Intro
Indonesia… To be honest, was not on top of my mind when thinking of a new travel destination. Even though the country seemed beautiful on the pictures, the fact that it has been packed with tourists crushed the authentic atmosphere I was initially looking for. Yet, when I thought of Indonesia, I actually never considered the less known island of Sulawesi. Without any knowledge about this funny shaped island, me and my boyfriend flew after a family visit in Ubud (Bali) towards Makassar (Sulawesi). Knowing what we know now, I will take you along on this journey and share our experiences beyond expectations with you…
Without being blunt, traveling in Sulawesi is not for the light-spirited travellers. With only a few outdated travel blogs to start with, you will soon feel like a real explorer. The real challenge starts when you made a rough sketch of your planned travel itinerary (see picture). How do you reach it? And where do you sleep? Since Sulawesi is less touristic than the other islands, not much is written on the world wide web. There are some accommodations online, lesser travel-companies and even fewer descriptions on the routes you should take. To fill the internet with an updated travel inquiry you could use as inspiration for your own journey, read our story down here:
Delen:
MAKASSAR
As I stated earlier, we flew from Denpensar to Makassar by booking a flight with Lion Air (one of the budget airliners of Air Asia) for approximately 75 EUR per person (one-way). In 1.5 hours you will reach the biggest city of Sulawesi. From there, you can easily take a bus (transfer) for 40.000 IDR per person (2,65 EUR) towards the city centre. The bus will stop near your hotel if it is roughly on the initial route. In the city of Makassar, reaching point A to B is not that hard, since you can use similar transportation methods as in the rest of Indonesia (such as apps like Grab, Gojek and Bluebird).
Want to have a fun little adventure? Hop-on one of the small blue pete-pete busses you see everywhere. Allegedly, there are 17 different routes which these pete’s take, recognisable by the coloured stripe on the side of the busses. Even though we did not really figure out which color matches which route, just asking the chauffeur got us at our desired destination for only 8000 IDR per person (roughly 0.50 EUR).
During our time here, we slept in the Empress Hotel for 10 EUR per night. Main reason for us to stay a few days in Makassar, was to extend our Visa (Visa on Arrival – VOA). In this city it took the Immigration Office only two days to go through all administrative burden, while we read stories on Bali where it took five to ten business days… Big recommendation.
Besides this, Makassar is not the city which will leave a huge impression. The city is not that great. After visiting Fort Rotterdam, the smelly pier and the shiny Trans Studio Mall, you kind of saw everything. Nevertheless, it was a comfortable start to arrange our first steps of the journey.
RANTEPAO
Traveling towards and in Rantepao
From Makassar, we took the sleeper-nightbus which we booked via Redbus.id. Please take the additional 5000 IDR insurance (0,35 EUR), since within a few hours our initially purchased tickets got cancelled due to a “broken vehicle”. Because of the insurance, the lady working at Redbus supported us by calling the bus company and they arranged a ride on one of the other busses departing from Makassar towards Rantepoa for the same price (300.000 IDR per person). All in all, it took us 10 hours to reach the Rantepoa village with the Metro Permai Bus. There we were told by our host of the guesthouse Toroja Homestay & Coffee to tell the chauffeur to stop at the buffalo monument, where she picked us up when we arrived the following morning. However, the bus stopped a few kilometers before the village, saying that it was the endstop. Luckily our host was awake already and was more than happy to fetch us from the spot the bus left us. Please do not get overwhelmed by the local taxi drivers who want to bring you to the village, this will cost you roughly 50.000 IDR for a distance of only 3 kilometers (there are no Gojek/Grab options here). At our homestay, we could rent a scooter for 150.000 IDR a day, which sounds expensive if you’re used to the 60.000 IDR you pay in Bali, but unfortunately there are less bikes available here and thus the costs are all similar in the entire area. Plus, this is one of the few sources people can earn their money with, a little tit for tat.
Where to stay?
For a real local experience, we recommend to stay in a homestay. Not only are the hosts in Rantepao generally very kind, it will also increase the chance to attend several cultural activities and learn more about these quirky mountain people. We stayed at Toroja Homestay & Coffee Buna (Airbnb), where you receive a good breakfast, a clean and tidy place to sleep and a Western-style bathroom, for a good price. She provides dinner for a small compensation and you can also rent a bike there.
