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At the height of tourism in Toraja in 1980′ to early 1990’s, there were a lot of home stays and plenty of  three to four stars hotels. Since the Bali bombing I (2002) and Bali bombing II (2005?), a lot of hotels are teetering between life and death and a lot of home stays have since closed down.

My friends, when they are not staying with me, have stayed in various accommodation.  In Rantepao, Wisma Maria guest house is famous for being clean and they bake their own bread. Hotel Indra-a three star hotel,  is also central. You can walk from the hotel to the old market and supermarkets. You can either walk or take a motorbike taxi (sitor or taksi motor) to Bolu market, which has the biggest buffalo and pig market every six days.  For splurging, some of friends have stayed at the Heritage Hotel, ten minutes drive from Rantepao. This hotel was formerly a Novotel hotel. It has a nice swimming pool and some rooms are in tongkonan (traditional house) style buildings.  In Batutumonga area, there are several guest houses. Mentirotiku is a guest house cum restaurant which has a beautiful view to the valley (see picture).

These are just examples of the available accomodation.  They cost from Rupiah 75,000 per person to around Rupiah 400,000 per room, including breakfast.  You can get more information from several web sites on Toraja.

At the height of tourism in Toraja in 1980′ to early 1990’s, there were a lot of home stays and plenty of  three to four stars hotels. Since the Bali bombing I (2002) and Bali bombing II (2005?), a lot of hotels are teetering between life and death and a lot of home stays have since closed down.

My friends, when they are not staying with me, have stayed in various accommodation.  In Rantepao, Wisma Maria guest house is famous for being clean and they bake their own bread. Hotel Indra-a three star hotel,  is also central. You can walk from the hotel to the old market and supermarkets. You can either walk or take a motorbike taxi (sitor or taksi motor) to Bolu market, which has the biggest buffalo and pig market every six days.  For splurging, some of friends have stayed at the Heritage Hotel, ten minutes drive from Rantepao. This hotel was formerly a Novotel hotel. It has a nice swimming pool and some rooms are in tongkonan (traditional house) style buildings.  In Batutumonga area, there are several guest houses. Mentirotiku is a guest house cum restaurant which has a beautiful view to the valley (see picture).

These are just examples of the available accomodation.  They cost from Rupiah 75,000 per person to around Rupiah 400,000 per room, including breakfast.  You can get more information from several web sites on Toraja.

Honestly, what I like to do when I am in Toraja, is to simply zonk out.  In the morning, I will have my coffee meditation, take a short or long walk into the valleys, then read one of my books, write my poems, have lunch, take a nap, have coffee again, read or write again, enjoy my mother-in-law’s dinner with a glass of wine (that we bring from Bali or Jakarta), watch a silly sit com with my mother-in-law, then sleeeeeep.

Ran-my daughter likes to go hiking.  There are so many walking trails in Toraja.  You can be dropped somewhere in the hills, then walk down to where your driver can pick you up.  Or simply walk down towards Rantepao or Makale. If you are feeling energetic, you can walk up hill.  One of my favourites is to walk from Batutumonga to Pana, stand quietly in front of an old rock tomb stone, then walk across the valley, among the rice fields and crossing a river, walk back up to Batutumonga.  It’s an easy but beautiful two hours walk. Enough to make you hungry for a big lunch.

Mon-a friend of mine went river rafting when she was in Toraja.  She is into adrenalin type of activities, so she enjoyed the trip down the Sa’dan river immensely.  Son, another friend of mine, is an avid photographer. On his first trip in Toraja, he walked everywhere with his Canon camera  complete with the long zoom lense and took beautiful pictures (see picture). Gab, another friend enjoyed taking pictures during a week long funeral ceremony of a relative of my husband’s.  Gil, another friend, enjoyed buying trinkets, textile and handicraft for his beloved wife of 35 years. Ad, a husband of my friend, enjoyed trying different types of Torajanese cooking. BK, an old friend of mine, enjoyed going to the buffalo & pig market, then he spent the rest of the holiday, cuddling his wife on the terrace overlooking the valley.  Nin, my sister, simply loves to drink coffee in the verandah and watch the clouds go by.

So, as you can see there is something for everyone in Toraja.  You can be as lazy or as active as you want to be! You can stay for three nights or two weeks or forever, like me!  One thing in common, though, all my friends want to come back to Toraja.

