15 Amazing Things to Do in Sulawesi, Indonesia (2026) — An Honest First Timer’s Guide

Sulawesi sprawls in the centre of the amazing Indonesian archipelago. It is one of their main islands with attractions to please adventure and nature lovers alike. There are so many amazing things to do in Sulawesi! The coastline boasts pristine beaches with crystal waters to match, whilst the contrast of lush mountain and jungle are every hiker’s dream. Animals lovers fear not there is something here for you too with the calm and friendly Crested Black Macaque living in the north of Sulawesi.

With cities like Makassar and Manado to remote villages with indigenous people like Tana Toraja to a diving paradise like Bunaken, Sulawesi really is a hidden gem of cultural bliss.

At the end of April, I was invited by the Indonesia Tourism to embark on a 7 day trip around Sulawesi and Ambon. Below is a wrap of some of my favourite things to do in Sulawesi featuring Manado, Bunaken Island, Palu & Makassar.

Related: “Our Ultimate Bali Travel Guide“

How to get to and around Sulawesi

Getting to Sulawesi

Sulawesi is one of Indonesia’s largest islands but one of the least visited by international travellers — partly because getting there requires a little more planning than Bali, and partly because most people don’t know what’s waiting when they arrive. Both of those things are reasons to go, not reasons to avoid it.

You can fly from Australia direct to Jakarta with Garuda Airlines or Qantas, once in Jakarta you will need to fly to the Island of Sulawesi. You can fly with Garuda to either Manado (North) or Makassar (South) depending on where you wish to start your itinerary.
You can search for your desired dates and locations below or use these tips: ‘How to find cheap flights‘.

The main entry points:

Makassar (Sultan Hasanuddin Airport, UPG) — South Sulawesi, the main hub for the whole island. Fly from Bali (Denpasar) with Garuda, Lion Air, or Batik Air — the flight takes around 1.5 hours and runs multiple times daily. From Makassar you can connect to Manado (North Sulawesi, for Bunaken), Luwuk (Central Sulawesi, for Banggai), Rantepao/Toraja Airport (for Tana Toraja), and onward to the Togean Islands via bus or car to Ampana.

Manado (Sam Ratulangi Airport, MDC) — North Sulawesi, the gateway to Bunaken National Marine Park. Fly from Makassar (1.5 hrs) or direct from Jakarta. If Bunaken is your primary focus, flying into Manado directly saves significant time.

Important note on distances: Sulawesi’s K-shape means its regions are much further apart than a map suggests. The drive from Makassar to Tana Toraja alone takes 8 hours by road. Plan your itinerary geographically — don’t try to cover the whole island in under two weeks unless you’re comfortable with long overland journeys and domestic flights.

Once in Sulawesi, there are a number of ways you can travel around. More than likely you will end up using a variety of methods. In the city I would suggest using Blue Metre taxis as like in Bali they have the best reputation and run on a metre. Other options include private transport or hiring a motorbike.

Getting around:

• Between major regions: domestic flights or private drivers are the most practical options
• Within regions: scooter rental (IDR 80,000–150,000 per day) or hired drivers are the norm
• Night buses connect major cities and are a budget option, though road conditions on some routes make them more tiring than they sound
• Download the Maxim app — it operates like Gojek/Grab in the main cities and is widely used in Luwuk, Makassar, and Manado

Navigating Sulawesi — How to Use This Map

Before you start planning your Sulawesi trip, it’s worth spending a few minutes with a map — because Sulawesi’s unusual K-shape means the distances between regions are far larger than most visitors expect, and understanding the geography before you book flights and accommodation will save you significant time and backtracking.

The map below plots every destination in this guide so you can see at a glance how Sulawesi’s main regions relate to each other — Makassar and Tana Toraja in the south, Bunaken and Manado in the north, the Togean Islands in the central gulf, Wakatobi in the southeast, and the Banggai Islands and Paisu Pok Lake in the remote east. Filter by category to see just the activities, or browse the full map to plan your route.

A few things the map makes immediately clear: you cannot drive between the major regions in a day. The island’s mountain ranges and coastal terrain mean that what looks like a 3-hour drive on paper often takes 6–8 hours in reality. Plan your itinerary as a logical sequence of stops — south to north, or north to south — rather than trying to loop back. Our suggested 10-day structure at the bottom of this post follows that logic.

Where to stay in Sulawesi

You can fly from Australia direct to Jakarta with Garuda Airlines or Qantas, once in Jakarta you will need to fly to the Island of Sulawesi. You can fly with Garuda to either Manado (North) or Makassar (South) depending on where you wish to start your itinerary.
You can search for your desired dates and locations below or use these tips: ‘How to find cheap flights‘.

Once in Sulawesi, there are a number of ways you can travel around. More than likely you will end up using a variety of methods. In the city I would suggest using Blue Metre taxis as like in Bali they have the best reputation and run on a metre. Other options include private transport or hiring a motorbike.

1. Enjoy the sunsets

I absolutely adore sunsets ( I adore sunrises too but am never up early enough to catch them :P). I am forever amazed by the magic the sky can make, the colours that come to life are always welcoming! Here are a couple of gorgeous sunsets we witnessed in Palu and Manado!

