( GOOGLE MAP ; %0411-872-336; cnr Jl Sam Ratulangi & Jl Sungai Saddang; h8am-4pm)
There's little practical information available but the staff is helpful and friendly. Take any red pete-pete (a type of mikrolet or bemo) travelling south along Jl Jendral Sudirman to get here.
Travel Agencies
Makassar has many travel agencies offering flight bookings and tours, including trips to Tana Toraja. Don't make a hefty payment up front; some travellers have reported making payments to seemingly professional 'tour organisers' whose tours never materialise.
He's not a conventional travel agent, but freelancer Dodo Mursalim (%0812 412 9913; http://dodopenman.blogspot.com) helps hundreds of travellers each year with transport and tours, and has been doing so for decades. He's reliable, trustworthy and his rates are very reasonable.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Makassar is well connected with other cities in Sulawesi and with Java, Kalimantan and Maluku. International flights include Air Asia to Kuala Lumpur and Silk Air to Singapore.
Note many airline's websites still use Makassar's former name, Ujung Pandang, for bookings.
GarudaAIRLINE
(Garuda Indonesia; GOOGLE MAP ; %0411-365-4747; Jl Slamet Riyadi 6)
Flies directly to and from Manado, Denpasar, Jakarta, Jayapura, Surabaya and Yogyakarta among many other destinations.
Lion AirAIRLINE
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0411-327-038; Jl Ahmad Yani 22)
Flies daily to and from Manado, Kendari, Gorontalo, Palu, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Balikpapan, Ternate and Sorong.
Sriwijaya AirAIRLINE
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0411-424-800; Jl Lanto Daeng Pasewang)
Flies to/from destinations including Ambon, Biak, Balikpapan, Gorontalo, Jayapura, Kendari, Manado, Palu, Surabaya and Ternate.
Wings AirAIRLINE
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0411-327-038; Jl Ahmad Yani 22)
Flies to/from Gorontalo, Kendari, Luwuk, Mamuju, Poso and Wakatobi.
Boat
Around half the Pelni ferry fleet stops in Makassar, mostly on the way to Surabaya and Jakarta, East Kalimantan, Ambon and Papua. Useful services include the Tidar to Balikpapan, the Sirimau to Larantuka in Flores, and the Tilongkabila to Bau Bau and then up along the east coast to Kendari, Kolonedale, Luwuk, Gorontalo and Bitung.
The Pelni office ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0411-331-401; Jl Jendral Sudirman 38; h8am-2pm Mon-Sat) is efficient and computerised. Tickets are also available at agencies around town. Pelni boats use the chaotic Pelabuhan Makassar ( GOOGLE MAP ; off Jl Nusantara) port in the city centre.
Bus & Kijang
Makassar has numerous terminals but three are most useful.
Terminal DayaBUS STATION
Buses and Kijangs depart throughout the day to all points north, including Sengkang (55,000Rp to 78,000Rp, four hours) and Rantepao (110,000Rp to 220,000Rp, nine hours). There are some luxurious bus services to Rantapao, including night buses (most leave between 8.30pm and 10pm). To get to Terminal Daya, catch any pete-pete (5000Rp, 30 minutes) marked ‘Daya’ from Makassar Mall or from along Jl Bulusaraung. It's in the eastern suburbs on the road to the airport.
Terminal MallengkeriBUS STATION
Buses and Kijangs depart for destinations southeast of Makassar, including to Bulukumba (60,000Rp, four hours) and Pantai Bira (75,000Rp, five hours). For Pantai Bira, you may have to change in Bulukumba. Transport is most frequent in the morning, so it’s good to get to the terminal early. It's about 8km southeast of the city centre; take a pete-pete marked ‘S Minasa’ from Makassar Mall or from along Jl Jendral Sudirman and ask to be dropped at Terminal Mallengkeri.
Terminal SungguminasaBUS STATION
Has regular pete-pete services to Malino (24,000Rp, 1½ hours). To get here take a pete-pete marked ‘S Minasa’ from Makassar Mall or from along Jl Jendral Sudirman.
8Getting Around
To/From the Airport
Hasanuddin Airport is 22km north of Makassar city centre. Using the toll road will save you considerable time.
