South-Sulawesi
On South-Sulawesi, formerly called Celebes, you will feel like a true explorer! Sulawesi is one of the larger islands of the Indonesian archipelago and is hardly visited by tourists.
Distance:
1050 km
Level:
3.5
Stages:
14
Travel time:
3 ½ tot 4 weken
Best travel period
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
9 / 10
9 / 10
Highlights:
2 The Toraja culture with its special architecture, rock tombs with images of the deceased and rituals
3 Stunning nature including beautiful rice fields
4 Makassar with Ford Rotterdam, the old harbor, market and mosque
Explore the freedom!
Everywhere you will be greeted by cordial and hospitable people and most will love to take a picture with you. Sulawesi has a lot to offer you, such as untouched nature, beautiful rice fields, colorful fishing villages and snow-white beaches. You will also become acquainted with the unique architecture and age-old culture of the Torajas. Sulawesi is therefore ideal for the adventurous traveler!
You will cycle through banana trees, rice fields, and untouched nature.
Often, farmed products are drying in front of the local’s houses, such as rice, cloves (kretek), coffee and seaweed. You can see the colorful Buginese stilt houses, which often lie along the roads like a continuous ribbon. And in Torajaland you will become acquainted with the special shape of the houses of the Torajas, with the horns of a water buffalo on top of them.
You start and end the journey in the lively capital Makassar. Here we have booked a comfortable accommodation with a swimming pool. Your bungalow will stand on stilts in the sea.
This is the ideal setting to recover your energy after a long journey. In Makassar, you can visit the old ford Rotterdam and snorkel at one of the picturesque islands off the coast. In addition, a visit to the old port where the Buginese schooners are located, which still transport goods throughout the archipelago, is certainly worthwhile.
Your cycle tour starts in Makassar. The daily stages range from 42 to 96 km and are determined by the range of accommodation on the way. These accommodations range from simple with “mandi” to comfortable with a swimming pool. There are possibilities for you to take trips during this cycling route.
For example, in Tana Beru, you can admire the traditional shipbuilding of the Buginese. From the city Bira with its powder-white beaches, you can easily visit one of the islands for snorkeling.
After several beautiful stages, you will arrive in Sengkang, where you can take an unforgettable boat trip on the beautiful Lake Tempé, with its floating houses and numerous bird species.
When you arrive in Rantepao after a long but steady climb, you should definitely attend a home or funeral ceremony of the Torajas and visit their hanging graves, rock graves and tau-tau (dolls representing the dead). If you then cycle through the mountains through a few beautiful stages, you can take a well-deserved break to relax in Leija in a real hot spring.
After about 1100 km you finally arrive at your hotel in Makassar, where you recover from this special and adventurous journey.