I love rocks. I love the solid, sometimes rough, sometimes smooth feeling when touching a rock. I love monuments, like The Borobudur temple which is built with black volcanic rocks. I love the big, carved, rock tomb stones in Sumba island (East of Indonesia) – pieces of arts as a symbol of a living animistic belief. I love the tall, standing in a round formation of the Stonehenge rocks in the United Kingdom – the proof of a sophisticated life of long ago. But most of all, I love the rocks in Batutumonga.

First and foremost, is THE rock called Batutumonga, which means the leaning rock (see picture). It stands alone, in front of my father-in-law’s cottage and tongkonan (traditional ancestors’ home) by the main road of Pangli and Pangala, in the Batutumonga hamlet. The energy emanating from that rock is peaceful. The story goes, though, that not long ago, people believed that this rock is the gathering place of spirits. Then people did not dare to walk by this rock. I tend to believe this story, because at night, when I sleep in the cottage, I can feel the breeze of spirits flying from the tongkonan to the rock. Friendly spirits who are happy that we are visiting them.

There are rocks on the eastern side of Mount Sesean, dotting the valleys and the terraced rice fields. According to my Geologist friend, they are of the conglomerate volcanic type. A gigantic mountain must have erupted long time ago. For some reason, the rocks flew to the eastern side, because there are no big rocks on the western side of the mountain. As you can find in many guide books or web-sites, the Torajanese then use the big rocks as tomb stones.

I love rocks. I love the solid, sometimes rough, sometimes smooth feeling when touching a rock. I love monuments, like The Borobudur temple which is built with black volcanic rocks. I love the big, carved, rock tomb stones in Sumba island (East of Indonesia) – pieces of arts as a symbol of a living animistic belief. I love the tall, standing in a round formation of the Stonehenge rocks in the United Kingdom – the proof of a sophisticated life of long ago. But most of all, I love the rocks in Batutumonga.

First and foremost, is THE rock called Batutumonga, which means the leaning rock (see picture). It stands alone, in front of my father-in-law’s cottage and tongkonan (traditional ancestors’ home) by the main road of Pangli and Pangala, in the Batutumonga hamlet. The energy emanating from that rock is peaceful. The story goes, though, that not long ago, people believed that this rock is the gathering place of spirits. Then people did not dare to walk by this rock. I tend to believe this story, because at night, when I sleep in the cottage, I can feel the breeze of spirits flying from the tongkonan to the rock. Friendly spirits who are happy that we are visiting them.

There are rocks on the eastern side of Mount Sesean, dotting the valleys and the terraced rice fields. According to my Geologist friend, they are of the conglomerate volcanic type. A gigantic mountain must have erupted long time ago. For some reason, the rocks flew to the eastern side, because there are no big rocks on the western side of the mountain. As you can find in many guide books or web-sites, the Torajanese then use the big rocks as tomb stones.

I’d like to share with you my favourite Torajanese food.  

In the morning, after my morning coffee meditation, which I usually do while listening to the roosters crowing and more and more now…dogs barking; I will then savour ‘soko’ or sticky rice (picture on the left). I eat it slowly, accompanied with grated coconut, chilli and tomato sauce and boiled egg or fried chicken. Yummy!

In the afternoon, depending on where we are, we will eat a big meal.  One of my favourite warung or food stalls is at Kilometer 2 Makale, about half an hour from Rantepao.  It’s a small place, looking into the river and rice field below. They serve the biggest and longest pork sate (barbecue pork on a stick) this side of the world.  It’s tender, juicy and chilly hot. At the persuasion of my Bear, my Torajanese husband, I will then cool my throat down with a glass of fresh balo’ or palm wine. Bliss!  This warung also serves grilled chicken and barbecued fish. Everything is chilly hot, but you cannot stop and just pile more rice. The fragrant rice of Toraja.

We also love the pa’piong bayi or pork cooked in its blood, mixed with mayana leaves, chilly peppers and herbs, stuffed into green bamboo tubes then cooked to boil in bamboo juice on open fire.  We go to Pong Buri’s warung in Rantepao for this yucky sounding but yummy tasting food.

Kapurung is a kind of fish based soup full of sago balls, which Ama, my sister in law cooks wonderfully.  It takes a certain expertise to twist the sago into a perfect ball, a good size to swallow. Not too big, that you can choke on it!  Ama puts kangkung or water spinach (?) and of course chilly. A squeeze of lemon before you slurp it. A perfect breakfast, especially in the cold months.

