North Kalimantan
%0551
Due to its isolation, North Kalimantan contains some of the most pristine forests on Borneo, making it one of the last, and best frontiers for hardcore jungle trekking. The 1.36 million hectare Kayan Mentarang National Park represents a significant chunk of the heart of Borneo, and contains a dizzying diversity of life, with new species still being discovered. When it comes to travelling here, the rewards are returned in direct proportion with the level of difficulty.
The two best places to access the park are via Long Bawan to the north, and Long Punjungan to the south. Many of the ecotourism initiatives developed by WWF (www.borneo-ecotourism.com) have been left fallow, but the information they provide is a great orientation to the area.
In Long Bawan, contact English-speaking Alex Balang (0852 4705 7469, [email protected]) to get the lay of the land and to arrange treks further afield.
To the south, the path is even more untrodden, and Bahasa Indonesia is essential. Start your journey at Tanjung Selor, where sizeable longboats powered by multiple outboard engines load wares for the long haul upstream to Long Punjungan. Pak Muming at Hotel Asoy (0812 540 4256) and Pak Heri (0822 5053 8995) both regularly make the trip.
North Kalimantan is also a common, though convoluted, transit option for those travelling to or from Malaysian Borneo. Take note: there is no visa on arrival service at the borders on Nunukan or Tarakan, but the Indonesian consulate in Tawau, Sabah, is among the most efficient we have worked with.
NORTH KALIMANTAN TRANSIT OPTIONS
Navigating through the province can be confusing. Consult the table below for transit options for moving from north to south.
From To via Fare (Rp) Duration Frequency
Tawau (Sabah) Nunukan speedboat RM75 1½hr frequent
Tawau (Sabah) Tarakan plane (MASwings) 1,600,000 40min Mon, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun
Tawau (Sabah) Tarakan ferry RM130 4hr 10am Mon, Wed, Fri
Nunukan Tarakan speedboat 240,000 2½hr 5 daily from 7am-1.30pm
Tarakan Long Bawan plane (Susi Air) 460,000 1hr Mon, Fri, Sat, Sun
Tarakan Derawan speedboat 250,000 3hr 2pm Fri only
Tarakan Tanjung Selor speedboat 120,000 1hr frequent 7am-2.30pm
Tanjung Selor Long Pujungan longboat 800,000 2 days weekly
Tanjung Selor Berau (Tanjung Redeb) Kijang 120,000 3hr when full
Tanjung Selor Berau (Tanjung Redeb) bus (DAMRI) 50,000 3hr 9am Mon, Wed, Fri
Sulawesi
Sulawesi Highlights
South Sulawesi
Makassar
Around Makassar
Pantai Bira
Pulau Lihukan
Pulau Selayar
Taka Bone Rate Islands
Watampone
Sengkang
Pare Pare
Tana Toraja
Around Tana Toraja
West Sulawesi
Mamasa Valley
Central Sulawesi
Pendolo
Tentena
Poso
Around Poso
Lore Lindu National Park
Palu
Donggala & Tanjung Karang
Luwuk
Ampana
Togean Islands
North Sulawesi
Gorontalo
Manado
Pulau Bunaken
Tomohon
Around Tomohon
Bitung
Pulau Lembeh & the Lembeh Strait
Tangkoko-Batuangas Dua Saudara Nature Reserve
Southeast Sulawesi
Kolaka
Kendari
Bau Bau
Tukangbesi Islands
Sulawesi
Pop 18.8 million
Why Go?
If you think Sulawesi's geography looks fantastic on the map, just wait until you see it for real. The massive island’s multilimbed coastline is drawn with sandy beaches that fringe coral reefs and a mind-boggling variety of fish. Meanwhile, its interior is shaded by impenetrable mountains and jungles that are thick with wildlife, such as rare nocturnal tarsiers and flamboyantly colourful maleo birds. Cultures have been able to independently evolve here, cut off from the rest of the world by the dramatic topography. Meet the Toraja highlanders, with their elaborate funeral ceremonies in which buffaloes are sacrificed and balok (palm sugar wine) flows freely; the Minahasans in the far north, who offer spicy dishes of everything from stewed forest rat to grilled fish; and the Bugis, who are mainly found inhabiting Sulawesi's coastal regions and are Indonesia’s most famous seafarers.
