12 Days Enchanting South Sulawesi
Experience the most fulfilling-authentic journey to South Sulawesi. The massive island, epicenter of The Wallace Line, is home to fringing coral reefs, towering mountains, tropical dense rainforest, majestic lakes and rich cultural traditions.
DAY 1 : AIRPORT - TRANSFER TO SOUTH BALI
Welcome to Bali, the Island of Gods! Upon arrival, you will be greeted by your teman before you will be transferred to South Bali for your transit stay.
Overnight at Ayodya Resort Nusa Dua.
DAY 2 : AIRPORT (FLIGHT TO MAKASSAR) - RAMMANG RAMMANG - LEANG LEANG - MAKKASSAR
In the morning, you will be transferred to Bali Denpasar Airport to board your domestic flight to Makassar (1h 15m). Upon arrival, you will be greeted by your Sulawesi guide and proceed to your first destination. This first destination is Rammang Rammang Village. It lies over 43,750 hectares between The Karst of Maros and Pangkep regency. Maros Pangkep Karst is the second biggest Karst mountain in the world after South China Karst in Yunnan. The uniqueness of Karst Maros Pangkep region can?t be found in other karst areas in Indonesia. We will take a boat to discover the village. While crossing the river, we can enjoy the view of towering cliffs. The village offers a beautiful landscape?with green rice fields surrounded by karst mountains, which will keep you busy if you love photography. You will also meet friendly local people who are working on the rice fields. You will be meet with the locals by visiting one of the local people houses there to enjoy the warm welcome and hospitality of the villagers of Rammang Rammang.
Next, you will visit Leang Leang Art Caves. Now declared an archaeological site, these prehistoric caves have strange rock carvings of hands and wild pigs, believed to be 5,000 years old. Here, you will visit Leang Petta Kere, one of about a hundred caves that have been identified by the Makassar Center for Cultural and Heritage Preservation as once being home to hunter gatherers. Visiting this ancient site, 45 meters above sea level and a 30-meter climb up a ladder, feels surreal, almost like looking through a window into the life of prehistoric men.
At the entrance to the cave forms a sort of antechamber, and it is here where twenty-six red-and-white handprints are found. At its center is a painting of a red boar, spanning half a meter in length. It is thought that the cave?s previous inhabitants expected a pretty big meal to keep everyone fed.
After this, you will be driven to the city of Makassar for your overnight stay.
Overnight at The Rinra Makassar.
DAY 3 : MALINO HIGHLANDS - TAKAPALA WATERFALL - BIRA
After breakfast, you will check out and drive east to visit Malino Highlands (2 hours). Once the favorite hideaway for Dutch, colonial settlers, the Malino Highlands still attract visitors from around the region for a refreshing, relaxing break. Your first destination is the tea plantation. This rolling land of lush tea plantation provides an excellent view, which is best savored on the topmost viewpoint while enjoying the local brewed tea. Next, you head straight to the spectacular Takapala Waterfalls with its impressive 50-meter drop of fresh water. It is one of the few waterfalls at Malino but in terms of size and sheer power, this remains the most impressive one. The fertile soil and abundance of water around the waterfall have created excellent soil for rice cultivation; when harvesting season arrives, a verdant green landscape makes the area around the Takapala Waterfalls even more beautiful. You will also be passing the fruit market along the way, where brief stop can be made to sample fresh local fruits. After this, you will be driven to reach the southernmost region named Birafor your overnight. The region is well known for its exquisite white-sand beach and pristine beauty, where goats still outnumber vehicles. Time permitting, you will enjoy sunset on a hill viewpoint.
Overnight at Amatoa Resort.
DAY 4 : BIRA BEACH & SNORKELING TRIP
Today, you will enjoy the whole day exploring the best of Bira. Cape Bira Beach offers maritime experience like no other beach in South Sulawesi. You will visit and snorkel at Liukang Liu island and Goat island (Pulau Kambing); a highlight not to be missed. Snorkeling around Cape Bira gives amazing views as the surrounding of the cape is trough, where shallow waters area and deep-sea can be seen at the same time.
Another unique highlights added on the trip, a village of Phinisi Boat (schooners) craftsmen of Tanah Beru clan is located 15 km before Cape Bira Beach area. Tanah Beru village can be reached either towards or after visiting Cape Bira Beach. The construction of boat here is very cultural, along with the industry that has been done in the village for many hundreds year now. Some of the products even has been exported internationally. The uniqueness of this craftsmanship is that the construction of ships is using natural glue that comes from certain kind of local wood that will harden times to times if mixed with salt waters ? an amazing discoveries that has been a legacy passed from generation to generation.
Finally, couple of hidden empty beaches located not far from the center of the area, some to be named is Bara Beach. Located only 3km far from the center of Bira Beach, this area is a true discovery with its soft powdery white sand and crystal clear turquoise sea which abruptly turns dark blue when the water gets deep. Sit down by the beach until sunset time is very recommended. Talking about serenity in a secluded private beach coast.
Overnight at Amatoa Resort.
DAY 5 : TRANSFER TO SENGKANG - LAKE TEMPLE
You will enjoy a leisurely morning until around 11.30AM, where you will continue your journey north to Sengkang. Sengkang, the capital of a former Bugis kingdom, this historic and bustling market town overlooking Lake Tempe retains its traditional character, as well as many old cultural traditions, silk weaving, colourful bugis weddings-celebrated, according to Ancient customs, dance, and a traditional orchestra.
The lake is going to be your destination today. Lake Tempe is a shallow lake fringed by wetlands with traditional floating houses and a large population of wonderful birdlife. You will go by long tail boat on the huge lake and you will visit a traditional floating house and you can drink tea or coffee and eating fried banana (Pisang Goreng) with the locals, while enjoying the spectacular sunset.
