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Travel to
Sulawesi
Mountain people, people of the sea
Sulawesi offers a true journey back in time where each region is home to timeless peoples with ancestral traditions that will surprise you. Death cults, worship of sea gods, and ceremonies with ancient origins: prepare to discover the island of contrasts.
Your vacation in Sulawesi
LOCATION
Greater Sunda Island Location: Molucca Sea, Tomini Gulf, Banda Sea, Flores Sea, Boni Gulf, Java Sea, Makassar Strait.
SURFACE AREA
189,035 km²
POPULATION
Bugis, Mandar, Minahasa, Toraja, Gorontalos, Ammatoa, Konjo
20 million inhabitants (2021).
TIME ZONE
UTC +7:00.
7-hour time difference between Makassar and France
RELIGIONS
Majority Christianity and Islam. Hinduism, Buddhism
official language
Bahasa Indonesia Malayo-Polynesian languages also called Celebic languages
Currency
Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
Highest point
Mount Rantemario: 3,478 meters
Formerly known as Celebes, Sulawesi is located approximately 300 kilometers from Borneo and 600 kilometers from the Philippines. Originally, the name Celebes is said to come from its K-shape, which would symbolize a fork or “iron trident” in Sanskrit trisula, “trident,” belonging to the god Shiva.
The name Celebes first appears in the writings of an apothecary between 1512 and 1515. Sulawesi comes from the Indonesian words Sula (island) and Wesi (iron) for the island of iron, a reference to its numerous iron mines located around Manado.
The island is part of Indonesia’s heritage and tells us many stories about the origin of mankind, some of them recent, and offers a diversity of discoveries both through encounters with local ethnic groups and different landscapes depending on the region.
This island stretching across the ocean is home to 5 national parks where fauna and flora are preservedwhere each stop, each stage, is an opportunity to meet a different ethnic group, a new family, a new village with its own history, its traditions passed down from generation to generation.
The island’s shape invites you to explore, and the distances set the pace; you need to take the time to enjoy it, and not try to do too much if you don’t have a fair bit of time to spare. Every region is worth spending a few days exploring to discover its meaning and origins.
Northern Sulawesi offers volcanic landscapes including the Togian Islands, Manado, an ideal region for discovering magnificent underwater worlds or Bunaken Island, while meeting the Bajo people, who live on the sea.
The South is equally impressive with the lake village of Lake Tempe, the construction of Pinisi boats by the Bugis, the beaches of Bira, not to mention the famous “highland people” orToraja country with an exceptional culture where death is part of daily life and becomes the pretext for sculpting landscapes and transforming houses to give them the shape of boats.
VISIT
Sulawesi
Sulawesi on an organized tour
The island of Sulawesi doesn’t have the same appeal as Bali; it is, in fact, more unspoilt, less touristy, and the journeys to get around it can sometimes be long. C’est justement parce qu’elle est moins connue que d’autres îles comme Bali, Java ou Lombok, que Sulawesi fait partie des découvertes incontournables.
The paths and roads will take you to a complete change of scenery, traveling through different landscapes: beaches, volcanoes, jungle.
Travel to Sulawesi to discover Indonesian heritage
With an area of over 189,035 km², the journey and travel time will sometimes be long to reach the main points that may be culturally interesting; from Makassar to Toraja country, for example, you should expect between 8 and 9 hours on the road.
It is also possible to explore the entire southern part of Sulawesi, then return to Makassar and head to Manado, but ultimately, the impression of spending less time on the roads also removes the off-the-beaten-path discovery with small villages and authentic encounters.
Various stays
to enjoy Sulawesi
A 5 or 6-day program, during your family trip to Bali, will allow you to travel from Makassar to Toraja country (it’s better to allow 7 or 8 days to also appreciate the region). If you wish to extend the pleasure, you can plan 15 days to travel from Makassar to Manado; the road will sometimes be long but in the heart of wild nature.
You can also make a stopover in the Togian Islands, most of which are surrounded by a coral reef, by taking a local ferry or a speedboat.
The islands are covered with tropical forest and are home to macaques, babirusas, helmeted hornbills, and numerous bird species. If you wish to include the Togian Islands in your program, it would be more reasonable to plan around twenty days.
Prepare your
Vacation in Sulawesi
HOW TO GET TO SULAWESI?
It all depends on where you start your trip on the island; there are in fact two main airports in Sulawesi: Makassar Airport and Manado Airport. If you decide to explore North Sulawesi, you’ll arrive in Manado; if you’ve chosen to visit South Sulawesi, with Lake Tempe and the Toraja region, you’ll arrive in Makassar.