Dangkot, a chicken or duck dish in grated coconut and tumeric is another favourite of mine. Chicken pallawa, chicken cooked in roasted peanut and grated coconut is out of this world, eventhough a bit complicated to cook.

I will post the recipees of these foods sometime soon.

I’d like to share with you my favourite Torajanese food.  

In the morning, after my morning coffee meditation, which I usually do while listening to the roosters crowing and more and more now…dogs barking; I will then savour ‘soko’ or sticky rice (picture on the left). I eat it slowly, accompanied with grated coconut, chilli and tomato sauce and boiled egg or fried chicken. Yummy!

In the afternoon, depending on where we are, we will eat a big meal.  One of my favourite warung or food stalls is at Kilometer 2 Makale, about half an hour from Rantepao.  It’s a small place, looking into the river and rice field below. They serve the biggest and longest pork sate (barbecue pork on a stick) this side of the world.  It’s tender, juicy and chilly hot. At the persuasion of my Bear, my Torajanese husband, I will then cool my throat down with a glass of fresh balo’ or palm wine. Bliss!  This warung also serves grilled chicken and barbecued fish. Everything is chilly hot, but you cannot stop and just pile more rice. The fragrant rice of Toraja.

We also love the pa’piong bayi or pork cooked in its blood, mixed with mayana leaves, chilly peppers and herbs, stuffed into green bamboo tubes then cooked to boil in bamboo juice on open fire.  We go to Pong Buri’s warung in Rantepao for this yucky sounding but yummy tasting food.

Kapurung is a kind of fish based soup full of sago balls, which Ama, my sister in law cooks wonderfully.  It takes a certain expertise to twist the sago into a perfect ball, a good size to swallow. Not too big, that you can choke on it!  Ama puts kangkung or water spinach (?) and of course chilly. A squeeze of lemon before you slurp it. A perfect breakfast, especially in the cold months.

Dangkot, a chicken or duck dish in grated coconut and tumeric is another favourite of mine. Chicken pallawa, chicken cooked in roasted peanut and grated coconut is out of this world, eventhough a bit complicated to cook.

I will post the recipees of these foods sometime soon.

Getting to Toraja is a challenge by itself. Wherever you come from, be it via Jakarta or Bali, you need to arrive or land in Ujung Pandang or Makassar as it’s now called, the capital of the South Sulawesi province.

Makassar is situated on the coast of Sulawesi strait, which faces the big Borneo island. The port is dotted with elegant, wooden, Buginese schooners which have traversed the big seas as far as Africa for hundred of years. It’s a hot city with beautiful sunsets. Most of the time, I don’t stop by Makassar, unless I feel like having a great lunch of seafood: fresh grilled groupers, lobster, prawn, squid, lathered in soya sauce and eaten with chilly sauce. Bliss!

I have tried several combinations of transportation to get to Toraja from Makassar. Now and then, when the local government has the money or feel like spending the money, they will subsidise chartering a plane for Makassar/Toraja/Makassar route. A couple of years ago, the government decided to stop the flight, because they don’t feel like subsidising the tourists who take the planes. I guess, the government officials don’t think that the tourists are bringing income for the locals?! The small plane for 20 passengers, flies twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. The flight only takes 55 minutes. And it’s a beautiful journey. You can watch the valleys and rocky mountains from above. However, once my Bear took the flight, and they landed on the grass somewhere. He then asked:”How old is the plane?” Answer:”28 years”. Another question:”How old is the pilot?” Answer:”28 years old”.

I have also taken a night bus, which will pick you up from outside the airport at around 10pm. Or take the day bus, which will pick you up at around 2pm from a bakery in Maros, about 10 minutes drive from the airport. The bus trip will last for about eight hours. There will be at least two stops. The first is at the gas station in Sidrap (cross road between Sidenreng and Rappang) and the second one is at Bamba Puang, a mountain shaped like a gigantic vagina…or so the locals keep telling me (see picture, please use your imagination!)…two hours away from Rantepao, which is the base town for Toraja.