What to do in Rantepao?
If you missed any culture in other parts of Indonesia, the Torojan people in Rantepao give you plenty to make up for. With their kindness they will take you in their home without hesitation and tell you all about their special culture and rituals. Even though their English does not reach much further than a ‘hello’ or ‘hey Mister’, they are eager to practice their language skills with you.
Funeral Ceremony and Graveyards: The Torojan culture revolves all around the last phase of life, death. Without it being too sinister, they believe that looking after the death is very important. This they do by creating beautiful ceremonial houses, called tokanan, wherein the caskets are stored before the week-long ceremonies. These funeral ceremonies are that big that a lot of work and planning is involved which also means that it sometimes takes up to a year before the final goodbyes are said. If you are lucky, there might be a funeral ceremonie which you can attend. Locals welcome you to the ceremonies and are keen to share this important experience with you. Keep in mind to bring a gift for the relatives, mainly done in the form of packs of cigarettes. But why do these ceremonies take so long? Well have a seat, this is kind of unique…
Depending on the feeling towards the funeral, there are two rituals. In the first, a buffelo and some pigs must be bought to offer during the ceremonie. The bigger the ceremonie (solo vs. mass), the more expensive the buffelo should be. Torojan people prefer a buffelo which is male and black. If it is white and black, they refer to it as a ‘Babi Balanda’, meaning a Dutch Pig (his has something to do with the Dutch cows they see on television). After the buffelo and pigs are killed during the ceremonie, the animal is send towards the family or village where the (overledene) originally comes from. There they will divide the meat and eat it later on. Even after hearing many stories, we had a hard time understanding the sequence of the rituals. We talked to several locals and read many blogs. A good puzzle for you to find out when you’re there! Here is a link if you want to do some homework in advance!
Unfortunately, there were no ceremonies we could attend during our stay. Nevertheless, you can have a look into the culture by visiting graveyards and other cultural tourist spots like Objek Wisata Kalimbuang Bori (good to combine with a lunch at Mentirotiku Guest House and Restaurant for a beautiful view), Londa Ancient Graveyard and Kete Kesu. Please mind that all “tourist attractions” will cost you 30.000 IDR per person.
City above the sky: When you rent a scooter, which we highly recommended in this area, you can make your way towards Lolai. Even if you’re not really an early bird, this little activity is worth the short sleep. Around 5 o’clock in the morning we were riding our scooter towards this small mountain village but made a mistake on how to get there. Please don’t be fooled by Google Maps like us about a shorter route, because then you end up like the picture added below… Click here for the correct and only route to reach your destination. Have a cup of coffee, breath in and out a few times and enjoy the feeling of being inside a place without the actual aircraft. Note that when you will go to Lolai later than 6 or 7 in the morning, most clouds evaporate by the warm sun and the cloudy city is gone for the rest of the day…
Tilanga Natural Pool: This small hidden natural pool is a good spot for a little swim or just to relax in the shadow for a bit. It costs you around 20.000 IDR per person to get in which is used to (behouden) of the clear water. If you’re lucky like us, you have this entire (spot) for yourself and can enjoy the view and spot the fish in the pond.
Pasar Bolu Market: Looking for some fresh veggies, a new shirt or maybe to buy a buffelo? Everything is possible at the Pasar Bolu Market. On Tuesday and Saturday you can have a look at one of the biggest animal (and buffelo) markets of Indonesia. Not into finding yourself a new farm animal? We bought some dragonfruit, apples, peanuts and snake fruit for just a few euros!
TENTENA
Traveling towards and in Tentena
If you like a long long road trip, this destination is just for you. Due to the lacking quality of the infrastructure in Sulawesi, one of the few options to travel towards Central-Sulawesi is by a bumpy bus ride which takes you about 12-14 hours. Knowing countries like this, ours of course took 14 hours. Crossing several mountains with multiple unfinished roads you will reach your destination somewhere between 21 and 22 PM. During the ride there are 2 or 3 small bathroom breaks and one longer break in the beginning of the evening. Please bring some food and water with you, since menu selection of the ‘dinner stop’ does not reach beyond plane nasi or pre-packed noodles. Nevertheless, the driver brought us safely to the centre of Tentena where we were picked up by our host. In Tentena you can do most things by foot, but Lake Ponso is so big (3rd biggest lake of Indonesia) that a car or scooter is a definite must. At our Airbnb we could borrow a bike for free!
