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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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154 REVIEWS
We’ve just come back from a 15-day family holiday in Bali with our three children, aged 6, 8 and 11, and we absolutely loved our stay!
A big thank you to Mélissande from Amanaska for organising this trip. She really did a brilliant job of putting together an itinerary suitable for the whole family, striking just the right balance between sightseeing, activities and moments of relaxation.
We explored Sanur, Munduk, Ubud and then Nusa Dua, enjoying some wonderful experiences: a jungle trek, a Balinese cookery class, making kites with a local family, a dance class and a bike ride through the rice fields… Both the children and their parents loved it!
And a huge thank you to Gustut, our guide, who was brilliant throughout our stay. Always friendly, approachable, thoughtful and full of humour, he played a huge part in making our trip even more enjoyable.
Our first visit to Bali was one we’ll never forget. We’re leaving with wonderful memories and a desire to return!
Thank you to the whole Amanaska team for this wonderful trip ❤️
We spent 15 extraordinary days on the island of Bali. In the run-up to the trip, Melisande really understood what we wanted and put together a holiday exactly as we’d imagined it. Stunning scenery, wonderful encounters, magical experiences. Amanaska was there to welcome us on arrival and looked after us throughout our stay. I highly recommend this travel agency.
We had a fabulous family trip to Bali thanks to Amanaska!!
Melisande provided us with a fifteen-day itinerary that met our expectations in every respect!!
The guide and driver were excellent, as were the suggested activities and hotels; I highly recommend Amanaska for a trip to Bali!
Thank you again to Melisande and the entire Amanaska team!
We have just returned from an absolutely exceptional trip to Bali, organised by the Amanaska agency.
A huge thank you, especially to Melisande, for her professionalism, attentiveness, and flawless organisation. Thanks to her, everything went perfectly.
We loved every region of Bali, each with its own character, charm, and unique landscapes. Every excursion was a real highlight.
We were also very touched by the kindness and helpfulness of the staff we met, and by the warmth of the Balinese people.
Thank you to the entire Amanaska team for this unforgettable stay.
We recommend you without hesitation.
I recommend it!
Regular communication to plan the trip, excellent advice, great responsiveness—everything went as planned.
Thank you again for your professionalism.
The family came back with stars in their eyes.
Bali, the trip of a lifetime
We owe this unique and unforgettable experience to David from the AMANASKA agency, who perfectly understood our desires from our very first phone call. He was able to craft OUR trip while respecting our specifications.
These unique moments shared with my wife and children will forever be etched in our memories. THANK YOU AMANASKA ❤️
A customized program. We appreciated our exchanges with David.
An excellent driver and guide team.
We highly recommend this wonderful personable agency.
We spent 3 weeks in Bali in late April and early May, the four of us! And what a fabulous trip! A wonderful experience, breathtaking scenery—sea, mountains, volcanoes, rice fields, temples, typical villages—everything is beautiful! The Balinese people are incredibly kind and have a rich culture, with traditions and Hindu rites that are still very much alive. A philosophy of life to discover! Amanaska put together a programme tailored to our wishes, with many discoveries, surprises, and truly wonderful encounters. Accompanied throughout the tour by our excellent French-speaking guide, Ketut Nik, and our lovely driver, Putuh (a top team), we shared unforgettable moments—this is a magical trip! Come and visit BALI and choose AMANASKA without any hesitation! Calou and Serge
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.
Right from the start, the team went out of their way to look after us: Melisandre, our tour organiser, put together a tailor-made itinerary for our family (with two children aged 6 and 9), allowing us to discover the real Bali, off the beaten track, whilst taking our wishes and needs into account.[...]
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.
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