2. Visit the Wakatobi Islands

One of the top Sulawesi tourist attractions is Wakatobi Islands which actually consist of four islands [Wangi-Wangi, Tomia, Binongko and Kaledupa. It is located in the Southeast of Sulawesi and is a large marine national park  It’s also a Marine National Park, one of the largest coral reefs in the world with lots of species of fish, beautiful types of coral, making it a popular dive spot for the avid adventurer!

Like a lot of Indonesia, this underwater paradise is still a bit of a secret destination in Sulawesi meaning there isn’t a lot of Tourist infrastructure making it a little bit tricky to get to (but oh so worth it!)

Once you arrive, stay at the Wakatobi luxury dive resort. Wakatobi seamlessly blends five-star amenities and civilized comforts with a pristine natural environment; a pairing that has secured its reputation as one of the world’s finest resorts!

3. Climb the Hill of Love

Bukit Kasih or Hill Of Love is located in the Minahasa Regency of North Sulawesi. On arrival, we were greeted by a mob of men with their owls wanting photos, thank goodness none of the group acknowledged this poor attempt at tourism. This sulphuric hill spans over 2435 steps to the top, and with active sulphur that has eroded parts of the track, the walk is eerie, to say the least.

This highland is called the Hill of Love because it is where people from different religions can gather and worship their own faith symbol in peaceful harmony. There are five houses of worship: a Catholic Church, a Christian church, a temple, a mosque and Hindu temple.

4. Get in touch with nature

There is so much nature to appreciate here in Sulawesi. The coast has incredible waters whilst the middle part of the island is blessed with spectacular rainforest and mountain ranges! My absolute favourite thing about Indonesia is the mass of palm trees, which means photo op around every corner! Basically an Instagrammer’s dream!

5. Have Lunch at Tondano Lake

Tondano Lake, the largest lake in North Sulawesi, sits 600 metres above sea level. It covers an impressive 4,278 hectares and with its lush vegetation and mystical mountain backdrop, it makes for a spectacular lunch stop. The lake, situated by the village of Remboken is around 30 km from Manado. Enjoy the local caught fish at one of the many food stalls and restaurants surrounding the lake.

6. Snorkel at Bunaken Island

Bunaken Island is located in the bay of Manado in northern Sulawesi, Indonesia. Its main attraction is the incredible marine life. We took a ferry from the Harbour Marina port which took around 40 minutes. The translucent waters of the Bunaken seas allow for fantastic snorkelling, just be aware of the incredible albeit a tad scary cliff drop on the edge of the coral reef then plunges down more than 25 metres.

If you love snorkeling and marine life, the Philippines is a must-visit, home to some of the world’s best coral reefs — and don’t miss Siquijor while you’re there!

7. Rammang-Rammang Karst, South Sulawesi

An hour’s drive north of Makassar lies one of the world’s largest karst limestone landscapes — and one that almost nobody outside Indonesia knows about. Rammang-Rammang (named for the mist that often hangs between the towering limestone towers in the early morning) is a 45,000-hectare expanse of prehistoric rock formations, jungle waterways, and hidden villages that has been forming for 40 million years.

The main experience is a boat trip along the Pute River through corridors of towering grey limestone, past traditional Bugis stilt houses and through mangrove forest, to reach Kampung Berua — a small farming village completely surrounded by karst cliffs, reachable only by water. There are also prehistoric handprint cave paintings in the caves that line the riverbank, some estimated to be over 40,000 years old and among the oldest known art in the world. Add the Stone Garden — a karst formation walkable at low tide across shallow water — and you have a full half-day or day that will likely be one of the most unexpected highlights of your Sulawesi trip.

Because it sits between Makassar and Tana Toraja, it slots naturally into a South Sulawesi itinerary as a first stop after landing before the long drive south. Most travellers pass it entirely — which means you’ll often have the river largely to yourself.

📍 Location: Maros Regency, approximately 40km north of Makassar 🚗 Getting there: Private car from Makassar (1 hour), then local boat at the river landing 🎟️ Entrance: IDR 25,000 per person plus boat rental approximately IDR 200,000–300,000 for the river tour ⏰ Best time: Early morning for the mist and best light for photography ⏰ Duration: Half day minimum, full day recommended [Book a Rammang-Rammang tour from Makassar — link]

8. Explore Tangkoko National Park

A top Sulawesi tourist attraction is The Tangkoko Nature Reserve!  A flora and fauna conservation area on Mount Tangkoko in the district of Bitung in the province of North Sulawesi, about one hour’s drive from Manado.  The reserve is attractive for its unique wildlife, in particular, the Black Macaques.
Bonus: just on the other side of this jungle is Black Sand beach. We caught the last glimpse of light, the perfect way to end the day! I would recommend visiting these two tourist attractions as they are one of the top things to do in Manado.

9. Eat Delicious Food

We indulged in some ENAK SEKALI (very delicious) meals on our trip around Sulawesi. Most meals consisted of fish (about 10 different ways 😐 ), a vegetable dish, something deep fried and sambal (chilli)- always sambal. I must admit by the end I was very much sick of the sight of fish – I did enjoy though, the always tasty and full of exotic spices that Indonesian food is known for.

