Makassar: Brimming with sights and surprises

Makassar: Brimming with sights and surprises

John Badalu, Contributor, Makassar

With a population now in excess of one million people,
Makassar is the sixth largest city in the country. Its Chinese
population is, surprisingly, one of the biggest after Medan in
Sumatra and Pontianak in Kalimantan. However, Makassar is
actually quite a melting pot of different tribes, with the
Makassarese and Buginese comprising the majority.

Every plane going to the east usually stops over here. The
port itself is also one of the busiest, as it is a transit for
all state-run PELNI ships going east and the starting point of
phinisi schooners transporting timber from Kalimantan island to
Jakarta.

What is unique about Makassar (which was formerly known as
Ujung Pandang, a name some people continue to use for it) is that
the center of the town is dominated by the Chinese and you can
enjoy the whole range of Chinese food in every corner.

There are some old Chinese temples on Jl. Sulawesi dating back
to 1650. Unfortunately, the main temple was burned down during
the unrest in 1997 and all that is left is the gate.

Makassar is an industrial town although there are still a few
old Dutch houses (most of them have been demolished) and the
traditional Chinese houses have been replaced with steel
constructions to protect them if riots occur again.

The main attraction is Fort Rotterdam. The fort was built in
the 16th century and the Portuguese took over and reconstructed
it in 1545, but it was then captured by the Dutch in 1608. The
shape of the fort, located by the seaside, is like a turtle and
it contains 13 buildings, 11 built by the Dutch and two by the
Japanese during the war. There is the La Galigo Museum (entrance
fee Rp. 1,700) to explore the ethnology and history of the city's
most famous site.

Another interesting place to visit is Clara Bundt's orchid
nursery on Jl. Mochtar Lutfi (ring the bell at the garage
entrance). The amazing garden was built in the 1930s and they
started selling the orchids in the 1950s. There are more than 100
kinds of orchids found here; they bloom in March and September.

Besides the orchids, Miss Clara has over 200 varieties in an
astonishing seashell collection. Some of the orchids and
seashells are for sale but it is more her passion in preserving
them for her private collection.

Losari Beach is the place where the locals come and enjoy the
beautiful sunsets every afternoon. The beach itself is not really
that pleasant as it is like a dam, but nothing can beat the
sunset. A stroll along the beach is also fun as you can enjoy all
the yummy fresh seafood, or try the famous homemade ice cream at
Pier 52 in the complex of Makassar Golden Hotel. The bakery also
is one of the best in town.

Have you been to Sunda Kelapa harbor in Jakarta? If you have,
then don't bother to go to Paotere harbor. It is exactly the same
because they are all the same boats that go back and forth from
Jakarta to Makassar.

Use your time instead to see other things, such as the
Diponegoro tomb on Jl. Diponegoro. Diponegoro is one the greatest
heroes in the country's history. The 19th century Javanese prince
was captured in Java and exiled by the Dutch colonists to
Makassar, where he spent the last 26 years of his life.

If you are still interested in seeing dead bodies, maybe it's
time to go further north to Tana Toraja, which is an eight-hour
bus drive from Makassar. It is home to one of the biggest
celebrations among funeral ceremonies.

It seems like Makassar residents know how to eat well. The
Chinese food is excellent wherever you go, and local treats from
seafood to pisang epek (grilled bananas) is dangerously
delicious.

What makes the seafood different from the rest of Indonesia is
the sambal (chili paste). Sambal here is not just the basic
crushed chili, but it is mixed with sweet soy sauce and some red
onions and a dash of lime.

Most of the food here is salty and spicy hot. Coto Makassar is
the local soto (soup). Different from other broths from other
parts of the archipelago, this soup is brown, with a peanut
powder broth and buffalo intestines. This savory, super-
nutritious soup can be found almost everywhere.

Pisang Epek is one of the local favorite sunset snacks. It
consists of grilled bananas and is flat pressed with the brown
sugar and durian-tasting-caramel-like thick sauce. Sweet and
nice.

You can find seafood everywhere, but the finest crab dishes in
the world can be had at Surya Restaurant on Jl. Nusakambangan.
They have a variety of crab dishes, but the best I tried is crab
with butter sauce. If you want to try any seafood dish a la
Chinese, go to Rumah Makan Ujung Pandang on Jl. Wahidin
Sudirohusodo (also known as Jl. Irian).

Most of the finest tourist attraction are outside of Makassar.
To get there, you can either take public transportation (the
departure point is at Pasar Sentral, the central market), or you
can also try to take an organized tour or charter a car.

The best travel agents for organized tours are on Jl. Jampea.
The Legend Hotel has all different tours to the islands and other
sites and another is Sena Tours and Travels.

The 15-meter Bantimurung waterfall is located 41 km from town.
It can be crowded on the weekends. Climb the side of the
waterfall to trek further into the jungle or explore the caves or
swim in the upper falls. The best viewing time for butterflies is
in the morning.

A few kilometers from there is the archeological park of
Leang-Leang. The site dates back to the Mesolithic Era with some
handprints and prehistoric paintings believed to be at least
5,000 years old.

Samalona Island is off the coast. You can either charter a
boat next to the Kayangan Island recreation office (you have to
bargain) or ask your travel agent. The small island is the best
spot for swimming and snorkeling around. Its crisp, clean water
is so refreshing, and worth a day trip. They have some basic
bungalows if you want to stay overnight.

Malino is a cool hill resort, just like the Puncak area
outside Jakarta. The winding snaky road on a two-hour trip is
beautiful, with its pine tree jungle and breathtaking views. Four
kilometers from Malino is the Takapala Waterfall in the midst of
the rice paddies.

There are more places further north to see: famous Tana
Toraja, the beautiful white sand beach in Bira down south, and
the Tempe and Sidenreng lakes in the Buginese area of Sengkang.
South Sulawesi is definitely an island full of surprising
adventures, and Makassar can be your starting point.