Where to stay?
Wake up with a view over the Poso Lake at the Lake Poso Eco Tourism Bamboo House. Not only does this accommodation provide you with a good night rest when waking up to the blue sweet water, it also is fighting for a good cause within the area. The owner of the Bamboo House is helping women who lost certain opportunities in live due to past and current influences of the conflict between two religions within the area. She teaches them english and art classes and provide for a safe place where they can share their voice. During your stay here, you can enjoy the delicious food grown in the garden en read books from the library. The Bamboo House is also the only accommodation near the centre of Ampana which has a cool dock to sit on and where you can put your feet in the water while watching the sunset.
What to do in Tentena?
Waterfall: For a small fee of 20.000 IDR you can visit these waterfalls. Climb up the high stairs, put on your swimsuit and have a dive in the cold natural water. Not many people are actually visiting this place, so we had the entire waterfall for ourself during our visit.
Siuri Beach: A place where locals like to hangout in the weekends! During the weekdays, the beach is nice and quiet. We took a nice swim in the clear blue water and relaxed here for a bit. It is relatively close to the waterfall perfect to combine while you take a trip on your scooter in this direction of the lake.
Lore Barat: Do you have more time to spend in the Tentena area or are you looking to alter your route a little? Then you might want to do a day trip towards Lore Barat or Lore Lindu. In this national park you’ll be greeted by mysterious Easter Island-like phenomenons. There are even options to stay in this national park, but most information about this is quiet outdated so you might want to check this with your host in Tentena. The entrance fee of the park is around 150.000 IDR per person.
AMPANA
Traveling towards and in Ampana
Are you up for a little challenge? Well then you should try to go to Ampana. There are a few options, but the most important is that you have a good local contactperson. Before we found a suitable ride, we were in contact with our accommodation in Tentena, the one in Ampana and someone from a different hotel called Victoria Hotel. All the hotels in the Tentena area stay in touch with each other and share information on private cars that drive from A to B. The prices are quite high, 800.000 – 900.000 IDR per car, and it would be good to share a ride. The public busses were not recommended by the locals (UITLEGGEN?) and therefore there were no more options. Yet, we were lucky! If a car is picking up someone in Ampana to drive to Tentena, it drives one way ‘empty’. Sometimes, it is possible to fill this ‘empty’ car for less, getting the better price of 500.000 IDR per car. When finding a ride, the route only takes 4-5 hours to Ampana. In Ampana, you can either walk since the distances are not that big, or take a tuk-tuk for around 30.000 IDR per ride.
Where to stay?
One of the biggest recommendations the people surrounding us gave us, is to stay at Marina Cottage’s. You will have a small house directly on the beach and near the port where the speedboat to the Togians departs. A smaller budget just like us? For just 182.000 IDR we found a room in Oasis Hotel. Please do not expect too much, but you have all the basic facilities you’ll need and even get breakfast. Want a little more luxury? You can upgrade your room to one with an AC, European toilet and more for up to 450.000 IDR.
What to do in Ampana?
Even though this small city is located near the big blue ocean, it will not give you the holiday vibe just yet. Ampana is really a spot to spend the night and catch the boat the following day. Nevertheless, you could enjoy a drink on the rocky beach at Marina Cottage’s. Further than that, it is only used to go to the Togians by ferry.
TOGIAN ISLANDS
Traveling towards and in the Togians
Depending on the island you are staying at, you have several options to get there. To the island of Bomba, you can get a public ferry departing from Ampana or the speedboat “Hercules”. Taking the speedboat is more convenient since you can also be dropped off at “Araya”, from where you accommodation can pick you up with a different boat. The ferry only stops in Wakai, which is a lot further. But if you want to go to Kadidiri, you step on a smaller boat from Wakai. Please look up the schedule in advance, since the boats do not go every day and also the weather should be considered. It happens more than once that the boat is not departing due to the bad weather or that the boat is “full”. So make sure there is some room in your schedule for these inconveniences. The Hercules costs 160.000 IDR per person between Ampana and Wakai and takes about 1 hour.
