South Sulawesi

Spanish and Portuguese galleons, followed by British and Dutch traders, sailed these seas in search of the spice trade, escorted by their Men of War to protect them from the daring raids of the Bugis and Makassar pirates. Famed for their seafaring culture, the Bugis are still the driving force behind the world’s last commercial sailing fleet. The seafarings Bugis dominate the southern tip of Sulawesi, but in the rugged and remarkable country further north is Tana Toraja, often refered to as the “Land of the Heavenly Kings”. South Sulawesi is also famous for its tremendous scenery and the quality and talent of its silk and silverwork industries. In Takalar, every May 2008 there is a “Galesong Festival” thanksgiving ceremony by throwing offerings into sea and hoping for a prosperous fortune.

Tourism Events

Rambu Solo/Rambu Tuka. There are two different kinds of funeral ceremonies in Tana Toraja on July 2008. The Rambu Solo is a sad ceremony and Rambu Tuka is the happy ceremony. Rambu Solo usually starts in the afternoon and lasts for 7 days. During the ceremony hundreds of buffalos and pigs are slaughtered as sacrifice to ensure the spirits entrance to heaven that the spirit of the death would be accepted by God.
Royal Palace Festival on Sept 2008 in Gowa for a week and participated by 49 former kingdoms in Indonesia.
Places of Interest


Fort Rotterdam

Fort Rotterdam, also known as Benteng Makassar, is a historical site of the past greatest Gowa Kingdom.

Bissapu Waterfall

Bissapu Waterfall at the Bonto Salluang Village, about 5 Kms from Bantaeng or 15 minutes drive through an asphaltroad with some winding slopes, feel the fresh & cool air with its natural scene.

Clara Bundt Orchid Garden

Clara Bundt Orchid Garden. Mr. Bundt, a Dutchman, has his private residence at No. 15 Jalan Mochtar Lutfi. His spacious garden is filled with rare Indonesian orchids and hybrids. He also has an enormous collection of seashells and coral. A visit is worthwhile and several of the collections are on sale. Mr. Bundt is registered in the Sander’s List of London as an expert in orchid cultivation.

Leang-leang Pre-historial Paintings

Leang-leang Pre-historial Paintings. An important archaeological site, these prehistoric caves have strange traces of human palms and a wild pig, believed to be 5,000 years old. The road leads from Maros through the cave-riddled limestone hills to the site, about half an hour’s drive from the airport.

Paotere Harbor

Paotere Harbor is a place to anchor phinisi, the traditional Buginese ships that famous for it sails across from Pacific Ocean to the African coast.

Samalona Island

Samalona Island. Across the harbour of Makassar is Samalona Island, which has been developed into a pleasant recreational resort. It can be reached by boat in 45 mi¬nutes and has simple accomodation. Recreational sports include diving, snorkeling, water skiing and fishing. Best months to visit are from February to October.

Tomb of Sultan Hasanuddin

Tomb of Sultan Hasanuddin. Sultan Hasanuddin (1629-1690) was famous for his exceptional bravery in his struggle against colonial encroachment in South Sulawesi. His huge crypt and those of other kings of Gowa are located in a secluded cemetery not far from Sungguminasa, about 8 kms from Makassar. Just outside the walls of the cemetery; a small fenced-off plot contains the Tomanurung stone on which the kings of Gowa were crowned in pomp and splendour. Not far from the tombs is the oldest mosque in the area, built in 1603.

Sungguminasa

Sungguminasa. Formerly the seat of the kings of Gowa, Sungguminasa is an old wooden palace, 11 kms from Makassar. Now the Ballalompoa Museum, weapons and royal costumes are on display. The royal regalia which include a stone studded gold crown weighing 1,769 grams can be seen only on special request.

Soppeng

Soppeng is one of the former kingdom as written in the ancient “Lontara” script this town has abudance of bats flying around.

Sengkang

Sengkang. The capital town of Wajo Regency is well-known as the center of Bugis silk industry, 240 kms to the northeast of Makassar. In Soppeng a spinning mill produces thread from silk worms. Weaving can be seen in many private homes along this route. The finest silk is handloomed by village women, each of whom can produce two metres of silk a month. Visitors are welcome to stop and watch, or make a purchase if there is any readily available. Nearby Lake Tempe, is a tourist resort where you can enjoy boating.