When to Go
AApr–Oct It's peak season for scuba diving, with calm seas and incredible visibility.
ANov–Mar Lembeh Strait critters tend to come out of the muck more in the wet season.
AJun–Aug The best months to experience Tana Toraja's biggest funeral ceremonies.
Best Places to Eat
A Lae Lae
A Raja Sate
A Lesehan Jetpur
A Rumah Makan Green Garden
Best Places to Stay
A Living Colours
A Hoga Island Dive Resort
A Ge Jac Mart
A Cosmos Bungalows
A Pia’s Poppies Hotel
Sulawesi Highlights
1 Snorkelling or diving along unbelievably rich coral drop-offs – some of Asia’s best – around chilled-out Pulau Bunaken.
2 Witnessing the ritual and tradition of an elaborate funeral ceremony in Tana Toraja.
3 Finding barefoot bliss in the off-grid, paradisaical Togean Islands.
4 Hiking, cycling and birdwatching in the stunning volcanic region around Tomohon.
5 Spotting sprightly tarsiers, black macaques and a bevy of birds at Tangkoko-Batuangas Dua Saudara Nature Reserve.
6 Walking the beaches, diving the waters and exploring the diverse countryside around Pantai Bira.
7 Seeking out one of Jacques Cousteau's favourite diving haunts: the rarely visited Tukangbesi Islands.
History
The interior of Sulawesi provided a refuge for some of Indonesia’s earliest inhabitants, some of whom preserved elements of their rich cultures well into the 20th century. The Makassarese and Bugis of the southwestern peninsula and the Christian Minahasans of the far north are the dominant groups in Sulawesi. The unique traditions, architecture and ceremonies of the Toraja people make the interior of South Sulawesi a deservedly popular destination.
Other minorities, particularly Bajau sea nomads, have played an integral role in the island’s history. The rise of the kingdom of Gowa – Sulawesi’s first major power – from the mid-16th century was partly due to its trading alliance with the Bajau. The Bajau supplied valuable sea produce, especially the Chinese delicacy trepang (sea cucumber), tortoiseshell, birds’ nests and pearls, which attracted international traders to Gowa’s capital, Makassar.
Makassar quickly became known as a cosmopolitan, tolerant and secure entrepôt that allowed traders to bypass the Dutch monopoly over the spice trade in the east – a considerable concern to the Dutch. In 1660 the Dutch sunk six Portuguese ships in Makassar harbour, captured the fort and in 1667 forced Gowa’s ruler, Sultan Hasanuddin, into an alliance. Eventually, the Dutch managed to exclude all other foreign traders from Makassar, effectively shutting down the port.
Indonesia won its independence from the Dutch in 1945, but ongoing civil strife hampered Sulawesi’s attempts at post-WWII reconstruction until well into the 1960s. A period of uninterrupted peace delivered unprecedented and accelerating development, particularly evident in the ever-growing Makassar metropolis.
Tragically, the Poso region in Central Sulawesi fell into a cycle of intercommunal violence in 1998, though things have calmed down considerably since. Since 2013 the development of the Trans-Sulawesi highway and the upgrading of several regional airports have improved the island's transport connections, boosting trade and tourism.
THE WALLACE LINE
Detailed surveys of
Borneo and Sulawesi in the 1850s by English naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace resulted in some inspired correspondence with Charles Darwin. Wallace was struck by the marked differences in wildlife, despite the two islands’ proximity and similarities in climate and geography. His letters to Darwin, detailing evidence of his theory that the Indonesian archipelago was inhabited by one distinct fauna in the east and one in the west, prompted Darwin to publish similar observations from his own travels. The subsequent debate on species distribution and evolution transformed modern thought.
