Sulawesi
Although Sulawesi has grown in popularity as a destination over the last decade, and Makassar’s fantastic food tours and diverse history show its culture from all angles, much of the island still retains an air of a land living in its own time. Trek through dense rainforests around the base of a simmering volcano, stay overnight in traditional community villages (where you’ll see rural life as it really is) and dive into one of the world’s most biodiverse and best-preserved marine environments. Straddling Indonesia’s north-south line, the best time to visit Sulawesi varies throughout the year, and those green hills don’t get so lush without a fair bit of rain, but precipitation won’t stop play in this beautiful, culturally-rich part of the archipelago. Pack your hiking boots, leave your preconceptions on the plane, and get set for one of our favourite Indonesian islands.
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Three things to do in Sulawesi
Tana Toraja region
Set in Sulawesi’s cooler highland landscape of terraced rice fields, towering cliffs, and the incredibly tranquil Lake Tempe, Tana Toraja is way off the map for typical tourists. Torajan funeral customs have become well-known, and although travellers are usually very welcome, and it’s customary to bring a suitable gift for the host family, accepting an invitation to a Torajan funeral ceremony isn’t something to be taken lightly. The atmosphere of these three-day events can feel more animated than those unfamiliar with local customs might be used to, and they can be fairly graphic affairs, with the slaughtering of pigs taking centre stage. If you do choose to attend, it’s a moment to pause your expectations and experience something truly unique.
Bunaken National Marine Park
Sit on the sweeping, snow-white shores of any island within Bunaken Marine National Park and you’ll be hard pushed not to relax. Gently lapping waves, sand-dusted wooden steps, and sumptuous, spicy, smoky smells spiralling from the barbecue: if you’re looking to escape, this is where you do it. But it’s not just beside the crystal clear waters of the Celebes Sea that travellers get their laid back kicks. The underwater world that awaits puts other diving and snorkelling hot spots in the shade. This protected marine area, full of walls of colourful coral, provides safe haven for stingrays, reef sharks, turtles and octopi. Bunaken is astonishing, like an underwater Amazon rainforest. You won’t be disappointed.
Trekking trails
Trekking through the steamy rainforests at the base of Mt Tangkoko is sure to heighten your senses. Follow a local ranger into the jungle where leathery wisps of fruit bats swoop from up above and wild pigs snuffle and squeal through the low undergrowth. As the sun sets, the animals of day and night collide with a cacophony of calls. Elsewhere in the highlands of central Sulawesi, treks take on a more culturally enlightening angle. Follow paths through bamboo forests and around agricultural rice terraces before bedding down for the night in a traditional Torajan village. You’ll be unlikely to encounter any other foreign travellers on this type of trek, but the frequent meetings with helpful local villagers are warmly welcome.
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Inspiring experiences and places to stay…
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