Bantimurung National Park, Maros, South Sulawesi, became one of the most popular touristm place in Indonesia, for both local, national and foreign tourists.

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The National Park is a natural park that people of South Sulawesi proud of. Its location which is in the valley with a steep limestone hill and tropical vegetation create good environment to enjoy. Not surprisingly, this area also became a limestone mining area as a cement raw material. Unfortunately, this kind of activity, if continued would be very damaging the nature and the tourism itself.

Bantimurung Nature Park is also famous for its waterfalls, caves, and the butterfly. Some unique species found only in Sulawesi, which is Troides helena Linne, Troides hypolitus Cramer, Troides haliphron Boisduval, Papilo adamantius, and Cethosia myrana.

In 1856-1857 Alfred Russel Wallace spent most of his life here to examine different types of butterflies. Wallace said Bantimurung is ‘The Kingdom of Butterfly’ (the kingdom of butterflies).
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Taka Bonerate National Park is located at South Sulawesi. It has the third largest coral atoll in the world after the Kwajifein in Marshall Islands and Suvadiva in Moldiva Islands. Size of the atoll is approximately 220,000 hectares, with coral reef scattered flat of 500 km² width. The atoll creates the best underwater view so that diving or snorkeling is a must activity to be done.

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The topography of the area is very unique and interesting, where the atoll consists of group of islands, reef islands and coral averaging a broad and deep, forming islands with considerable amounts. Among the islands reef, there are narrow straits that are deep and steep. While on the surface of coral, there are many small pools that are deep and surrounded by coral reefs. At lowest tide, clearly visible the dry land interspersed with puddles that formed small pools.

Plants located in coastal areas dominated by the coconut (Cocos nucifera), sea pandanus (Pandanus sp.), Sea pine (Casuarina equisetifolia), and ketapan (Terminalia catappa).

Coral reefs are already identified as many as 261 species from 17 families including Pocillopora, Montipora danae, palifera Acropora, Porites cylindrica, Pavona clavus, Fungia concinna, and others. Most coral species have been formed atoll reefs (barrier reef) and reef edge (fringing reef).

There are approximately 295 species of reef fish and many kinds of consumption fishes such as grouper (Epinephelus spp.), Skipjack (Katsuwonus spp.), Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), and baronang (Siganus sp.).

A total of 244 types of mollusks including lola (Trochus niloticus), goat’s head shell (Cassis cornuta), triton (Charonia tritonis), batulaga (Turbo spp.), Clam shell (Tridacna squamosa), pearl oysters (Pinctada spp.), And the hollow nautilus (Nautilus pompillius).

The types of turtles were recorded, including hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), green turtle (Chelonia mydas), and the cracked turtle (Dermochelys coriacea).

The best year to visit: April to June and October to December each year. All that can be done at 15 islands in the Taka Bonerate National Park are diving, snorkeling, and other marine tourism.

Diving at Takabonerate photo by ben_wayan

How to reach the location:
Use bus from Makassar to Bulukumba (153 km) with five hours travel time, and then to the port by ferry Pamatata Selayar about two hours, which continued into the Benteng around 1.5 hours. From the Benteng to the nearby island of Rajuni Kecil using wooden ship about five hours.

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Wakatobi National Park has potential marine natural resources that are both valuable and unique species, with stunning underwater panorama. This amazing place is worth to visit among travel destinations in Indonesia. The location is precisely at Banda Sea, Southeast Sulawesi (Celebes).

When doing scuba diving we’ll see that the sea bottom is flat and slope, but there are some areas that steeply sloping. Water depth varies, the deepest reaches 1044 meters with a sandy and rocky bottom.

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This national park has 25 clusters of coral reefs spreading around the atoll along 600 km. It consists of more than 112 species from 13 families of corals including Acropora formosa, A. Hyacinthus, Psammocora profundasafla, Pavona cactus, Leptoseris yabei, Fungia molucensis, Lobophyllia robusta, Merulina ampliata, Platygyra versifora, Euphyllia glabrescens, Tubastraea frondes, Stylophora pistillata, Sarcophyton throchelliophorum, and Sinularia spp. The collection has made it as a place for research and beautiful recreational diving.

