Ya'ahowu Park stretches along the northern waterfront and is the social heart of Gunungsitoli. The name comes from the traditional Nias greeting — a word that means something close to "may you be blessed" — and the park lives up to it as a place where the city comes together. Families gather here in the evenings, fishermen pull up beside the seawall, and on weekends the park hosts cultural events and celebrations including the Ya'ahowu Festival, which showcases traditional Nias music, dance, and craft.
The park is also home to the Durian Monument, a giant concrete sculpture of the spiky fruit that Nias is famous for — the local variety is considered among the best in Indonesia. It's a fine place to watch the sun go down over the strait.