Bus
Damri buses (27,000Rp) run every 20 to 30 minutes between 8am and 9pm daily from the basement level of the airport to Lapangan Karebosi in central Makassar.
Pete-Pete
These can be convenient (although time consuming) if you want to skip Makassar altogether. Free shuttles run from the basement level of the airport to the main road (about 500m from the terminal) about every 15 minutes; from there you can flag down a pete-pete to Terminal Daya. From Terminal Daya you can transfer to pete-pete going to the other bus terminals or get buses to points north, including Rantepao.
Taxi
Prepaid taxis are available in the arrivals area of the airport. Taxis between the airport and city cost from 105,000Rp to 125,000Rp.
Public Transport
Makassar is hot, so using a becak (bicycle rickshaw), pete-pete or taxi can be a relief.
Becak
Becak drivers like to kerb-crawl, hoping you’ll succumb to their badgering and/or the heat. The going rate is from 7000Rp to 10,000Rp.
Pete-Pete
The main pete-pete terminal is at Makassar Mall. The standard fare around town is 5000Rp.
Taxi
Air-conditioned taxis have meters and are worth using; a 2km ride costs about 14,000Rp. Bluebird (%0411-441-234) is reliable, comfortable and operates 24 hours.
Around Makassar
Pulau Samalona
A tiny speck just off Makassar, the white sands of Pulau Samalona are popular with day trippers, particularly on weekends. It takes a full two minutes to walk around the entire island. There are patches of (degraded) coral offshore, some reef fish, and you'll find snorkelling gear for hire. Compared to Makassar harbour, the water’s pretty clear! Cold drinks (including beer) and fresh fish are available.
To get here you will have to charter a boat (400,000Rp to 500,000Rp return) from the special jetty in Makassar. Boats can take up to eight people.
Pulau Kayangan
This tiny tropical island (also spelt Khayangan) is a short ride (40,000Rp return in a public boat) from Makassar harbourfront. It's rammed with locals on Sundays and holidays but is pleasant enough to visit for a seafood meal the rest of the time; many of the island's restaurants are positioned over the water, and are perfect for sunsets.
Bantimurung
Air Terjun BantimurungWATERFALL
(admission Indonesian/foreigner 25,000/255,000Rp)
These waterfalls 42km from Makassar are set amid lushly vegetated limestone cliffs. It's a highly scenic spot, but beware the absurdly overpriced entrance fee for foreigners.
Looking up, it’s straight out of Jurassic Park, but then you scan the ground level and it’s a classic objek wisata (tourist object), crowded with day trippers on weekends, and peppered with litter and creative concrete. Upstream from the main waterfall there’s another smaller waterfall and a pretty, but treacherous, pool (take a torch to make it through the cave en route).
Bantimurung is also famous for its beautiful butterflies; however, numbers are plummeting, as locals trap them to sell to visitors.
Catch a Damri bus or pete-pete (10,000Rp, one hour) to Maros from Makassar Mall in Makassar, and a pete-pete to Bantimurung (7000Rp, 30 minutes).
Gua Leang Leang
Gua Leang LeangCAVE
(admission Indonesian/foreigner 5000/20,000Rp)
The Gua Leang Leang caves are noted for their ancient paintings. The age of these is unknown, but relics from nearby caves have provided glimpses of life from 8000 to 30,000 years ago. There are 60 or so known caves in the Maros district; the limestone karsts here have more holes than a Swiss cheese.
Catch a pete-pete from Maros to the Taman Purbakala Leang-Leang turn-off on the road to Bantimurung, and walk the last couple of kilometres.
Alternatively, charter a pete-pete from Maros and combine it with a trip to Air Terjun Bantimurung waterfall.
Malino
%0417
Malino is a h
ill resort, famous as the meeting place of Kalimantan and east Indonesian leaders who endorsed the Netherlands’ ill-fated plans for a federation. More recently, peace agreements have been struck for Maluku and Poso here. There are many scenic walks, and Air Terjun Takapala (admission 3000Rp) is a spectacular waterfall set amid rice fields 4km east of town. Look for the ‘Wisata Alam Lombasang Malino’ sign as you come into town for the waterfall turn-off.