10. Discover the Amazing Beaches

One of the best things to do in Sulawesi is to visit the beaches! Boarded with rows of palm trees the beaches of Indonesia are a photographers dream! The water is clear, the sand is white and the smiles are never ending! My smile was beaming the entire day we explored Tanjung Karang Pantai with a coconut and Bintang in tow!

11. Get to know the friendly locals

I wholeheartedly believe we become better humans by exploring and learning about other cultures. The best way I have found to do this is to immerse with the locals. The Indonesian people are some of the friendliest, welcoming and cheekiest people I have ever met! Everyone we came across always made sure we were enjoying our time!

12. Visit Togean Islands

The Togean Islands are a small set of islands in the Tomini sea in the north of Sulawesi.  It is one of the best-kept secrets in Indonesia, especially if you like diving and you want to check out some of the amazing underwater creatures in this part of the world.

Although hard to get to it has pristine sands, sparkling turquoise waters and rich diversity of marine life and coral formation making it one of the best places to visit in Sulawesi!

There are a few dive resorts and family-run guest houses to stay at once you arrive at the island.

13. Explore the Banggai Islands

The Banggai Islands have been sitting at the top of my Indonesia bucket list for a while now — and the more I learn about them, the more I understand why they keep coming up in conversations with serious Indonesian travellers as the destination they didn’t expect.

Located off the eastern tip of Central Sulawesi, the Banggai archipelago is a collection of hundreds of islands that tourism has barely touched. The main draws are Paisu Pok Lake — a freshwater crater lake so clear you can see the bottom at 15 metres, described by almost everyone who’s been as genuinely unbelievable in real life — the endemic Banggai Cardinalfish (found nowhere else on earth, snorkelled or dived in the waters around Peleng and Banggai Laut), and a series of remote beaches like Long Beach on Banggai Laut and Mandel Beach on Peleng that you’ll often have entirely to yourself.

This isn’t a trip for the faint-hearted or first-time Indonesia traveller. Most homestays have squat toilets, no hot water, and limited WiFi. Cash is essential — once you leave Makassar, cards are rarely accepted. English speakers are few. The ferry journeys between islands are long. And that’s precisely why the people who go love it the way they do. You’re experiencing an Indonesia that most tourists never reach, and the warmth and hospitality of local communities who are still genuinely surprised to see a foreign visitor.

Getting there involves flying from Bali via Makassar to Luwuk (the closest mainland hub), then taking the afternoon ferry to Peleng Island — about 3–4 hours, IDR 54,000 per person. From there, each island has its own homestays, boat operators, and local guides reachable by WhatsApp. The best dry season months to visit are May to October.

I haven’t made it here yet — but I plan to, and when I do I’ll update this section fully. In the meantime, the most comprehensive guide I’ve found is by Chloe Barry-Hang who documented her 10-day trip through the islands in extraordinary detail, including real prices, contacts, and the honest realities of independent travel out here. If you’re planning a trip, read her guide first.

📍 Access: Fly Bali → Makassar → Luwuk, then ferry to Peleng Island
⏰ Best time: May – October (dry season)
💰 Budget: Homestays IDR 150,000–300,000 per night, ferries IDR 54,000–74,000 per person
⚠️ Honest note: Not recommended for first-time Indonesia travellers or anyone who needs creature comforts. Cash only once you leave Makassar.

14. Have a Bintang

Because travelling is hard work…..

SAMPLE 10-DAY ITINERARY SECTION

How to Structure Your Sulawesi Trip

Sulawesi rewards travellers who plan their stops geographically. The island’s shape means doubling back is expensive in both time and money — think of it as a linear journey rather than a loop.

A suggested 10-day structure:

Days 1–2: Makassar + Rammang-Rammang Fly in, recover, explore the city’s old Dutch fort and waterfront, then spend a morning at Rammang-Rammang before the drive south begins.

Days 3–5: Tana Toraja The 8-hour drive from Makassar is long but the landscapes shift dramatically as you climb into the highlands. Three nights allows two full days of site visits, traditional village walks, and time to connect with a local guide who can navigate the ceremony calendar.

Days 6–7: Togean Islands (or Wakatobi) Both require a travel day to reach and are worth a minimum of 2 nights. The Togeans involve a northward journey through Central Sulawesi; Wakatobi is a short flight from Makassar. Choose based on your interest — jellyfish lakes and remote island life (Togeans) versus world-class macro diving (Wakatobi).

Days 8–10: Bunaken, North Sulawesi Fly from Makassar to Manado. Two nights on Bunaken — one for snorkelling or diving, one to slow down and take the boat around the island’s less-visited northern shore. Return to Manado for the flight home, or extend for the Minahasa Highlands and Lake Tondano if time allows.

So that is my wrap up of things to do in Sulawesi! Have you been to Indonesia? What did you like/dislike? Comment below!

I was a guest of Ministry of Indonesia, but as always opinions are my own

Found this post helpful? Pin for later!