Where to stay in Butudaka (Bomba)?
Poki-Poki! This cute medium sized resort has all the things you need, without it being too luxurious. Especially the staff is really nice and is willing to help you with all the practicalities, activities you want to do and more. They sometimes join you during a game or for a talk. They have several kind of bamboo huts, ranging from Standard to Villa. We stayed in the Bamboo Light hut, which means you have a nice hut on the beach with a hammock, queen size bed and a bathroom with shower and toilet. The three meals a day and a snack from time to time are included in the price of 330.000 IDR per person per night.
What to do in Butudaka?
Snorkle or dive at Taupan or Atoll: From the island of Bomba there are various snorkeling trips you can attend. In Poki-Poki, the staff will help will guide you to these places by boat for only 50.000 IDR per half-day trip. Both Taupan as Atoll were beautiful, but in Atoll we were seeing a bigger variety of fish, brighter corals and even a turtle while snorkeling. In Taupan, the water was more shallow and there was less current which made it easier to swim. When you’ll visit during the European summer (June till August) the weather is better and you also have the possibilities to do a whole-day trip including lunch on a deserted island! In the rainy season (October – December) the weather is less stable and the best option is to do half-day trips in stead!
Rather go for a dive? This is also an option! Poki-Poki has a partnership with the PADI-LICENSED neighbour resort Araya where you can join their diving trips without additional or hidden costs. The owner, Elly, talks and breaths ocean and can show you all creations who live in the deeper parts of the ocean. The costs are X IDR per dive, including equipment. For diving locations like Una-Una which are located further, you will pay additional costs for the fuel (depending on the number of participants).
Find your meal during a jungle trekking: After laying in your hammock for the biggest part of the day, it feels nice to stretch your legs and do some jungle-grocery shopping! From Poki-Poki you can hike in about 3,5 hours towards Bomba while hunting for fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables. Your guide will tell you all about the medical leaves, animals and plants. Please wear long pants, hiking shoes and sun screen! The tour costs 50.000 IDR per person.
Prepare Sulawesi recipes during the cooking class: After you gathered your ‘groceries’ it’s time to get your hands dirty. The women from the kitchen will show you how traditional Sulawesi dishes are prepared whereafter you will copy the process together with other travellers staying at the bamboo accommodation. Learn how to make vegetarian curries, creamy rice, hand-made coconut milk and more during a 2 hour class. After you did your part in the cooking process, you can enjoy the meal with all the Poki-Poki visitors! The costs are 50.000 IDR per person, with a minimal participation of 4 persons.
Where to stay in Kadidiri?
This small Island is one of the few places within the Togean that you can walk or swim to another resort or beach on your own. We stayed in two places, whereof one was definitely more enjoyable than the other. Without making a booking in advances, our hosts from Poki-Poki dropped us off at Kadidiri Paradise. Coming from a heartwarming place like Poki-Poki, this accommodation felt ice-cold. Even though the jetty and the white beach looked clean and great, the staff was not that interested in us being there, let alone making us feel welcome and appreciated. The rooms were dark and overly expensive in comparison to the other places in the Togeans. Unfortunately, we could not leave immediately so we stayed one night before we booked a room at the neighbour accommodation where we heard good things about. After the rain literarily stopped and the sun began to shine, the boatman of Harmony Bay picked us up. There we stayed in the Deluxe Room where you sleep and wake up with a view of the aqua blue ocean. We payed 800.000 IDR per night for 2 persons, including four meals and unlimited soft-drinks.
What to do in Kadidiri?
Swim towards the ‘home reef’ of the accommodation: One of the benefits of staying in Kadidiri is that you not need a guided tour and to hire a boat to see beautiful corals and fish. Just bring your own (or hire) snorkel-gear and go out for an ocean safari! Be sure to wear sun screen, a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, since you’ll burn within minutes…
Kayak towards the sunset: At Harmony Bay you can rent a kayak for half-or a full day. Theoretically, you can kayak around the entire island and find all the small deserted beaches! Watch the beautiful orange and pink sunset from the waters but keep in mind that it is not save to be on a kayak when it is dark! Many boats do not have lights and will not see you.