Wallace refined his theory in 1859, drawing a boundary between the two regions of fauna. The Wallace Line, as it became known, divided Sulawesi and Lombok to the east, and Borneo and Bali to the west. He believed that islands to the west of the line had once been part of Asia, and those to the east had been linked to a Pacific–Australian continent. Sulawesi’s wildlife was so unusual that Wallace suspected it was once part of both, a fact that geologists have since proven to be true.
Other analyses of where Australian-type fauna begin to outnumber Asian fauna have placed the line further east. Lydekker’s Line, which lies east of Maluku and Timor, is generally accepted as the western boundary of strictly Australian fauna, while Wallace Line marks the eastern boundary of Asian fauna.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Domestic
The two main transport hubs are Makassar and Manado, which are well connected with the rest of Indonesia. Palu is the third most important airport. In recent years Gorontalo, Luwuk, Poso and Kendari have all seen an increase in air traffic; minor airports at towns such as Ampana, Selayar and Naha (Sangihe-Talaud Islands) also provide useful links for travellers.
There are direct flights to Java, Bali, Kalimantan, Maluku and Papua. Lion Air, Garuda Indonesia, Wings Air, Batik Air, Citilink, XpressAir, Sriwijaya Air are the main carriers.
International
Silk Air flies between Manado and Singapore four days per week for around US$210 (one way). Air Asia flies from Makassar to Kuala Lumpur from US$80.
Boat
Sulawesi is well connected, with around half the Pelni ferry fleet calling at Makassar, Bitung (the seaport for Manado), Pare Pare and Toli-Toli, as well as a few other minor towns. Some of the more important boats that stop at Makassar and/or Bitung (for Manado) include the following:
Boat Destinations
Bukit Siguntang East Kalimantan, Nusa Tenggara
Ciremai Maluku, Papua, Java
Kelimutu Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku
Kerinci East Kalimantan
Labobar Java, Papua
Lambelu Java, Maluku, Northern Maluku
Sirimau Nusa Tenggara, Java, East Kalimantan
Tilongkabila Nusa Tenggara, Bali
8Getting Around
Air
Wings Air, Garuda Indonesia, XpressAir, Batik Air, Aviastar and Sriwijaya Air are the main carriers for getting around Sulawesi.
Boat
With the proliferation of affordable flights in Sulawesi, very few travellers now use Pelni ferries. However there are some useful links from Makassar to Malaku and Kalimantan and from Bitung in the north.
The Tilongkabila ferry sails every two weeks from Makassar to Bau Bau, Raha and Kendari, up to Kolonedale, Luwuk, Gorontalo and Bitung and returns the same way to Makassar.
Elsewhere along the coast creaky old ferries and wooden boats run to destinations including the Togean Islands. Speedboats are occasionally available for charter. Around the southeastern peninsula, the kapal cepat (fast boats) and the ‘superjet’ are the way to go.
Bus, Bemo and Kijang
Excellent air-conditioned buses connect Rantepao with Makassar. Elsewhere you're looking at pretty clapped-out local buses that stop every few minutes. There are some decent long-distance bemo (minibus) services, particularly on the road across Central Sulawesi connecting Luwuk and Palu.
Shared Kijang (a type of taxi) are also common; these are quicker than buses, and cost a bit more, but aren't necessarily more comfortable.
In towns, minibuses called mikrolet or pete-pete are the main mode of transport for locals.
ROAD TRIPS
The road network in Sulawesi has improved in recent years, and there's now (in theory) a 'Trans-Sulawesi Highway' connecting Makassar with Manado. However, it's not really a highway in the Western sense; it consists mostly of a two-laned paved road that passes through towns, over innumerable mountain ranges and is affected by landslides during heavy rains. It's very slow-going: expect to average no more than 35kph most of the time.
Roads around Makassar and the southwestern peninsula, and around Manado and the northeastern peninsula are in reasonable shape, though heavy traffic inevitably means slow journey times. A new toll road connecting Manado and Bitung is partially built. Road links have also been upgraded between Rantepao and Ampana. There's an excellent new road along the west coast between Watampone and Bulukumba.
