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Best things to do in Makassar

Makassar is the biggest city of the whole east Indonesia and the city is the capitol of south – Sulawesi. The city has a rich history which you can see from the several buildings and monuments within the city. Makassar is also the big gate of arrival of east Indonesia. From Makassar, you can start a wonderful journey through east Indonesia. In this part, you can encounter with beautiful landscapes, interact with different cultures which you have never seen before and you can do many more things. The city also has a big beach where you can admire the sunset. During the time of sunset, you’ll see many locals at the beach to catch some fresh air and enjoy the sunset.

Visit the city its iconic landmark
Fort Rotterdam also called ‘Benteng, Fort Jupandang or Ujung Pandang is built In 1545 which is also the era of the tenth king of Gowa. The monument is located in the heart of Makassar which is not too difficult to reach. The fort itself is made by a mixture of clay and stones. The fort is made in the shape of a sea turtle which is a unique shape for a fort. The reason why the fort has the shape of a sea turtle is, that a sea turtle lives at land and sea. Just like the residence of the Gowa kingdom. The fort was also destroyed and after that, it was rebuilt by a Dutch general called mister Speelman. He rebuilt the fort in Dutch style and named the fort to his city of birth ‘Rotterdam’.

The tomb of the national hero
The tomb houses the memory of the Indonesian national hero Sultan Hasanuddin. This was the ruler of the Gowa kingdom which he protected fiercely against the Dutch during the 17th century. Sultan Hasanuddin held fort Somba Opu up against 94 Dutch and 2000 Bugis soldiers for 8 days, which is an impressive achievement. The fort felt eventually in the year of 1669. You will find a stone which is named the ‘Pelantikan Stone. This stone is the location where the kings of Gowa were crowned.

Relaxation on the beach
The beach of Makassar is called Pulau Samalona. This beach has a lot things to offer which you can do. The sand of the beach is white which gives the beach a beautiful scenery. There are a lot of day trippers during the weekends, but you will find a more quiet beach during the weekdays. The beach has beautiful reefs to discover and there are a lot of places on the beach where you can hire a snorkelling set, so you don’t have to bring a snorkelling set yourself. The waters at Pulau Samalona a clear. There are also enough of places on the beach where you can get a cold drink of something to eat.

Explorer the port of Makassar
You will find the harbour of Makassar 4 km north from the city centre. The harbour is a very large port which houses many sailing ships. The port is still in use by the city and the ships which arrive in the ports are beautiful for the eye to see. The Indonesian residence who are working in the port are really friendly for locals and tourists. There is also a fish market where you can buy freshly caught fish nearby the port. The local atmosphere during the morning till dawn is one you have to see during your visit to Makassar.

Ever seen a floating mosque
The Masjid Amirul Mukminin also called ‘the floating mosque’ is located on the Pantai Losari. The mosque is called the floating mosque due to its floating appearance. The mosque is built on pillars on the see which makes the mosque looks like it’s floating. You can go to the mosque if you want to see a beautiful sunset. The mosque is surrounded by clear water which makes the sunset even more beautiful to see due to the reflecting effect on the water. This mosque is for the locals the place where they take their daily break during the Ramadan.

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Best things to do in Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta is a special region in Indonesia, because this area is the only area that is led by a sultan. With its Javanese customs and culture that are still thick, this place also has many tourist destinations that are no less exciting and interesting than Bali or popular tourist attractions in Indonesia. The following are recommendations for activities that you can try while on vacation in Yogyakarta.

Studying History in Borobudur and Prambanan
Borobudur and Prambanan have become icons of Yogyakarta, so your visit to Yogyakarta would not be complete if you don’t visit both. The magnificent Borobudur architecture and also its history make this temple one of the world’s biggest cultural heritages. The history of the Borobudur temple is estimated to be around 750 AD and was built by king Samaratungga of the Syailendra Dynasty, one of the great and powerful dynasties that once existed in the Nusantara. Turning to Prambanan, a temple that tells the story of an eternal love. The story speaks about Bandung Bondowoso who struggled to build a thousand temples to be able to marry his idol, Roro Jonggrang. Visiting these two places can be a medium for learning history and admiring the great culture and abilities of the forefathers of humanity.

Admire the Yogyakarta Palace
Kraton Yogyakarta, also called Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, is a kingdom complex located in the heart of the province of Yogyakarta. The palace, which was established in line with the Giyanti agreement in 1755 which split the Islamic Mataram Kingdom into the Kingdom of Ngayogyakarta “Surakarta” kept the undoubted beauty of Javanese architecture. You can take pictures with the background of Javanese buildings which are beautiful for the eye. In addition to admire the architecture, you can also watch art performances ranging from gamelan music, puppets to traditional dance.

