I’d been wanting to go to Tana Toraja but was always put off by the long bus journey from Makassar. Then I decided well, I should go and visit it while I still can and after browsing, purchased AA tickets via xx. I was debating where to stay and decided on Rantepao, also because buses go there, before searching for accommodation in Rantepao and Makassar. Due to the long bus journeys, I decided to spend the first night on a sleeper bus and two nights each in Rantepao and Makassar with the return trip to Makassar during the day. It is tempting to just overnight in the bus but I wouldn’t get to see the countryside otherwise.
Monday, 30 March 2026
I made my way to KLIA T2 for my 14:30 flight. We had to endure a 75-minute delay due to the late arrival of our flight, the never-before painfully slow boarding and the non-functioning AC in the plane. The plane had to return to the bay (that was what the captain called it) to address the AC problem. Thankfully, the plane was near to the bay and not on the runway. In the end, we took off at 15:45.
And it didn’t stop there, oh no. One passenger had an epileptic episode mid-flight and the cabin crew tried to help him in various ways (one insensitive passenger was filming it, what a dickhead. How would you like to be filmed when you’re convulsing? A cabin crew had to tell him to stop recording). Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up. One passenger in the row behind was happily coughing throughout the flight until he was told off by a cabin crew as we were about to descend to cover his mouth when coughing. Yet another dickhead who had to be told to cover his mouth. And he was supposed to be an adult. I wished other passengers and the cabin crew had told him off at the beginning and not when the journey was about to end.
It was raining when we finally landed at 19:05. I rushed off as I had to make it to the bus terminal for my 20:10 bus. And guess what, the bus only arrived at 20:45. I was surprised when we stopped to use the facilities to find I’d actually managed to fall asleep.
Tuesday, 31 March 2026
We reached Rantepao early this morning and after getting my bag, I made a beeline for the mosque to perform prayers. I then walked around town and even bought bus ticket back to Makassar on Thursday. It turned out that not all bus companies operate service to Makassar during the day, they only have night buses. I then walked to the guesthouse to check in. My heart sank when I first turned into the lane with its puddles of rainwater and the rough ground. And there were dogs too. I managed to get to Riana Homestay safely though and the homestay owner allowed early check-in.
After resting, I left to explore the town further. Then I made my way down to Jl. Ahmad Yani and an angkot driver advised me to ride a shared mobil (vehicle) to Ke’te’ Kesu’ so I did. This is a concept I learnt in Flores in November last year, The fare was only Rp7k. Tongkonan Ke’te’ Kesu’ is one of the traditional villages in Toraja located to the south of Rantepao, offering a glimpse into the legacy of the Torajan people. The site features well-preserved ancestral houses, burial sites, and a local market selling various souvenirs. I went up to the cave but didn’t enter as I didn’t want to have nightmares tonight.
Next, I rode an angkot to the Tedong Bonga buffalo roundabout then changed for a shared mobil to Lemo. I then walked up to Lemo Stone Cemetery. Lemo is known as the home of spirits. Here, you can see funeral chambers carved directly into the steep cliff walls and wooden statues, known as Tau Tau, intricately sculpted to resemble and represent the departed. These statues have unique hand posture: one hand facing upwards, and the other downwards. This gesture holds a special meaning: a request and a blessing. Apparently, the departed is asking their family to perform traditional rituals, ensuring that the family left behind is blessed. I then browsed the souvenir stalls before making my way down to the main road and getting another shared mobil back to Rantepao. These shared mobil cost less than half of what a one-way trip on Grab bike would’ve cost me. As it was threatening to rain, I decided to buy dinner to go in advance so that I need not venture out again. And good thing I did too because the skies opened up and it rained from 14:45 well into the night… so I decided to turn in early tonight.
