Makassar Destination Guide

Tana Toraja is indisputably one of the most important tourist destinations in Sulawesi. Situated in the highland region towards the centre of Sulawesi, Tana Toraja is a beautiful place surrounded by mountains and is a cultural hotspot.

The unique culture and traditions of the villagers, the intriguing ceremonies, and the majestic views from the area attract visitors in droves. In recent years several excellent hotels have come up in Tana Toraja to cater to the increasing demand from visitors. The climate is also much cooler than in the plains and the Arabica coffee produced here is matchless.

Rebuilt by the Dutch on the ruins of an old fort in the 17^th century, Fort Rotterdam is a well preserved piece of Indonesian history. A quiet getaway from the hustle of the city, the fort premises also hosts an arts centre and a museum. It is a favourite hangout of theatre buffs and music aficionados.

The ruins of the Somba Opu fort, destroyed by the Bugis-Dutch forces in 1669 after defeating the powerful Makassar kingdom, still hold historical and archaeological importance. Located about seven kilometres from Makassar in the Jeneberang River delta, a good portion of this once great fort is no more, but some parts still remain and the western wall has been restored.

Located in the fort complex is an archaeological museum which houses artefacts and other objects recovered after excavations of the fort and nearby areas. The open air museum of traditional houses from south-west Sulawesi located adjacent to the fort is also a big attraction.

Panrang Luhuk is a pleasant seaside village on the east coast, a couple of kilometres north of Bira Harbour. It has is a fine beach and there are a few cottages to accommodate guests. The place is ideal for swimming and snorkelling and the coral reefs though damaged at many places are still home to a variety of colourful marine life.

Tanah Beru village is a boat building hub and is located about 25 km from Bulukumba on the route towards Tanjung Bira. As it is the home to a number of boat builders, visitors to the village are always greeted by the sight of boats under construction.

Makassar acts as a gateway to the Spermonde Archipelago comprising of a group of beautiful islands and atolls scattered not far from the mainland. A few of the bigger islands of the archipelago are densely populated while others are uninhibited, and most are ideal places for snorkelling, diving and swimming. Coral reefs teeming with vivid and colourful marine life are abundant in the area. At some islands like Samalona, the reefs are very near to shore but at others like Lanyukang Atoll, the reefs have to be reached by boats. Observing the village life is in itself a great past time for many visitors to the islands and the island of Kodengareng Lompo also has some interesting historical sites.

The best time to visit the archipelago is during the monsoon season between May and September. This is also the best time for sailing trips.

Trans Studio World Makassar is reputed to be one of the largest indoor theme parks in the world. It is a wonderful entertainment centre set up for over 20 games and provided with other facilities like hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and marina. The theme park is located about five kilometres from Makassar in the Integrated Global Tourism and Business Region, Tanjung Bunga.

Tanjung Bira beach is a gorgeous beach with a vast stretch of soft white sand. A great place to swim, bask in the warmth of the sun or play beach volleyball - which is very popular in these parts - it is located around 200 km towards the east of Makassar in the Tanjung Bira village of Bulukumba Regency.