If you have a few days available, don’t miss Toraja. Beautiful landscapes, vibrant culture, and traditions make it a world-class destination. There are no proper five-star hotels in Toraja, but the tourism infrastructure is quite developed and offers comfortable hotels and a range of restaurants. The main town is Rantepao. It is a pleasant Indonesian town that gives you access to many shops and restaurants.
Content of this article:
What To Do in Toraja?
You can either fly or drive to Toraja as a new airport opened in March 2021.
We went by car, and it was a long journey. The road was partially flooded, and it took us about 10 hours. If you are looking for a reliable driver from Makassar, contact Ixan.
He knows the area well and speaks perfect English. He will stay in Toraja with you and drive you to the various sites. he can be reached on Whatsapp at +6282194918590. A one-way car from Makassar costs 1.5 million Rpies (around 100 USD) and 750000 rpies per extra day touring around ( including car, driver, fuel, driver lodging,…)
The road is nice, but the prettiest landscapes are found in Toraja itself, so if you are short on time, I don’t think you lose much by flying there. We flew back from Toraja. The new airport is small and efficient. There are only two or three flights a week, and they all go to Makassar. Our Lionair plane was late by over an hour, so leave yourself a lot of time if you have a connection flight.
What to see in Toraja?
Our first sightseeing day in Toraja was focused on the south side of Rantapao. We first went to Lola for sunrise. You are above the clouds that usually form in the valley from the top of the mountain. The sunrise over the clouds is very scenic.
After breakfast, we accidentally stumbled upon a funeral. It was the third day of the funeral, which was the day when they slaughtered the buffalos. Fortunately, we were late, and the buffalos had already been slaughtered. The family was incredibly gracious and willing to share and explain their tradition. They gave me a tour of the house, introduced me to all the family members, and invited me for lunch. Their kindness was humbling.
Funerals in Toraja are an elaborated affair that lasts 4-5 days. On days one and two, the family receives all the guests who bring gifts of chicken and Buffalos. Day 3 is when most of the animals are slaughtered and the meat is shared amongst the various participants. Day 4 is when the coffin is brought to its resting place.
TIP: if you want to attend a funeral, get a guide to help you to make sure you can respect the local traditions and understand what is ahppening. It will make your experience much richer
After that, we explored Lemo, Londa, and Ke te Kesu, three of the most famous sites in Toraja. There, we found beautiful rice fields, caves graves, and traditional Toraja houses.
On the second day, we went to another funeral near Palawa. It was day 2 of the funeral, and the family was receiving friends and family bringing donations. There were hundreds of guests, over 12 buffalos, and 300 pigs. We were again treated as friends and offered tea and food.
We then drove around scenic ricefields to the Megalithic site of Bori.
we hiked a small mountain to see the viewpoint of Tambolang and visited the village of Marante and its funeral tombs.
We ended the day at the local market. The Buffalo market is held every six days. Even though it was not market day, there were still hundreds of Buffalos.
We only stayed three nights in Toraja, and it felt short as there was so much to see and experience. The local people are incredibly friendly and welcoming of foreigners.
Getting a guide in Toraja
The main reason to come to Toraja is the culture. The Toraja people have developed some of the most elaborate and dramatic funeral ceremonies in the world. If you are lucky, a funeral will happen during your stay, and a guide will bring you there and allow you to attend.
Funerals last for four to five days, and each day has different rituals worth seeing.
We attended two different funerals and felt very welcomed by the family of the deceased and their guests. Be aware that animals get slaughtered, which some people might find confronting.
The guide will also take you to various burial sites and villages. While you can visit those sites on your own, a guide will share stories, allowing you to understand the incredible Toraja culture.
Guides are licensed, and at the time of writing, the cost is fixed at 500000 rpies per day ( about 30 USD).
Our guide came highly recommended and was fabulous. You can reach him at pessunan01 @gmail.com.
Best Coffee place in Toraja
Toraja is famous for its coffee. Don’t miss the Kaana Toraya coffee shop. It serves mouthwatering coffees, teas, and food and is the perfect place for lunch or breakfast. The Kaana coffee shop is well hidden inside the Pison hotel.
https://www.instagram.com/kaanatorayacoffee/
Where to get a PCR or Antigen Covid test in Toraja Rantepao
Please note that there are no Covid antigen testing facilities in the airport at the time of writing, so you need to do your test in Rantepao the day before. Try to do it before 3 pm as they close early. We went to a few clinics before we found a place to do the PCR or Antigen test in Toraja, The place we went to is called Laboratorium Klinik Priority in Rantepao
https://idalamat.com/alamat/337835/laboratorium-klinik-priorita-toraja-utara-sulawesi-selatan
For more information about what to do in Makassar and my review of the Novotel Makassar, read this article.