By the way, the locals are big on buffaloes here especially Tedong Bonga or a typical buffalo from Toraja ethnic in South Sulawesi. In the Torajan language, ‘tedong’ is a term of buffalo. Tedong bonga, a typical buffalo of Toraja with a striped motif resembling a cow, symbolises prosperity as well as signifies the level of wealth and social status of its owner in the eyes of the community. Torajan regard Tedong Bonga as a sacred being who will take them to nirvana when they die. Another thing I noticed are the long queues of vehicles at petrol stations here…
Walked 16,600 steps or 11.3 km on my first day in Tana Toraja.
Wednesday, 1 April 2026
I woke up early for morning prayers. The church music and singing started at 05:35 followed by a sermon by a woman (a priestess? And yes, I could hear them all from my room). It lasted for an hour. After breakfast of scrambled egg and toast with a mug of tea and a glass of cold passion fruit juice, I walked out to Jl. Diponegoro to find a mobil before deciding to walk to Jl. Ahmad Yani. In the end, I rode a mobil to Terminal Bolu (the Bolu market is here and on Tuesday and Saturday mornings there are buffalo markets too) and from there, I rode an ojek to Bori’ Kalimbuang which is located north of Rantepao. Yesterday I had visited two sites south of Rantepao and today I would visit two sites north of Rantepao.
Bori’ Kalimbuang is a megalithic site located in Sesean Village, North Toraja Regency. It is one of the most important megalithic sites in Tana Toraja, and is part of the UNESCO Tentative List for World Heritage Status as ‘Megalithic Cultural Heritage’. Bori’ Kalimbuang is a popular tourist destination, and is known for its impressive megalithic structures and its scenic setting. The site is located in a valley surrounded by mountains, and offers stunning views of the Torajan countryside. The ticket cost Rp30k. Bori’ Kalimbuang is home to a large number of menhirs, which are tall, standing stones. There are over 100 menhirs in the site, ranging in size from small stones to massive boulders. The menhirs are believed to have been erected by the Toraja people over 1,000 years ago, and were used for various purposes, including religious ceremonies, burials, and as markers of social status. Each megalith tells a story – they're not just random stones, but markers of grand funeral ceremonies past, where noble Torajans completed their journey to the afterlife. These weathered sentinels, some reaching heights of over 4 meters (13 feet), create an almost mystical atmosphere in the morning light. The Torajans believe these stones possess supernatural power, each one erected to commemorate a significant funeral ceremony of the nobility. The size of each menhir corresponds to the status of the deceased and the grandeur of their funeral – a permanent record of past ceremonies written in stone.
In addition to the menhirs, Bori’ Kalimbuang also contains a number of other megalithic structures, including stone circles, stone tombs, and stone statues. The site is also home to a number of traditional Toraja houses, known as tongkonan. Bori’ Kalimbuang is also an important cultural site for the Toraja people. The site is used for a number of traditional ceremonies, including the Rambu Solo’, or funeral ceremony. I spent 70 minutes there walking around the site. There was even a Tedong Bonga cow there, chained through its nose, poor baby. How was it supposed to feed itself, I wondered.
I asked the ticket counter man if he thought Palawa’ was worth going. He said it would be much easier to get transportation back to Rantepao from Palawa’ instead of from Bori’ and he said a local chap, Doni, would be able to take me there. So I went to the nearby house and asked if Doni could bring me to Palawa’. Turned out he’d never been to Palawa’ tourist site before.
A woman suddenly appeared and asked me to pay the admittance which was Rp50k which she then lowered to Rp20k. If you want to see the old Tongkonan (Toraja traditional house), this is a good place to take good photos with ambience. The place is relatively quiet - I was the only visitor there - but the view is great. Like I said, a good place to be except for the stupid barking dogs. They are just everywhere!
I spent about 20 minutes there before walking down to the main road. After about ten minutes, a car stopped and driver said he was going to Terminal Bolu. The shopkeeper with whom I had a brief chat suggested I ride the mobil to Bolu so I did. From Bolu, I took an angkot to Rantepao to Alfamidi store. I then bought some Jakarta fried noodles for dinner before returning to my room. Today was a dry day for a change although the weather forecast did predict rain. I finished my book and rested. I suppose I could’ve taken the night bus back to Makassar but I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the view at night.
To be continued