Clown Fish at Wakatobi photo by Neurolyse

Wakatobi National Park owns fish species richness as many as 93 species. The locals use fishes for consumption and sell them as ornamental fishes such as spotted argus (Cephalopholus argus), takhasang (naso unicornis), pogo-pogo (Balistoides viridescens), napoleon (Cheilinus undulatus), red fish (Lutjanus biguttatus ), baronang (Siganus guttatus), Amphiprion melanopus, Chaetodon specullum, Chelmon rostratus, Heniochus acuminatus, Lutjanus monostigma, Caesio caerularea, and many more.

In addition, there are several types of sea birds such as brown geese (Sula leucogaster plotus), cerek melayu (Charadrius peronii), raja udang erasia (Alcedo atthis); also there are three common types of sea turtles that land on the islands like Eretmochelys imbricata, Caretta caretta, and Lepidochelys olivacea.

Indigenous peoples who live around the park or the ocean called Bajau tribe. The tribe still have traditional boating culture. Seeing their lives everyday is interesting and unique, especially when diving into the sea without scuba diving equipment to spear the fish.

Hoga Island (Resort Kaledupa), Island Binongko (Resort Binongko) and Resort Tamia are travel destinations with attracting nature to visit, especially for recreational diving, snorkeling, marine tourism, swimming, camping, and cultural tourism. Those Islands are belong to Indonesia.

The best year to visit: April to June and October to December each year.

Snorkeling at Wakatobi photo by wa2n_twin

How to reach the location:
From Kendari to Bau Bau using regular speedboat twice daily with a five-hour long trip or 12 hours trip with a timber boat. From Bau-bau to Lasalimu ride four-wheeled vehicle for two hours, then using speedboat to Wanci for an hour or using timber boat for 2.5 hours. Wanci is the first gate into the Wakatobi National Park area.
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Tana Toraja or The Land of Toraja is a place with unique tourism attractions at South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The place has many archaeological relics and cultural richness which are interesting to be observed. Many tourists or traveler have made Toraja as their destination when they travel to Indonesia. But, what do they visit?

Lemo

Lemo is the most spectacular cliff grave for the people of Toraja. The grave is built on the 16th century. Unlike common graveyard, this grave is on the rock cliff. The body of the dead is inserted in the hole at the wall of the cliff. The position of the grave shows the caste in society. The higher the level of the caste in society, the higher the position of the grave. About 30 natural caves are becoming the grave. Other caves are made by the local as their family burial. There are more than 40 effigies or Tau-Tau standing on the balcony chiseled on the cliff. The Tau-tau is showing prestige, social status and role in the society. It is not easy to place an effigy to the place. They should fulfill all the conditions such as cut 24 buffaloes.  The best time to visit is at morning when the sun brighten the Tau-tau, so that we can see its detail.

Kete Kesu

Kete Kesu is the most Famous tourism place in Tana Toraja. It is the village of handicraft, wood carving, beautiful Tongkonan house and hanging grave.
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Londa

Londa is a natural cave for grave. The cave is about 1000 meters deep. It is hard to follow the path. Sometimes we have to bow and climb. There are thousands of human skulls and bones inside this dark cave. The age of those skulls and bones are thousands years, and some are new. Eventhough there are a lot of dead bodies, the smell is good and the air is fresh inside the cave.

Suaya

Suaya is the Royal tombs of the Kings of Sanggala. There are seven Kings who are buried here.

Tampangallo

Tampangallo is a place where there is a cave for burial. Coffins are hanged in the cave.

Kambira Bori

This is a unique place. In this place, people buried dead babies in the tree. In Kambira Bori there is a megalith remains, a place for animal sacrifice. The ancestor of the place used the place to worship their God. In order to ask certain request they sacrifice animal.

Lokomata

The highest grave in Tana Toraja carved out of huge boulder with the spectacular view surrounding

Palawa

Palawa is an oldest native village that has beautiful view. Rice barns and the houses we see conjure that we are away from the modernism.

Sa’dan Tobarana

This is the place that every traveler spends money to buy traditional weaving. The Torajan traditional weaving has its own pattern that is unique and beautiful.

Nanggala

Here, we can see the house of the royal family of Nanggala. Behind it, we can see rice barns that look very traditional.

Marante

Once more it is an old cave grave. There are so many human skulls and bones strewn around.

Makula

The mineral hot springs. There are three hot springs at Makula. The temperature of the water is about 43,6 Celsius degree. It is hot enough to warm the body. Bathing here make our body fresh.