Many travellers club together and hire a car and a driver to speed up travel in Sulawesi. The Rantepao–Ampana stretch (510km), which takes a minimum of two days, is a popular route.
South Sulawesi
South Sulawesi is huge. Makassar in the far south is the capital of the island and is fittingly tumultuous yet friendly. Stop here for a day or two to feast on some of the best seafood on the island. From Makassar consider heading southeast to sleepy Pantai Bira, which has world-class diving and fine sandy beaches, or do what most people do and go directly to Tana Toraja.
The spectacular Toraja highlands should not be missed: a dizzying blend of mountains carved with rice paddies, outlandish funeral ceremonies involving animal sacrifices and some of the most fantastical local-style architecture in Asia. En route from Makassar you’ll pass coastal salt farms and inland coffee, cotton and sugarcane plantations.
The estimated eight million or so inhabitants include the Bugis (who make up two-thirds of the population), the Makassarese (a quarter) and the Toraja. The Bugis and Makassarese are both seafaring people, who for centuries were active in trade, sailing to Flores, Timor and Sumba, and even as far afield as the northern coast of Australia. Islam is the dominant religion, except in Toraja, but all cultures retain vestiges of traditional beliefs.
History
The dominant powers in the south were long the Makassarese kingdom of Gowa (around the port of Makassar) and the Bugis kingdom of Bone. By the mid-16th century, Gowa had established itself at the head of a major trading bloc in eastern Indonesia. The king of Gowa adopted Islam in 1605 and Bone was soon subdued, spreading Islam to the whole Bugis–Makassarese area.
The Dutch United East India Company found Gowa a considerable hindrance to its plans to monopolise the spice trade until a deal was struck with the exiled Bugis prince Arung Palakka. The Dutch sponsored Palakka’s return to Bone in 1666, prompting Bone to rise against the Makassarese. A year of fighting ensued and Sultan Hasanuddin of Gowa was forced to sign the Treaty of Bungaya in 1667, which severely reduced Gowa’s power. Bone, under Palakka, then became the supreme state of South Sulawesi.
Rivalry between Bone and the other Bugis states continually reshaped the political landscape. After their brief absence during the Napoleonic Wars, the Dutch returned to a Bugis revolt led by the queen of Bone. This was suppressed, but rebellions continued until Makassarese and Bugis resistance was finally broken in the early years of the 20th century. Unrest lingered on until the early 1930s, and revolts against the central Indonesian government occurred again in the 1950s
The Makassarese and Bugis are staunchly Islamic and independently minded. Makassar and Pare Pare are still the first to protest when the political or economic situation is uncertain.
Today a period of prosperity has brought stability, however, and Makassar's importance continues to grow as eastern Indonesia's foremost city.
Makassar
%0411 / Pop 1.71 million
The gritty metropolis of Makassar is one of the nation's greatest ports. It's a seething maelst
rom of commerce and shipping, with a polyglot population of Makassarese, Bugis and Chinese residents. But as the city has few sights, and the tropical heat and pollution is pretty unremitting, few travellers stay more than a night or two.
Makassar was the gateway to eastern Indonesia for centuries, and it was from here that the Dutch controlled much of the trade that passed between the West and the East. You can investigate the city's historical core, which retains considerable colonial charm, around Fort Rotterdam, which includes the remains of an ancient Gowanese fort and some striking Dutch buildings.
The locals are a hospitable and sociable bunch: mix with them in the city's famous seafood warung (food stalls) or join them for a stroll along Pantai Losari. This kilometre-long promenade stretches south to the 'floating mosque' Masjid Amirul Mukminin. It's a good place to catch some sea air and mingle with snacking families.
The city is expanding with new suburbs in every direction. Tanjung Bunga looms to the southwest of the city and may become the centre one day, while Panukkukang to the east is chock-a-block with mighty, modern shopping malls.
Lonely Planet Indonesia Page 124