Accommodation

Madarana Hotel
Jln. Sa’dan No.
Phone. +62 - 423 – 23777
***

Rosa Wisma
Jl. Sa’dan No.28
Phone. +62 - 423 – 21075
*

Malita Wisma
Jl. Frans Karangan No.
Phone. +62 - 423 – 21011
*

Irama Wisma
Jl. Abdul Gani No. 16
Phone. +62 - 423 – 21371
*

Monton Wisma
Jl. Abdul Gani No.
Phone. +62 - 423 –
*

Indra Toraja Hotel
Jl. Landorundun No. 57
Phone. +62 - 423 – 21583, 21163
**

Luta Hotel (Opening soon)
Jl. Dr. Ratulangi No.
Phone.
**

Maria Wisma
Jl. Dr. Ratulangi No. 23
Phone. + 62 - 423 - 21165
*

Pison Toraja Hotel
Jl. Pongtiku
Phone. +62 - 423 – 21293
*

Pia’s Popies Hotel
Jl. Pongtiku
Phone. +62 - 423 – 25059
*

Marante Highland Resort
Jl. Jurusan Palopo
Phone. +62 - 423 – 21616
http://www.marantetoraja.com/
***

Toraja Garden Collage
Jl. Jurusan Palopo
Phone. +62 - 423 - 23336
Fax. +62 - 423 - 25397
**

Toraja Prince
Jl. Jurusan Palopo
Phone. +62 - 423 – 21407
**

Toraja Heritage Hotel
Jl. Jurusan Ke’te’ Kesu
Phone. +62 - 423 – 21192
http://www.torajaheritage.com/
***

Misiliana Hotel
Jl. Pongtiku No. 21
Phone. +62 - 423 – 21212, 21480
http://www.misiliana.com/
***

* (inexpensive), ** (moderate), *** (Expensive)

Travel Tips

Food and Drink

Toraja had a lot of traditional foods starting from pork, buffalo meat, chicken, fish and eel serving in various delicious tastes. My suggestion is you should try them, serve in traditional ways.

For examples:

Pa’piong – basics ingredients pork, mayana leafs, and cooks in a bamboo

Eel serve with black saos -- basics ingredients eel, black saos (pamarrasan), and pangi fruit.

Pa’piong manuk – basics ingredients chicken, coconut, banana trunk, a little chili and cooks in a bamboo

For drink

Don’t forget to try these:

1. Tamarella Juice

2. Passion fruit Juice

3. Mix (Tamarella & Passion fruits) Juice.

4. “Tuak” or palm wine

The most important is Toraja Coffee

Toraja cake:

Deppa Tori’ and Jipang

Places to visit:

There are many interesting objects you can visit in Toraja but it’s all depend on how long you will stay, but don't worry you can arrange your own trip, with Tana Toraja map in this weblog. I try to make a few days trip around Toraja in a same direction just incase you need it. Here are some suggestions for you:

I. First day

1. Lemo (Stone grave)

2. Londa (Stone grave)

3. Ke’te’ (Traditioal house and stone grave)

4. Lunch (Wae Rumbang)

5. Rante Karassik (Traditional Village, Megalith)

6. Pertokoan (souvenirs)

II. Second day

1. Bolu market (for pigs and buffalos market held once a week)

2. Pallawa’ (Traditional houses)

3. Lo'ko' mata & Pana' (Burial site baby graves)

4. Batutumonga (panorama) * lunch

5. Bori’ (Burial site, menhirs)

III. Third day

If you are interesting for another adventure you can try rafting or trekking. For rafting adventure cost 50 euros per person. Or you can see more in this website: http://www.sellatours.com/

For those of you who only have two days trip you can try this:

I. First day:

1. Bolu market (for pigs and buffalos market held once a week)

2. Batutumonga (panorama)

3. Bori’ (Burial side, menhir)

4. Lunch (Riman or Rimiko Restaurant)

5. Pertokoan (souvenirs)6. Ke’te’ or Londa

II. Second day:

1. Rafting/ trekking or

2. Travel around Rantepao without cost. You can start it from Singki’ to Ba’lele (view of Rantepao from Singki’ hill or Kincir hill, Ba’lele traditional house, and a small burial side near the villagers). If you are interesting to have along walk you can continue walk from Ba’lele to Tambolang and Solo’.During your way to those places you will find a beautiful views then in Solo’ you will find one of tourism object name Limbong. Limbong is like a small lake with green water. My suggestion, it is better if you walk through those places in the morning around 8 or 9 am and don’t forget to bring water and snack.