Grand Bukit Indah Resort (%21277; [email protected]; Jl Endang 2 ; r incl breakfast 250,000-375,000Rp) is not at all 'grand' but the spacious tiled rooms with private mandis (Indonesian-style bathrooms), flat-screen TVs and front porches are kept tidy. There are many warung in town.
Terminal Sungguminasa in Makassar has regular pete-pete services to Malino (16,000Rp, 2½ hours).
Pantai Bira
%0413
Goats outnumber vehicles in the isolated coastal village and dive centre of Pantai Bira. The scruffy main village, home to most accommodation, is spread out and not particularly attractive; travellers are increasingly choosing to stay at the nearby beach of Bara, where accommodation looks out over a sparkling stretch of powdery white sand.
Bira's beaches are very broad at low tide and there’s decent snorkelling a short swim from the shore. There are several more remote bays, hiking trails and a few caves with freshwater pools to explore in the surrounding area. Unfortunately, rubbish is a big problem everywhere around Bira.
The diving here is dramatic, on a par with anywhere in Indonesia for 'big stuff': lots of sharks (including hammerheads), rays and pelagic fish. However, some sites are swept by strong currents and are only suitable for experienced divers.
Pantai Bira & Around
1Sights
1Pantai BaratA4
2Activities, Courses & Tours
2South Sulawesi DiversA4
3Sulawesi Dive AdventureB1
4Sleeping
4Amatoa Beach ResortA4
5Anda BungalowsB4
6Cici Guest HouseA3
7Riswan Guest HouseB4
8Salassa Guest HouseB4
9Sunshine GuesthouseA4
5Eating
SalassaB4
10WarungA4
Warung BambooA4
1Sights
Boat builders use age-old techniques to craft traditional ships at Marumasa, about half a kilometre east of Bira village, and at Tanah Beru on the road to Bulukumba. Wooden boats of various sizes can be seen at different stages of construction.
There is a small market, Pasar Bira ( GOOGLE MAP ; h7am-5pm), held in the village every two days.
A short hike from the road near Pantai Timur takes you to the top of Pua Janggo , a small hill with great views.
rBeaches
The Bira region is blessed with sweeping stretches of pale sand. Bear in mind that locals are fairly conservative. Wearing a bikini is fine (on beaches only) but you will get stared at and Makassar day trippers will probably ask to get their photo taken with you.
Pantai BaraBEACH
( GOOGLE MAP )
Around 3km northwest of Bira village, this is a fabulous crescent of white sand, fringed by low cliffs and palms. You can stroll here in 20 to 30 minutes from Bira along the coast with the sand between your toes (low tide only) and marvel at the turquoise water and tropical vegetation. At high tide use the shady dirt track behind the beach, which cuts through woodland that's home to monkeys and large monitor lizards.
Several excellent hotels have opened recently in Pantai Bara.
Pantai BaratBEACH
(West Beach; MAP GOOGLE MAP )
Pantai Barat is Bira's main beach, just west of the village centre. Its white sands are pleasant enough, though they get packed with day trippers on weekends, and there's some rubbish. The beachside warungs that sell grilled fish and banana-boat rides are very popular with locals.
Pantai TimurBEACH
(East Beach; GOOGLE MAP )
Pantai Timur is a coconut-fringed affair near the boat dock in Bira village, but it's usually cursed with rubbish.
2Activities
Bira is rightly renowned for its spectacular scuba diving. Snorkelling is also impressive. Full-day boat trips to Pulau Lihukan and Pulau Betang cost about 400,000Rp per day for a boat seating eight to 10 people. Snorkelling from both Bara and Barat is quite good, but due to the strong tides it's only possible for a few hours a day. Also, currents can be surprisingly strong and people have drowned. Equipment (mask and fins) can be rented for about 50,000Rp per day from several hotels, including Riswan Guest House and Bira Beach Hotel.
Sulawesi Dive AdventureDIVING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 4137 6888; www.sulawesidiveadventure.com; Panrang Luhu; dives US$35)
A recently opened, European-owned dive centre with new equipment, and excellent local dive instructors and guides who have decades of experience between them.