Enjoy the iconic dish of Gudeg
Gudeg is a traditional Javanese dish of Yogyakarta’s cuisine which is made from raw young jackfruit boiled for several hours with palm sugar, and additional spices with coconut milk. Gudeg is served with rice, chicken, eggs, boiled, tofu or tempeh, and krecek which is made from fried sambal existing of crispy cow skin. Spicy flavor becomes sweet and has a distinctive and delicious taste. For culinary lovers, it is a must-eat dish which you have to try when traveling through Yogyakarta.

Surrounding Malioboro by Becak
One of the fun things to do on vacation in Yogyakarta is to travel around Malioboro using a Becak. Becak is traditional transportation which you will sit in the front while the driver sits behind while pedaling. One of the advantages offered by a Becak is a minimalist seat, which can only be occupied by a maximum of two people. Thus of course you can enjoy quality time while enjoying the beauty of Malioboro. The Becak is driven by human strength and because of this, the Becak won’t be fast. Thus you can hunt more photos than usual.

Explore the beauty of Parangtritis beach
Parangtritis Beach is indeed famous for its legend, which is related to Ratu Kidul as the ruler of the southern sea. Apart from the legend, this Parangtritis beach area offers beautiful natural scenery and doesn’t make you feel bored looking at every inch where you can have a look. This beach is undoubtedly beautiful due to its wide beach in Yogyakarta which offers a big variety of activities, such as driving around the beach using an ATV motorbike, horse or delman riding, doing sports such as soccer at the sand, playing on the edge of the waves, playing kite surfing, or just sitting while enjoying the atmosphere of Parangtritis beach which is so charming.

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Best things to do in Wakatobi

The name Wakatobi is a combination from the first two letters of every island. WA stands for Wangi – Wangi, KA stands for Kaledupa, TO stands for Tomia and BI stands for Binongo The Wakatobi islands are an undiscovered paradise for divers. The islands have more than 50 diving spots, one of the highest biodiversity in Indonesia and best of all; the spots have a low amount of visitors. Above the surface you will be impressed as well. The sea surrounding the island inhabits villages which are standing in the middle of the ocean. The island have quiet white beaches and boats are sailing over mangrove forests which is an impressive sight to see.

Visit the city on pillars
This village of Bajau is built on pillars and its location is 1 km offshore Ambeua pier. The pillars of the village are standing on coral under water. The locals of the village live in wooden stilt houses which are connected by small bamboo bridges. In the rivers under the bridges is enough space for boats to pass through. The citizens of the village are very friendly and welcoming to the people who want to visit the village. The women in the village do the household duties like cooking, cleaning, going to the mainland to buy groceries at the market, etc. The men in the village are fishermen. They catch fish for their village and for their family.

Discover Wangi – Wangi
Wangi – Wangi has a various underwater world. The reefs are colourful and there is a big variety of marine life under the surface. The ocean floor has various landscapes which you can explores during you stay in Wangi – Wangi. The landscapes vary from Flat plains, gentle slopes, steep walls, and deep caves which you explorer during your adventure at the bottom of the ocean. You can discover the island of Pulau Wangi – Wangi by bicycle. The island has good flat roads which are perfect to cycle. Along the road, there are more than enough beaches and caves to stop and they are all easy accessible.

Discover Kaledupa
Kaledupa was the island of the Ruling Kingdom before the arrival of the Butonese. The royals had a reason to settle on this island and you will see it right away when you enter the island yourself. This island is an beautiful paradise. The mangroves and coconut trees are greeting you when you arrive at shore and when you go into the inlands, you will impregnable landscape. This landscape is even more impregnable then the other Wakatobi islands.

Discover Tomia
Tomia has a beautiful ocean surrounding it which makes the island a perfect diving destination. With beautiful reefs and colourful corals, this destination attracts many visitors. But there is also more than enough to discover when you go to the island itself. Tomia has white beaches and cliffs which are waiting for you to be discovered. After a whole day of exploring the island, you have to go to the night market where you can eat traditional food. Tomia has also a good infrastructure due to its popularity among drivers.

Discover Binongko
This island is famous for its blacksmiths. That explains the nickname of the island which is Kepulauan Tukang Besi. This means blacksmiths archipelago. The island may be the last of the Wakatobi islands, but this island is more than worthy enough to visit with is untouched cliff landscapes, white beaches, turtle breeting grounds and hidden hot springs throughout the island.

Diving in Wakatobi national park
This national park is one of the top 10 diving spots of Indonesia. The diving spot has more than 25 coral reefs and over 900 marine species. The corals are still untouched by humans and the amazing biodiversity underwater makes the diving spot very attracting for scuba divers. The World Wildlife Fund has also helped out the park management to publicize the biodiversity of the park. The WWF even has made a movie over the area.

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