Swim with hundreds of jelly fish: In for a strange little adventure? Then the jelly fish lake might be something for you! From Kadidiri various day trips will bring you to this special place where you can snorkel with many jelly fish. Don’t worry, this particular species can not sting!
GORONTALO
Traveling towards and in Gorontalo
After enjoying the ocean, finding a big variety of jungle inhabitants in your room and lived a-distanced from the rapid online world, you might want to check in with reality again. As you survived the challenge of reaching the Togean Islands, it can be an adventure to leave them as well. Two times a week, a ferry departs from Wakai towards Gorontalo which takes around 12 hours (4 p.m. to 4 a.m.). There are a few options, depending on your preference. We heard stories regarding all three classes:
- Economy Class: Even the locals are not to found of this option. Especially during the summer season, locals bring everything you can image with them on this deck. Think about fish, dorians, rice, scooters and more. Since there is no AC and the deck is partially open, it is not that comfortable. The costs are 63.000 IDR per person.
- Business Class (VIP): When you bought your economy class ticket at the harbour, you might want to ask about this Class. Via unofficial paths you can obtain a bed in the VIP, where the smelly foods are not allowed and is cooled by an AC. Talk to one of the boat personel if there are rooms in the VIP available and pay them an additional 20.000 IDR. If you’re lucky like us, you will have a matras in this class and sleep easily for more than 6 hours.
- Cabin: When talking with your host in the Togeans, you can arrange a cabin. These cabins are officially from the crew, but they rent them out on well-paying tourists. For 500.000 IDR (!!!) you can rent an entire cabin for 3-4 people. According to various stories, this is not really worth the money if you compare it to the Business Class. Nevertheless, if you’re traveling with a family, this might be a more private option.
Recommendation: Bring some pre-packed food from the mainland since the only meal options consist of instant-noodles, crisps and cookies. In the harbour locals are selling nasi goreng to-go for only 20.000 IDR per meal.
In Gorontalo, it is the easiest to arrange a (free) pick-up with your host. There are some taxi-drivers but they charge you a high amount since there are no Grab or Gojek drivers around.
Where to stay in Gorontalo?
During our travels on the Togean Islands, we kept hearing a couples’ name: Harry & Mimin. They run a simple but great homestay in Gorontalo. They are kind, service oriented and will never charge you a penny too much. Even the breakfast is included in the price, just as unlimited water, tea and coffee. They will grab you from the harbour in their big black pick-up (where you are seated in the trunk) and drive you to their homestay. From there, you could join several day-trips such as swimming with whale sharks, snorkeling or freediving. More feeling like being in nature? They also have a homestay outside Gorontalo, near the airport, with the same prices per room. We arranged everything via Whatsapp, just as most things are arranged in Sulawesi.
What to do in Gorontalo?
Without sugar coating it, Gorontalo is not that exciting. There are a few day activities which you can attend, but further than that it is a typical Sulawesian city. We did some groceries, relaxed for a bit and found our first coffee (from an actual machine) in almost two weeks (!!).
Recommendations to arrange in advance
- Take your time: One thing you learn while being in Sulawesi… There is no such thing as the clock… Or appointments of any sort. Please take your time and have some space in your schedule to adjust the trip on your renewed preferences. For instance, we stayed almost twice as long as we anticipated on the Togians because it was so beautiful!!
- Cash: Please bring along sufficient cash since there are less ATM’s available land-inwards. On the Togian Islands, there are no ATM’s at all which makes it even a more important matter!
- Homestays: Your journey is partially dependent on the knowledge of locals. Staying at a homestay is one of the easiest ways to do so. They are not only more than happy to pick you up at the drop-off point, but also support you in attending special activities, such as the burying ceremony in Toroja.
- SIM-card: Please buy a local SIM-card before you start traveling land-inwards since many services and stays are arranged via Whatsapp. Also check if your bought credit can be used all over the island, since sometimes you can only used your topped-up SIM-card in specified areas.
Want to know more about our trip? Have a look my Instagram Instagram and Polarsteps account!