To go back to Makassar or Makassar airport, again you can take a night bus, which leaves at 9pm from Rantepao and arrive at the airport around 4am and in Makassar at 5 am. Yes, the downward trip from the mountainous Toraja to the coast is shorter, about 7 hours. There is also a morning bus at 10am and an afternoon one at 1pm. The bus ticket costs Rupiah 70,000 one way. The Executive bus is fully airconditioned (warning: it can get so cold, that I always bring my long Toraja sarong for blanket!) and has reclined seats. It’s also (Thank God!) non smoking. At every stop, you can see the driver and most male passengers suck their cigarettes as soon as they get off.

Of course the easiest is to rent a car. A mini bus or Toyota Kijang van, which can seat four to six passengers will cost around Rupiah 900,000 to drop you in Rantepao. If you rent a car for a week, the cost will be around Rupiah 400,000 per day, which includes a driver and gasoline. This way, after about three hours drive along the coast, you can stop for a seafood lunch in Pare Pare or the near by Kupa Beach. Then drive for two more hours and stop for coffee or tea at Bamba Puang to use your imagination in front of the gigantic vagina. The final two hours drive will take you through the roads that twisted like a long snake between valleys and mountains with purple soil. Very often, I am welcome by a perfect seven coloured rainbow as we enter Salubarani, the border of Toraja land.

Getting to Toraja is a challenge by itself. Wherever you come from, be it via Jakarta or Bali, you need to arrive or land in Ujung Pandang or Makassar as it’s now called, the capital of the South Sulawesi province.

Makassar is situated on the coast of Sulawesi strait, which faces the big Borneo island. The port is dotted with elegant, wooden, Buginese schooners which have traversed the big seas as far as Africa for hundred of years. It’s a hot city with beautiful sunsets. Most of the time, I don’t stop by Makassar, unless I feel like having a great lunch of seafood: fresh grilled groupers, lobster, prawn, squid, lathered in soya sauce and eaten with chilly sauce. Bliss!

I have tried several combinations of transportation to get to Toraja from Makassar. Now and then, when the local government has the money or feel like spending the money, they will subsidise chartering a plane for Makassar/Toraja/Makassar route. A couple of years ago, the government decided to stop the flight, because they don’t feel like subsidising the tourists who take the planes. I guess, the government officials don’t think that the tourists are bringing income for the locals?! The small plane for 20 passengers, flies twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. The flight only takes 55 minutes. And it’s a beautiful journey. You can watch the valleys and rocky mountains from above. However, once my Bear took the flight, and they landed on the grass somewhere. He then asked:”How old is the plane?” Answer:”28 years”. Another question:”How old is the pilot?” Answer:”28 years old”.

I have also taken a night bus, which will pick you up from outside the airport at around 10pm. Or take the day bus, which will pick you up at around 2pm from a bakery in Maros, about 10 minutes drive from the airport. The bus trip will last for about eight hours. There will be at least two stops. The first is at the gas station in Sidrap (cross road between Sidenreng and Rappang) and the second one is at Bamba Puang, a mountain shaped like a gigantic vagina…or so the locals keep telling me (see picture, please use your imagination!)…two hours away from Rantepao, which is the base town for Toraja.

To go back to Makassar or Makassar airport, again you can take a night bus, which leaves at 9pm from Rantepao and arrive at the airport around 4am and in Makassar at 5 am. Yes, the downward trip from the mountainous Toraja to the coast is shorter, about 7 hours. There is also a morning bus at 10am and an afternoon one at 1pm. The bus ticket costs Rupiah 70,000 one way. The Executive bus is fully airconditioned (warning: it can get so cold, that I always bring my long Toraja sarong for blanket!) and has reclined seats. It’s also (Thank God!) non smoking. At every stop, you can see the driver and most male passengers suck their cigarettes as soon as they get off.

Of course the easiest is to rent a car. A mini bus or Toyota Kijang van, which can seat four to six passengers will cost around Rupiah 900,000 to drop you in Rantepao. If you rent a car for a week, the cost will be around Rupiah 400,000 per day, which includes a driver and gasoline. This way, after about three hours drive along the coast, you can stop for a seafood lunch in Pare Pare or the near by Kupa Beach. Then drive for two more hours and stop for coffee or tea at Bamba Puang to use your imagination in front of the gigantic vagina. The final two hours drive will take you through the roads that twisted like a long snake between valleys and mountains with purple soil. Very often, I am welcome by a perfect seven coloured rainbow as we enter Salubarani, the border of Toraja land.