site for Makianese people whose island was devastated by a huge volcanic eruption. This has caused much resentment among the native Kaonese, all the more so when gold was found in Malifut and a huge Australian-operated mine opened there! Today Malifut is busier than Kao itself, but the latter has more appeal to visitors.

Japanese Wreck

The half-sunken wreck of a WW II Japanese ship is probably the most striking attraction of this area, well visible from the road as you you approach Malifut from the south.

World War II Relics

Around the Japanese-built airport of Kao you can still find some Japanese tunnels and cannons.

Pulau Bobale

Probably Kao's most tempting tourist attraction, the large, flat island of Bobale has sandy beaches, decent coral reefs and even a Japenese bunker. It is in the north of Kao, accessed from the busy village of Daru on the mainland.

Hiking

The village of Tolabit in the interior of Kao serves as the starting point for hiking across the northern peninsula of Halmahera to Ibu on the west coast. It is a surprisingly strenuous hike with seemingly endless ups and downs, rather than crossing one major ridge.

By Air

Kao's Japanese-built airport, a few kms away from the town, is one of only two places in Halmahera that receive direct flights from outside North Maluku, that is from Manado in North Sulawesi on Wings.
Flights are met by cars that can take passengers to Tobelo.

By Sea

There are fairly frequent local boats every day from the village of Daru, north of Kao town, to Bobale Island, and less frequently to villages across the bay on the north-eastern peninsula of Halmahera.
Sometimes, especially on market days, such boats also travel to/from Kao town itself.

By Road

Buses and Kijang shared taxis run throughout the day from Kao to Tobelo via Daru, and from Kao to Sidangoli in the mornings only.
Transport along the road to the interior of Kao is scarcer - market days are the best time to go, or else be prepared to hire an ojek.

Not Much...

One losmen in Kao reportedly reopened in 2010. Another one in Malifut may or may not be open...

More than You Might Expect!

There are a few warungs in Kao near the market, a couple more in Daru, and a few larger (and overpriced) ones in Malifut are actually the standard places to have a lunch break when travelling between Tobelo and Sofifi by Kijang.