In South Sulawesi, Makassar has a Dutch-era fort and a sunset seafront, while the wider region has pinisi ships made by hand, Toraja's cliff graves and carved tongkonan houses, and river boats between limestone towers.
A seafront fort first built by the Gowa kingdom and later rebuilt by the Dutch. Its old stone buildings and courtyards are now a calm place to learn about the history of Makassar.
Best time: Morning or late afternoon
Tip: A museum is inside the fort and guides at the gate can explain the history. Go before the midday heat, and check opening times locally as they can change.
Makassar's seafront promenade comes alive at sunset. Try pisang epe, grilled banana with palm-sugar sauce, and the city's famous beef dishes such as coto Makassar soup and konro ribs.
Best time: Sunset and evening
Tip: The promenade is busy at sunset, so keep bags close. Coto and konro are rich beef dishes usually eaten with rice cakes; ask about ingredients if you have dietary needs.
The old harbour where traditional wooden pinisi schooners load cargo for islands across Indonesia. Fishermen, a fish market and colourful boats make it a lively place for photos.
Best time: Early morning
Tip: Early morning is busiest and most photogenic. Planks are uneven and wet, so wear shoes with grip, and ask crews before photographing them.
A small boat glides along a quiet river between towering limestone peaks and rice fields, then a short walk leads to a village and a viewpoint over one of the world's largest tower karst areas.
Best time: Morning or late afternoon
Tip: Wear the life jacket on the small boat, bring a hat and water, and watch your step on wet paths. Go in the drier months for clearer skies.
A waterfall, cool pools and forest in Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park, long known as the 'kingdom of butterflies' since naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace collected here in the 1850s.
Best time: Weekday morning
Tip: It gets crowded on weekends and holidays, so go on a weekday morning. Rocks near the water are slippery, and the river can rise quickly after rain.
Tanjung Bira has soft white sand and clear water. Nearby Tana Beru is where wooden pinisi ships are built by hand on the beach, a craft listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.
Best time: Dry season
Tip: It is a long drive, so plan at least one night. Shipyards are working sites: ask permission and follow safety directions. Swim where locals do and ask about currents.
A row of carved and painted tongkonan houses faces a line of rice barns on stilts. Behind the village, old coffins and wooden effigies rest in cliff graves, some very old.
Best time: Morning
Tip: These are family burial places: do not touch bones or coffins, do not climb on graves, and ask before taking photos. A local guide adds a great deal of meaning.
At Londa, coffins and bones lie in a large cave under a cliff, visited with a lamp-carrying guide. At Lemo, rows of carved tau-tau effigies stand in balconies cut into a rock face.
Best time: Morning
Tip: The Londa cave is dark with uneven ground, so wear sturdy shoes and follow your guide. Treat the graves with respect and never remove or move anything.
A mountain village at about 1,300 metres on the slopes of Mount Sesean, with sweeping views over the Rantepao valley and rice terraces, often above a layer of early morning cloud.
Best time: Early morning
Tip: The road is steep and narrow, so go with a driver. Bring a jacket because it is cool up there, and start early, before clouds fill the valley.
A field of more than a hundred tall standing stones, each one raised for a funeral held here. Nearby are baby graves in a living tree and cliff graves.
Best time: Morning, outside holiday peaks
Tip: Rambu Solo' funerals are family events held mostly in the dry season. Join one only through a local guide and the host family's welcome, in dark modest clothes, and ask before photographing.
It is about 17 km in a straight line from Makassar & Tana Toraja.
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Indonesia page
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
Driest months: Jul, Aug, Sep. Wettest months: Jan, Feb, Dec.
Prices here are about 29% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Fly to Sultan Hasanuddin Airport (UPG) near Makassar, about 30-45 minutes from the city centre. Rantepao in Toraja is around 300 km, roughly 8 hours by road; a small plane also flies to Toraja Airport (Buntu Kunik) - check the current schedule.
The dry season (roughly May to October) is best for roads, beaches and hikes. Toraja funeral ceremonies are mostly held in the dry months, with July and August busiest, so book early then.
Makassar is mainly Muslim, with mosques and halal food everywhere; dress modestly. Toraja is mostly Christian and pork is common on menus, so Muslim travellers should ask for halal places in advance. At graves and funerals wear dark, modest clothes and follow your guide.
In Makassar use ride-hailing apps, taxis or pete-pete minibuses. For Rammang-Rammang, Bantimurung, Bira and Toraja a car with driver is easiest; mountain roads in Toraja wind and can be slow. A local guide is strongly recommended in Toraja.
112 - general emergency (free, works from any phone where the service is live). 110 - police. 118 / 119 - ambulance and medical emergency. 113 - fire. 115 - search and rescue (BASARNAS). English is understood in the main tourist areas; elsewhere ask your hotel to call for you.
Report a lost passport to the nearest police station (get the police report), then contact your embassy or consulate for an emergency travel document. Keep a photo of your passport in your e-mail or phone - it speeds everything up. The official embassy list linked here shows where to find your country's embassy or consulate.
Big cities and Bali have international-standard private hospitals (e.g. Siloam, BIMC in Bali, Mayapada, RS Pondok Indah in Jakarta). Public referral hospitals are cheaper but busier. Ask your hotel or travel insurer for the nearest suitable hospital.
local government
Helps with: Indonesia's national tourism ministry. Its contact page lists a call centre, a WhatsApp contact centre, an email address and its office in Jakarta for tourism enquiries.
Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in Indonesia or planning a trip there.
Phone: 021-3838000
Email: [email protected]
Address: Gedung Sapta Pesona, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No.17, Gambir, Jakarta Pusat, Jakarta 10110
un agency
Helps with: The UN migration agency, operating in Indonesia since 1979. It works with governments and partners on migration management and crisis response.
Who qualifies: Migrants, governments and partners working on migration. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +62 21 57951275
Email: [email protected]
Address: Sampoerna Strategic Square North Tower 10th Floor, Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav 45-46, Jakarta 12930
ngo
Helps with: The ICRC says it works with the society on training first responders in pre-hospital care, reuniting separated families and emergency preparedness. No contact details are given, so use the society's website.
Who qualifies: The page does not say who can use it. It names the society as the ICRC's partner in Indonesia.