Toraja is located in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Among cities and districts in South Sulawesi, Toraja is the most famous. That’s why Toraja is set as the icon of South Sulawesi province. But, what can you find there?
How to Get There?
When you land at Hasanuddin International Airport, trace along Jalan Perintis Kemerdekaan. You will find some autobus companies that will serve your trip to get there. Along this road, you will find Primadona, Manggala Trans, Metro Permai, Borlindo, and Bintang Prima. Those are autobus companies which serve road trip to Toraja. The ticket sold depends on the type of bus you choose. You can opt sleeper bus that will cost you around Rp. 350.000 to Rp. 400.000. If you want economy class, it will cost you around Rp. 175.000 to Rp. 200.000. The road trip from Makassar will take up to 8 hours. Make sure your travel provisions are sufficient.
If you prefer air travel, it will take up 45 minutes. Toraja has just inaugurated its airport in early September 2020. If you opt traveling by plane, it will cost you around Rp. 650.000. To book your flight, you can find it on flight ticket applications available on Android and iOS. Besides, web version is also available.
Tongkonan
Tongkonan is the icon of Toraja. When you arrive at Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar, you will find this around the airport. It is the ancestral house of Torajan - the people of Toraja - that you can still find till now as Torajan preserve their culture well. However, Torajans nowadays live in modern house. They are no longer live in their traditional house.
Toraja Coffee
Toraja is famous for its tasteful coffee. If you plan to go there, make sure you bring a pack or two to your country. Toraja coffee is available in seed and powder - depends on your preference. When you are in Toraja and coffee is in your purchase list, make sure you get explanation about the coffee you want to buy - either it is Arabica or Robusta, where it is planted, the roasting model, etc.
Traditional Festival
Lovely Toraja, formerly known as Lovely December, is the traditional festival which is held annually - usually in December. When you ask locals about the best time to get to Toraja, they will mention ‘December’ in their answers. That is because Toraja has annual festival called “Lovely Toraja”. When you come there, the festival will serve you with buffalo fighting, cockfighting, funeral tradition, etc. Those what make Toraja famous.
Mountain Views
Toraja is on high land which is cooler than its surrounding areas. When you get there, you will notice a decrease of temperature right from the moment you enter its welcome gate. Along your trip, your eyes will be served with beautiful natural mountain views. Mountains are everywhere in Toraja - either you are in Toraja Utara (Rantepao, North Toraja) or Tana Toraja (Makale). In other words, hiking would be the best activity you can consider.
Natural Tourist Spots
Toraja, both Toraja Utara and Tana Toraja, hosts many natural tourist spots. Just ask your tourist guide for natural spot you want to visit. In Toraja, you can find Lemo or Londa which is a funeral for Torajan, Lolai which is well known as “Negeri Diatas Awan” (literally means “nation above the coulds”), Kete Kesu, and many others.