Malino

Malino is a pleasant and fresh resorts on the slopes of Mount Bawakaraeng which is famous for its “Markisa “ Passion Fruits. The scattered pine woods grows on the height of 1,050 meters above sea level.

Bambapuang

Bambapuang on a high land, hence the climate is cold, a stop point to Tanatoraja with beautiful scenery of mountains and rivers.

Sa’adang River

Sa’adang River is the largest river in south Sulawesi which is famous for rafting adventure start from Tana Toraja.

Kapoposan Island

Kapoposan Island is a great diving area that has an abundant of natural coral reefs an can be reached only hours from Makassar by boat.

Barru Regency

Barru Regency, 134 km from Makassar has beauty offshore. Pannikiang island is home for thousands of flamingo, puteangin island has beautiful coastal beach, Bakki Island coastal is sloping and white sand.

Tana Toraja

Tana Toraja. The center of tourism in Tana Toraja is Rante¬pao, 328 kms north-east of Makassar. Sitting 700 meters above sea le¬vel, Rantepao has cool, pleasant evenings. The entry to Tana Toraja is marked by a gate built in traditional boat-shaped style.The road passes the spectacular mountains of Kandora and Gandang on which, according to Toraja mythology, the first ancestors of celestial beings descended from heaven. “Tongkonan”, a graceful architecture of the family houses, are built on stilts with the roof rearing up at either end, representing the prows of the first ship to arrive in the area with the Torajan ancestors. The houses all lace north, and some say that this is because it was from the north that the ancestors of the Toraja came. Believing that their forefathers descended from heaven in a boat some twenty generations ago, the Torajas have a unique Christian-animist culture. The majority of the people still follow an ancestral cult called “Aluk Todolo”, which governs all traditional ceremonies. Their ancestor worship includes elaborate death and afterlife ceremonies, which are essentially great feasts. A strict social hierarchy is followed in the villages, and for an important figure wedding and burial ceremonies can take days to perform. Water buffalo and pigs are sacrificed in numbers appropriate to social rank, and the deceased’s remains are placed in a coffin and interred in caves hollowed out in high cliffs. The mouth of the cave is guarded by lifelike statues, called Tau Tau, who looks out from a balcony near the burial caves, watching over the families and friends they have left behind. Two villages with easily accessible cliff graves are Lemo, and Londa. Londa is one of the oldest hanging grave sites, in which are buried many members of local nobility. A large balcony is filled with effigies of the dead, the Tau Tau. Young village guides with kerosene lamps can be hired to enter the caves and see ske-letons and old coffins. At Lemo, burial chambers are cut out of the rock and se¬veral balconies fillef with Tau Tau overlook new caves being dug to serve as family graves. Palawa is an excellent village to visit the “Tongkonan”, and a burial place still swarming with celebrations and festivals. Take a side trip from Rantepao to Ketekesu, a traditional village with excellent handicraft shops. Behind the village on a hillside is a grave site with life size statues guarding over old coffins. As roads are not always paved, it is necessary to use a jeep or walk, even when the weather is good. The best season to visit is between May and October.

Batumonga

Batumonga is located I about 1,300 meter above sea level and there are 56 menhir stones which height of 3 meter. The beautiful view of Rantepao and its surrounding valley can be seen from this site.

Losari Beach

Losari Beach Sunsets in the Makassar Strait can be viewed from a promenade at Losari Beach, Jalan Penghibur or the Paotere anchorage in the north end of the city where the Bugis schooners are berthed. Across the harbour is Kayangan Island which can be reached in 15 minutes by ferry. A popular escape from the city, there is entertainment in the evenings and on Sundays.

Bantimurung

Bantimurung waterfall can be reached about 41 kms from Makassar. A cascade of sparkling water gushes out bet¬ween rocky cliffs into a stream shaded by tall trees. The brightly-coloured ornithoid butterflies indegenious to this area are conside¬red among die most beautiful in the world. About 15 meter lower from Bantimurung Waterfall there is a Natural Dreaming Cave with its beauty forms of limestone that brings you to the dreamming world.

Bira beach Cape and Bira in Bulukumba

Bira beach Cape and Bira in Bulukumba is a beautiful pristine white sand beaches, 178 kms Makassar to the south. Traditional ship building is still practiced in this area. This is also the jumping off point for the island of Selayar.

Tanaberu

Tanaberu in Bulukumba is widely known as a place for making traditional boats. In the dry dock, we can see a great number of phinisi boat.

Related Posts