On the second Sunday of May, I received a message from my best friend from childhood in Manado, Gracia "GP". "GC, what do you June 1-8? Come island hopping in Selayar & Takabonerate"
I say yes. Southeast Sulawesi and Selayar Takabonerate who are part-is a destination that I'm dying to check my bucket list. So I flew in 10 days earlier to explore the continent. My other friends and Dian Rio-siblings, I attended middle school with Papua generously welcomed me into their home in Makassar.
Rio has covered all its islands shaped K-repeatedly. He said: "I do not think we spent a lot when we were children" it has always been rebellious adventurer and I am the outback version of the prissy princess Yet 13 years later, our passion.. to travel led to an improbable meeting. We put our faith in the other as he offered me a 1400 km piggyback-ride on the bike.
costs of the aircraft, Rio and I started Bantimurung in Maros. the national park is famous for a butterfly park and a pleasant hike up the block waterfall. the river still flows the green waters that become white as downstream cascades in serene waterholes. We hopped the butterfly museum, but papilions delicate, sometimes in pairs, were spotted throughout our walk.
It was dusk prayertime past but Rio negotiated with the doorman to let us. it was probably a good thing that the park was closed and it was dark, because otherwise the steep climb would have scared me. With faith in my flashlight and instructions of Rio, I managed to photograph the famous painting babyroussa leaping with handprints "chase" after.
The ride home was quaint, with a myriad of twinkling stars on the silhouettes of karst hills and rice paddies.
The next day we drove 220 kilometers to the north along the west coast to Enrekang, with a stopover in Parepare. We meant to catch the sunrise at Gunung Nona, but I dozed. This morning we had a breakfast nasu CEMBA (beef rib soup) to Bambapuang station and took pictures of erotic mountain that resembles the female genitalia. Legend has it that the ancestors of Toraja boatmen disembarked and settled here in the last 25 generations.
After a fruitless search of Japanese bunkers Enrekang and war caves, we headed directly to Tana Toraja. In Londa, I felt instantly like entering another world that we are face to face with a stone tomb decorated with thousands of figures of dead people. From afar, a strange church choir repeated, harmoniously blending modern Christianity and ancient ancestral rites.
We were in the garage of a mechanic near Makale, then visited a live tree in Kambira in which more than 100 babies died were put to rest. Body in a fetal position, would be inserted into holes in the trunk and covered with straw. The trunk then pushes on the holes and absorbs body. The tree bleeds white sap, which is supposed to replace the breast milk and feed the baby with the energy to make it to heaven.
Our next stop was Palopo, where I wanted to check the remains of Luwu Kingdom, but the palace was under construction. Instead, Rio decided to make a detour of 220 kilometers eastbound in Sorowako, a remote mining town on the shores of Lake Matano virgin. It was the most picturesque drive of our journey, colored with blue mountains, green forests and rivers, the red earth, warm sun and fresh air throughout.
As we returned to the south, we canceled a visit to Tempe lake due to flooding in Sengkang and instead shopped for handwoven silk in the house of a local. We continued to Soppeng where we visited Villa Yuliana, a 105 Dutch house-Bugis which is now a museum. It overlooks the Masjid Raya and is surrounded by trees that are home sleeping bats herds. After visiting the infamous Bone Royal Palace in neighboring Watampone, we stayed overnight at the port near the fishmarket in Sinjai and visited Gojeng hills to see the megaliths and Kepulauan Sembilan.
Selayar is surprisingly rich in history, which deserves its own story. Benteng, the charming center 100 km long island is a village of fishermen sweet rustic kissed by a gentle sea breeze and sunshine. The people are passionate about the sea and among the friendliest people I know.
Takabonerate, the third largest coral atoll in the world, is a boat ride of four hours southeast of Selayar. We stayed in a cottage in Tinabo, a tiny island resort with serene white sand beach right outside our door. There is limited electricity and no cellular network, but may be done for a lot of quality time for us travelers.
Many have found it hard to believe that GP and I had been friends for 20 years and stayed in touch despite the distance. Similarly, we admired the stories of others: a trio committing to travel to Indonesia for a year, an independent architect in search of distant inspirations, a travel consultant looking for new destinations, a jovial diving blogger who wants to photograph dugongs and a couple in love. We come from different parts of Indonesia.
We are sad to learn that over 50% of Takabonerate lively coral reefs are damaged by bombs and potassium. That said, paradisiacal landscapes sites and beautiful fact sunsets it is worth seeing.
My favorite memory was stargazing the pristine night sky in Tinabo-photographing the Milky Way, to experiment with the "light painting", and share the moment with one of my best friends and a couple of new ones.
Back on the mainland, I bummed around the beaches of Bira with new friends. the owner of the harbor view villa we shared is a seasoned Boatmaker full of stories of the sea.
on my way back to Makassar in a shared car, Rio "kidnapped" me Takalar. He took me to Puntondo a secluded eco-village, walk in the mangrove covered beaches and meeting friendly people, who for purpose of making their village a model conservation project.
My trip to South Sulawesi makes me feel that I'm a very happy woman. I live in a beautiful country whose stories go to an eternity before my life and will remain long after I'm gone. And I get to share with old and new friends, whose kindness and generosity, I will always cherish. But now it is time to conclude my vacation and get back to work!
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