Be careful not to make a mistake, as the roads are very long; clearly identify the region indicated for the start of your program, generally Makassar or Manado, because in case of airport error, you will be obliged to take another domestic flight.
There are many airlines offering flights to Sulawesi from Singapore, Jakarta and Bali, for example. However, you should choose airlines operating domestic flights based on their quality rather than the lowest fare.
It is also quite possible to arrive at Makassar international airport in the South and plan a return flight from Manado in the North of the island. From Bali to Makassar, depending on the airline, you should expect 1 hour and 30 minutes of flight, from Jakarta 2 hours 30 minutes, and from Singapore approximately 3 hours.
WHEN TO VISIT SULAWESI?
From early May to late October is the period when rain is least present, although in some regions it rains more regularly; it’s difficult to have lush forests without a minimum of humidity.
This is the ideal time to take a trip with friends to Sulawesi.
The rainy season on the island generally runs from early November to late April. As the dry season runs from late June to late September, it’s the perfect time to go on long walks in the mountains or the jungle, or to enjoy the beaches.
For underwater enthusiasts who practice snorkeling or scuba diving, they will prefer early July to mid-September to enjoy superb dives in Bunaken or around the Togian Islands.
WHAT TO DO IN SULAWESI?
What is there to do in Sulawesi? What is there to see? What are the must-see attractions? There are many different ways to explore Sulawesi or plan your itinerary; it will depend mainly on the length of your stay and your preferred style of travel. If you don’t mind hitting the road and sometimes travelling long distances, then almost anything is possible.
From Makassar, you can visit the shipyards where traditional boats are built; continuing on, you can enjoy the white sandy beaches of Bira. Next, you’ll immerse yourself in Toraja culture, where you’ll discover rituals from a bygone era and age-old traditions surrounding funeral rites.
It’s up to you to choose to continue (or return to Makassar) and reach Lake Poso and its Balinese communities, the Togian Islands, Mount Lokon or Mahawu… Perhaps you will see the world’s smallest primate, the tarsier, in the North of the island before ending your trip in Manado, renowned for its underwater worlds.
As you may have noticed, we talk a lot here about landscapes, ribbons of asphalt, ways to access different regions; it is true that Sulawesi is discovered by accepting that the road can sometimes be long and that the environment compensates for the distances to be covered.
We could have mentioned, of course,the magnificent diving sites, volcano ascents, great hikes, swimming in mountain lakes, incredible discoveries of ancestral burial sites, traditional houses unique in the world…However, in the Amanaska spirit, we will rather tell you about the peoples who live on the island.
What is there to do in Sulawesi? Enjoy authentic, sometimes unexpected encounters; discover ethnic groups, each with their own unique history; and immerse yourself in ancient cultures. To immerse oneself amongst people who have come from the far corners of the world to settle on this island.
Men and women who fought to exist, who battled not to be assimilated, who preserve, despite changes, whether climatic or governmental, their rituals, their beliefs, their know-how, from generation to generation.
What to do in Sulawesi? Reconsider your notion of time, space, spirituality, family, life, death. Sit down and listen to the tales and legends of the sea people, the Bajo, still found around the Togian Islands, who live with nothing and have everything. Talk, eat, laugh with “the highland people,” the Toraja, and discover Aluk To Dolo, “the way of the Ancestors.”
Go for a walk with the mountain people, the Minahasa and share their “playground,” the volcanoes, vertiginous peaks, and ancient caves of the North of the island. Learn about building a traditional boat with the people of fishermen and sailors, the Bugis, who were, not so long ago, formidable pirates.
Andend your journey with the chance to see the world’s smallest primate, the tarsier, well hidden in a tree trunk, in the heart of one of the national parks in the North of the island.
We are here to help you discover this magnificent island, so don’t hesitate to contact us to write together your first discovery of Sulawesi.
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AMANASKA BALI
148 REVIEWS
An unforgettable stay thanks to Amanaska.
Melisande is very attentive and always available to chat and answer our questions, whether before or during our stay.
Stéphane, another member of the agency, was also very friendly.
Thank you once again for the high standard of your services.
Amanaska organised a three-week family holiday in Bali for us, which will remain etched in our memories forever.
What did we love? EVERYTHING! From the quality of our discussions with David, the agency’s founder, as we planned our bespoke tour of the island – avoiding the overly touristy traps – to the selection of charming hotels blending tradition and modernity, right through to our guide and driver, who were always so attentive and knew the route inside out.
We particularly enjoyed the opportunities to meet Balinese families and discover their way of life, arts and traditions in an intimate and personalised way (cooking classes, dance lessons in a magical school, making our own kites, visiting a village with its nursery school, and so on).