PS. Since the Funeral Ceremony and Housewarming only held in certain days/time I didn’t include it in traveling around Toraja. But if you have opportunity, don’t miss it. See the special event in this blog. To reach those objects, public transportation always available or you can rent a car, motorcycle or a bike.

How to reach Tana Toraja

To reach Tana Toraja you can travel 7 to 8 hours by Bus, from Makassar to Toraja.
Those Buses are Bintang Prima, Falitha, Alam Indah, Liman, and Setuju (only at 7pm & 9pm)
They leave Makassar and Toraja everyday at 8.00 am, 10.00 am, 7.00 pm, 9.00 pm
Ticket cost @ Rp. 60.000 to Rp. 90.000

Or you can rent a car from Makassar to Toraja or from Toraja to Makassar at trevel agency with the cost $100 to $150

Another way is by plane.
PT AVIASTAR CASA 212-200 carry 24 passengers .
It takes an hour from Makassar to Toraja

Schedule
Tuesday
Mks - Toraja : 10.00 am, Toraja - Mks : 11.30 am

Friday
Mks - Toraja : 10.00 am, Toraja - Mks : 11.30 am

Ticket cost @ Rp. 210.000

Contact at
Makassar :
+62-411- 2435568
Toraja :
Pongtiku Airport +62- 423- 22277
Toraja Permai +62-423- 21785, 25111

A little background of Toraja

Tana Toraja is a small place in South Sulawesi, Indonesia that lies about 350 kilometers from Makassar the capital city of South Sulawesi.Why this place named Tana Toraja? The word “Toraja” originated from the lowlands, deriving from the Bugis words to “person” or “people” and ri-aja “from above” (Bigalke, 2005) which is mean “Land of People from Above” and some elders call it “The Land of the Kings”

Most of Toraja area are surrounded by mountains or we can say, it is on a highland. Since it is surrounded by mountains Tana Toraja can attracted you with it’s beautiful views from the top of the mountains or even on your way, not only that, the unique Culture can be entertaining everybody who ever been this place.

In the “aluk to dolo” people believe that all life in heaven is unsepareted from the ritual of “aluk/native belief” which formed in Funeral Ceremony (ritual of the west or rambu solo’) to Thanksgiving ceremonies (ritual of the east or rambu tuka’). The west and the east are according to the sun, west symbolizes death and east symolizes the birth. These beliefs which composite religious ritual and become the sources of norm, regulation, moral, etiquette, in whole life of Toraja people.

Especially for the Funeral ceremony there are some rituals or tradition to be held. The process begins from the preparation of tents, ma’palao (people carrying the death body from the house to the place where the funeral ceremony will be held, this occasion also as a sign of the funeral ceremony begin), mantarima tamu (part where the family of the death man receiving guests or relatives from other villages), mantunu (this is a part where pigs and buffalos are sacrifice), and at the end, is burial day in which the body is brought to liang (stone grave) or patane. During the procession there are some special dances and attraction (buffalos fighting) held in the funeral ceremony.

Special dance and music

Funeral ceremony/ Rambu Solo’ for examples:

Ma’badong dance -- done by men, perform in circle with magnificent song about man’s journey from birth to death.

Ma’katia dance – done by women, this dance use to welcome the guest or relatives from other villages.

Pa’randing dance – done by men, this dance performs to honor heroes of war. The dancers can be more than one.

Thanksgiving ceremonies / Rambu Tuka’, for examples:

Pa’gellu’ dance – mostly done by girls or children in traditional dress, this dance usually perform to celebrate harvest, tongkonan housewarming, or wedding.

Manimbong dance – done by men and representing thankful to God for the harvest, or a new tongkonan house (family house). Check this one to find out manimbong song: http://batusura.de/chants/13.htm

Traditional music:

Bamboo music --> consist of 15 to 30 player

Ma’pelle’ --> made from rice stem, the player can be more than one (mostly ma’pelle’ done at Thanksgiving ceremonies or rambu tuka’)

There are a lot more about Toraja dances and music, some are only use in Funeral ceremony and some are only for the Thanksgiving ceremonies.

Even Tana Toraja have some rituals in ceremonies it doesn’t mean they don’t have religion. Sometimes people don’t really know that majority of Toraja people are Christian brought by Dutch.

PS. Daily temperature in Toraja is 25 to 27o C, while at night temperatures around 20 to 22o C.