Introduction : Sulawesi

The orchid shape island of Sulawesi is covered by rugged mountains, virgin rainforests, lush paddy fields, highland lakes and pristine beaches. The region is a fabulous tripical setting for an amazing variety of flora and fauna. Diving is one of the most popular activities in the area that showcases Sulawesi's incredible natural richness.


Bunaken Marine Reserve offers white sandy beaches, a dense population of fish, coral and deep underwater gullies and valleys. Manado Tua is an extinct volcano and islands in the Manado Bay group of islands. Take a boat trip to the mountain and hike to the top to get panoramic view of the Bay and the scattered islands. The volcano is most striking at sunset when its dark silhouette looms out of the dark waters. The Banggai Archipelago, Lembeh Straits and Wakatobi are also world class diving sites.

South Sulawesi is known as the land of sea-faring Buginese who are also formidable ship builders of the traditional schooners called " Phinisi " Bustling Makassar ( formely Ujung Pandang ) is the most important city in South Sulawesi, famous for silk sarongs, silver filigree and gold works. Makassar is also famous for its seafood which is popularly served grilled on coconut husks. Fish, crab, giant prawns or squid are first marinated is tangy sauce, grilled then served with spicy condiments. Barbecued ribs ( konro ) marinated with special sauce and rib soup is also popular.

Tana Toraja is located in the rugged mountains and fertile plateaus of South Central Sulawesi. The Toraja people still retain  their ancestral belief of Aluk to Dolo. Extended families live in a series of houses called " Tongkonan ". One of the most visited Torajan traditional village is Ke'te Kesu, a living museum of the torajan way of life and their unique architecture. For the Torajans, death is the most important part in man's cycle of life. The Torajans funerals are elaborate affairs to pave the way for the dead so that they may enter the afterworld and bestow blessing on the living. The dead are laid to rest in cliff side stone crypts and are guarded by wooden effigies or tau-tau.

Magnificent Marine Marvels

Large reef around the Banggai Archipelago in Central Sulawesi support a tremendous variety of marine life, such as hard and soft coral, reef shark and turtles, schools of jack fish, tunas and other species. It is also the habitat of endemic ornamental fish called the " Banggai Cardinal Fish ". In the Lembeh Strait there are world war II shipwrecks and unusual black sand bottoms. Tomini Bay is one of the calmest bays in the world with no rough seas year round and spectacular visibility. Fascinating fossil reef formations and myriad of marine species, such as sperm and pilot whales, spinner and bottle nose dolphins, dugong are the real draw to the Wakatobi islands in the Tukang Besi Archipelago, Southeast of the island.