And what can we say about the kindness and hospitality of the Balinese people? That first glimpse made us want to come back.
We had an amazing three-week road trip in Bali, organised by Amanaska.
Dès le départ, l’équipe a été aux petits soins : Melisandre, notre organisatrice, a su créer un itinéraire sur mesure pour notre famille (avec deux enfants de 6 et 9 ans), nous permettant de découvrir un Bali authentique, loin des sentiers battus tout en étant à l’écoute de nos envies et besoins.[...]
A huge thank you to the whole Amanaska team for this unique experience and the thoughtful touches they provided. We highly recommend their services to anyone looking to discover Bali in a different way, with authenticity and warmth.
A wonderful trip. Discovering Bali was an unforgettable family experience... Melisande and her team at Amanaska made it easy for us to learn about the local customs and traditions. They listened to our wishes and stuck to our budget.
We can’t recommend them highly enough.
Thank you again!!!
I wanted to visit the real Bali, not the one overrun by mass tourism, and the agency understood this straight away. We discovered a wonderful culture and met some very kind and welcoming people. The trip alternated between sightseeing and sporting challenges for my older teenagers (aged 16 to 20). We watched the sunrise over the volcano and went on a bike ride through the rice fields. We even helped the locals replant rice. Our French-speaking guide was absolutely brilliant. The driver was very kind and incredibly skilful in this world of lawless roads…
It’s the best trip we’ve ever been on.
Thank you to the whole Amanaska team
We spent 15 days in Bali in June, exploring and unwinding. Mélisande put together an unforgettable trip for our wedding anniversary. Every time we arrived at a new hotel, we were delighted to find a bed decorated with flowers. Gustut and Nura were our guide and driver, and they looked after us so well.
This is the second time I’ve been to Bali and had my trip organised by you.
I’ll be back a third time with great pleasure.
Thank you
Léa and Pierre
We worked with Melisande from the AMANASKA agency to put together an 18-day holiday in Bali. Melisande was very professional, responsive and proactive in helping us plan our itinerary exactly as we wanted it.
We had requested a French-speaking guide and were able to explore Bali at our own pace, with a top-notch driver to boot. Furthermore, from speaking with them, it’s clear that AMANASKA offers working conditions that aren’t available everywhere.
Don’t hesitate to book with this agency; you’re sure to make some wonderful discoveries in Bali.
The tour was well organised, and the sequence of visits followed a clear plan, which saved time and helped to ease traffic congestion.
Well done to the whole team for their professionalism.
A courteous guide and an impeccable driver.
Best regards to all.
NAIT
A big thank you to Melisande for organising this exceptional trip. Thank you for choosing the activities and hotels... Everything is taken care of; once you’re there, all you have to do is enjoy yourself. Melisande is always available, whether before, during or after the trip, so thank you. And thank you also to our driver and guide, who were incredibly kind.
Our heads are full of memories and we have just one desire... to go back!
Estelle and Nadège
A big thank you to the Amanaska team for organising our three-week trip to Bali. Right from our first discussions, David put together an itinerary that perfectly matched our expectations: exploring the local culture and traditional sites whilst avoiding the crowds, a variety of activities to discover the island’s beauty, a pace suited to our family (children aged 11 and 15) and always an excellent choice of hotels. Thanks also to our guide and driver, who played a part in making this trip such a success. We simply went with the flow for three weeks and were able to enjoy our stay to the full.
David organised an absolutely perfect, tailor-made trip for us. We managed to avoid the crowds, which is a real feat in August. We discovered authentic places and people without missing out on the must-see attractions. David put together a trip that struck the perfect balance between relaxation and exploration.
A word of advice: let him take the lead, let him surprise you – he knows Bali like no one else. A special mention for the hotels: all different, magnificent, unexpected… we really switched off like never before!
See you soon for another trip to Bali, which I’m sure will be completely different!
We had a wonderful time in Bali with your agency.
A big thank you to Melisande, who took over our booking after Cyrielle had set it up; she was always cheerful, responsive and efficient, even when she was ill... Well done.
A big thank you also to our driver Ajik and guide Tut Nick.
It was almost a month of enjoyable moments, visits, breaks, etc., at a pace that suited us perfectly, and it was a trip that lived up to our expectations and desires.
I would just like to mention one small drawback: it would have been handy to have a personalised travel guide providing a comprehensive overview of the itinerary, activities, hotels (including the number of rooms) – in short, covering the whole month. Given our programme, I found this to be missing. I’m used to having this on similar road trips in other countries.
Thank you to the whole team!!!
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