Afterwards, you will be taken to your accommodation for overnight.
Overnight at BBC Hotel Sengkang.
DAY 6 : SILK WEAVING VILLAGE - EROTIC MOUNTAIN - BURAKE ROCK HILL
In the morning, you will start the long drive to Toraja. On route, you will make two stops. A 15-minute drive into your journey is a local Silk Weaving Village where you will have a short tour. A further 2 hours by car will take you to the viewpoint at the famous Erotic Mountain. Continue the drive a final 2 hours to reach Toraja. Upon arriving in Toraja, you will proceed to Burake Rock Hills to see the statue of the Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ Statue, located on top of Burake Rock Hill at 1,700m height is the world's second tallest statue of Jesus, surpassing Christ The Redeemer of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The view from the top is spectacular. To reach the top your driver must navigate uphill through a steep dirt road and then visitors need to climb some 500+ steps to reach the highest point.
After this, you will be taken to your accommodation for overnight.
Overnight at Toraja Heritage Hotel.
DAY 7 : TORAJA VILLAGES & STONE GRAVES
After breakfast, we begin a full day tour of Tana Toraja's villages and stone graves.
Tana Toraja ("Land of Toraja") is a regency of South Sulawesi in Indonesia, a picturesque mountainous region that is home to an indigenous group known as the Torajans. For the Toraja people, life very much revolves around death, but not in a morbid sense. For them, a funeral is a great celebration of life, and is an occasion in which the entire family of the deceased, and all the members the village take part. Their ancient traditions involve funerary customs that have been practiced over many centuries and are known to be the most complex funeral traditions in the world. The population of the Toraja is approximately 650,000. Most are Christian, some are Muslim, and a minority still retain the local beliefs known as Aluk Todolo (Way of the Ancestors), which are most visible during funeral festivities and burial customs.
Before the 20th century, Torajans lived in autonomous villages, where they practised animism, the view that non-human entities, animals, plants etc., possess a spiritual essence. They were relatively untouched by the outside world until Dutch missionaries arrived to convert the Torajan highlanders to Christianity. Nevertheless, even those that follow other religions in Tana Toraja, still congregate when it comes to ancient funeral customs. During their lives, the Torajans work extremely hard to accumulate wealth. But unlike other societies, the Torajans do not save their money to give themselves a good life, rather they save for a good send off in death. In fact, it is the extravagance of the funeral, not the wedding, which marks a family's status.
There are many sites to visit, and the itinerary today will be flexible to cater your pace. Among the sites we will visit, includes Lemo where burials were made in artificial caves on the face of the cliff, with rows of Tau-Tau effigies in front of each gravesite. In Sangalla, we will see the big tree containing baby graves. In Suaya, a royal burial site, and in Tampangallo, a natural cave used as a burial ground. Next, we will continue to Londa Caves, famous for its caves burial sites, Ke'te Kesu village, renowned for its woodcarving and traditional tongkonan houses and rice barns. On the cliff face behind the village are some cave graves and very old hanging graves.
Should funeral ceremony be present, then you will also have a chance to view this massive cultural rites.
Overnight at Toraja Heritage Hotel.
DAY 8 : NORTH TORAJA TRIP (LOLAI SUNRISE, SOFT TREKKING)
We will depart from the hotel around 4AM to catch the most iconic sunrise in Lolai. Here, sublime view of the entire Torajan landscape, coupled with thick rolling clouds, truly defines the Toraja Highland nickname: Kingdom Above The Clouds.
Enjoy your breakfast box in Lolai, afterwards we will begin our trekking trip to Riu Village. This 2-3 hours moderate trekking throughout the valleys and mountains are decorated with impressive rice terraces and Toraja traditional villages. Enjoy your lunch at the village.
Overnight at Toraja Heritage Hotel.
DAY 9 : TORAJAN COFFEE SAMPLING - PALOPO - AIRPORT (FLIGHT TO MAKASSAR)
Torajan coffee is secretly one of the world?s best tasting coffee, as it was one of the top beans used by coffee connoisseurs and even the very first Starbucks shop. This story will be part of your morning activity in Kaa Coffee Shop; the owner of which has dedicated his life to responsibly grow and promote the very best beans from the highlands. Sample Toraja?s authentic coffee beans of Sapan, Sadan, and the prized Awan. Afterwards, we will depart for a scenic drive to Palopo. Our last stop in Puncak Pass will give you spectacular panorama of the dense tropical rain forest. Afterwards, you will be transferred to the Bua Airport in Palopo to catch your flight to Makassar (50 mins). Upon arrival in Makassar, you will be transferred to your hotel for overnight.
Overnight at The Rinra Makassar.
DAY 10 : MAKASSAR CULINARY - AIRPORT (FLIGHT TO BALI) - NUSA DUA
Spend the morning to savor several authentic Makassar dishes, such as coto Makassar (a variant of soto traditional beef and offal stew with seasoned broth made from ground peanuts and spices), palubasa soup, or Makassar Grilled Seafoood.
Afterwards, you will head to Makassar Airport to board your domestic flight to Bali Denpasar International Airport. Upon arrival in Bali, you will be transferred to your accommodation in South Bali to spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight at Ayodya Resort Nusa Dua.
DAY 11: DAY AT LEISURE
Spend the day at leisure in your accommodation (no car and driver).
Overnight at Ayodya Resort Nusa Dua.
DAY 12 : DEPARTURE (DENPASAR, BALI)
Depending on your flight schedule, you will be transferred to Bali Denpasar International Airport (30 minutes) for your departure.