Thank-yous are usually written at the end, but this journey was so exceptional that I have to make an exception and begin with one. My warmest thanks go above all to Lenka H. of Simply Horas, thanks to whom Sulawesi opened up to us in all its depth and beauty. Thanks to her knowledge and sensitive approach, the trip became living poetry and the island a story we will carry with us. The same thanks belong to our guide Yulius for his tireless patience, his willingness to answer our curious questions, and for the many stories and pieces of knowledge he shared with us along the way. Nor can I forget our two drivers, Doyok and Stephan, who contributed so much to the smooth and safe course of the whole expedition.
Thanks to you all, we didn’t just travel across the landscape of Sulawesi, but across its history, its culture, and the everyday stories of its people.
Our journey across this island of contrasts began with a flight into Jakarta, where we stayed at a hotel near the airport so we’d be ready for the morning flight to southern Sulawesi, to the city of Makassar. On arrival, driver Doyok and guide Yulius picked us up at the airport and became our companions for the rest of the trip. After a short rest came our first introduction to Sulawesi — a stroll along the seaside promenade of Makassar.
The next day, after breakfast, we set off toward the Sengkang region, famous for traditional silk-making and the vast Lake Tempe wetlands. The road led among rice fields, villages, and dramatic limestone formations. We stopped at the Leang-Leang caves, where prehistoric paintings and evidence of human presence at least 5,000 years old were discovered. Then came the Rammang-Rammang area, which we reached by motor canoe among mighty karst towers and a maze of little rivers. After arriving in Sengkang and checking in, we joined an evening celebration tied to Ramadan — that warm encounter with local people was one of the first powerful moments of the whole trip.
Before sunrise the next day we set out by motorboat onto Lake Tempe. We watched herons, eagles, ibises, and other water birds rising from the reeds as our boat passed. We saw fishermen of the Bugis people living right on the water in traditional bamboo houses. After returning and having breakfast, we headed into the mountains of the Tana Toraja region. The landscape changed dramatically — rice fields gave way to mountains, limestone massifs, and the first typical Torajan villages. At the symbolic “gate” of Toraja, not only the landscape changed but the atmosphere too. Everything felt powerful, authentic, and breathtaking.
We stayed at the mountain lodge Torsina Lodge, which became our home for three nights. Over the following days we delved into the fascinating culture of the Toraja people — we witnessed a Rambu Solo funeral ritual, visited the cliff graves at Lemo with their Tau Tau effigies, the Londa cave complex with old sarcophagi, and the royal tombs of the Suaya area. We also visited an enormous animal market and spent one night in a traditional Torajan tongkonan house, where we helped prepare dinner for the whole family. Another unforgettable place was Lokomata, a cemetery carved into a single massive block of rock.
From Toraja we continued further north to Lake Poso, which stays at a constant 30 °C year-round, covers over 300 km², and is more than 400 meters deep. The next day we explored the biologically exceptionally rich Lore Lindu National Park, visited a Balinese village, and the mystical Bada Valley with megaliths up to four meters tall.
Via Tentena and the beautiful Saluopa waterfall, formed by cascades and terraces, we settled into the Siuri Cottage resort on the shore of Lake Poso and couldn’t resist a swim in the warm lake water. An early rise at half past two in the morning awaited us for the transfer to Ampana and the speedboat ride to Kadidiri island in the Togian archipelago. Although we stayed only two nights here because of the end of Ramadan, our time at Kadidiri Paradise Resort was an absolute “WOW.” Snorkeling on the coral reefs and in the lake with pink jellyfish was among the highlights of the whole trip.
From Kadidiri we continued by night ferry to Gorontalo, and Yulius prepared a lovely surprise for us — accommodation in the captain’s cabin. During the twelve-hour crossing we symbolically crossed the equator — a real confirmation of a journey from south to north.
In northern Sulawesi we stopped at Botubarani, where we had extraordinary luck — we snorkeled with three whale sharks at once, an experience that will stay with us forever. Then came the drive to Kotamobagu and on to Tomohon, where we stayed beneath the Lokon volcano. Climbing to its summit and looking into the active crater were more of the trip’s powerful moments. We also visited the Mahawu volcano, Lake Tondano, a workshop of traditional Minahasa houses, the Cap Tikus distillery, and the famous Tomohon Market, whose sheer variety is like nowhere else.
The journey continued to Tangkoko National Park, where on a trek with a ranger we spotted the tarsier, the crested black macaque, cuscus, and other rare species. The finale of the whole trip belonged to Bunaken island, a legendary spot for snorkeling and diving. Seven nights at Bunaken Village Resort, daily boat trips, coral reefs teeming with life, and dolphins escorting our boat — it was the perfect epilogue to this adventure.
After returning to the mainland and flying via Jakarta and Amsterdam, we arrived back in Prague after almost twenty hours in the air. We had truly been on the other side of the world — and we brought a piece of that world home with us.
In closing, once more a big thank you: to Lenka, Yulius, Doyok, and Stephan.