South Sulawesi DiversDIVING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 4443 6626; www.south-sulawesi-diver.com; Jl Poros Bara; dives €35)
A well-managed dive centre run by Elvis, a German dive instructor who has been leading dives around Bira for years. South Sulawesi Divers is reputable and well managed. Operates out of Mangga Lodge.
Bira DiversDIVING
(%0812 3720 0560; http://biradivers.com; Pantai Barat; dives €35, PADI Open Water Diver course €335)
This dive school has good dive equipment and instructors. However, as they use small local fishing craft as dive boats, it's not possible to reach the offshore islands when the sea is choppy. We don't recommend staying at the affiliated beach hotel (the Bira Dive Camp), as thefts have occurred.
BIRA'S TOP SCUBA-DIVING SITES
Famous as one of the 'sharkiest' spots in Indonesia, Bira offers truly spectacular scuba diving. The islands off Bira lie at the tip of southern Sulawesi where oceanic currents converge, bringing upswells of cool water from the depths and lots of pelagic life.
The seas can be rough off Pantai Bira and it's not always possible to reach islands such as Kambing, around 7km south, which has five dive sites. But there are more sheltered sites closer to shore, where you can spot macro life including nudibranchs, seahorses and prolific reef fish.
Swedish dive instructor Nick Lindberg, who worked in Bira for years, considers Kambing island to be the region's highlight. Lindberg's favourite sites include the following:
Great Wall of Goat Kambing means 'goat' in Indonesian, and the unpopulated island's eastern side has a remarkable vertical wall teeming with reef life. Sharks (including hammerheads and threshers) and rays (including mantas and devil rays) are typically encountered.
Cap Bira This impressive site off the extreme tip of the mainland has a lovely swim-through; white-tip sharks, shrimps and pipefish are common.
Shark Point This is an easier dive with a sloped profile on the eastern side of Liukang Loe island. Expect beautiful coral, turtles, sea snakes and, of course, lots of sharks, including 2m white-tips, black-tips and occasionally bull sharks.
Fish Market For experienced divers, this underwater sea mount teems with sea life, including huge groupers, jacks and Napoleon wrasse. It's a simply astonishing dive.
Mola-Mola Point On the western side of Kambing island, giant mola-mola are encountered at this site that's suitable for advanced divers. August and September are the best months.
4Sleeping
Budget accommodation is concentrated in Bira village; however, most places are ageing and not great value. Pantai Bara, 3km away, makes a lovely secluded place to stay.
Note prices are flexible at many places, with rates jacked up on holidays and discounts on offer during quiet times.
Bira Village Area
oSunshine GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$
(Nini's Place; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0821 9093 1175; http://ninibone.blogspot.co.uk; s/d 150,000/180,000Rp)
Perched up on a hill, with village and bay views, British-and-Indonesian-run Sunshine has a wonderful terrace with sea breezes, a convivial atmosphere and
is easily the best-tended place in the village. Comfy rooms in a big wooden house have spotless shared (hot-water) Western-style bathrooms.
Salassa Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 426 5672; [email protected]; s/d incl breakfast 120,000/150,000Rp)
A fine family-run place, Salassa has six small rooms (separated by wooden walls) that share a mandi (Indonesian-style) bathroom. The owners are very helpful, speak English and can direct you to some great off-the-beaten-track locations around Bira. The downstairs restaurant is one of the best in town; the included breakfast is filling.
Riswan Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0853 4166 4955, 0812 426 5627; r with fan/air-con incl breakfast 150,000/300,000Rp; ai)
All the tiled rooms at this guesthouse are kept very clean and tidy, and have private mandi; air-con options also have flat-screen TVs. Host Riswan is knowledgeable about the Bira region, speaks good English, and provides guests with tips and a map of the area for exploring.
Villa PanrangluhuBUNGALOW$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 4137 6888; www.villapanrangluhu.com; bungalows with fan/air-con incl breakfast from 300,000/500,000Rp; a)
Opened in 2015, these four lovely, well-constructed wooden bungalows are operated by Sulawesi Dive Adventures. Each has a private bathroom, a front deck and enjoy a beachside location, but they are grouped quite close together.
Lonely Planet Indonesia Page 126
