Self-transfer: On arrival in Kuala Lumpurmake your own way to the Sama Sama airport hotel which is linked to the terminal via a skybridge, or take the complimentary buggy service.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Sama Sama Airport Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Self-transfer: Make your way back to the airport terminal to check in for your onward flight to Sulawesi.

Flight: AK334 Kuala Lumpur - Makassar 14.05 - 17.30

Private transfer: On arrival in Makassar, you will be welcomed to Indonesia by your local guide and transferred to the Melia Makassar Hotel.

Seafood dinner: This evening, you will be taken to one of Makassar’s famous seafood restaurants for dinner. Choose from a wide selection of supremely fresh fish and watch it being grilled over a charcoal barbeque. The fish will be served with rice and a selection of tasty vegetable side dishes and sauces. 

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Melia Makassar Hotel (Junior Suite)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Morning visit to Paotere Harbour and fish market: After breakfast this morning, drive to the north of the city for a tour of Paotere Harbour and Makassar’s fish market. Makassar’s strategic location on the shipping routes between the spice islands and the rest of Asia created one of east Asia’s largest maritime hubs, where commodities were exchanged. The Bugis people from the south of Sulawesi are well known for their seafaring, and the architects of majestic Phinisi wooden schooner ships that are built along the south coast of Sulawesi at Bira. This morning you will have time to wander around Paotere harbour to see the traditional wooden cargo ships and their crew offloading and preparing for their next voyage. Next door to the harbour is one of Southeast Asia’s largest fish markets, and a hive of human activity. Fishing boats from the eastern extremities of the archipelago convene here to sell giant tuna, grouper, wrasse and hundreds of exotic sea creatures.

Afternoon city tour: Continue with a short tour of Makassar City, with a visit to Fort Rotterdam and the Lagaligo Museum, which has sections on ethnology and history. You will also have the chance to visit the Mosque of 99 Domes, and Balla Lompoa Museum in Gove District.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Melia Makassar Hotel (Junior Suite)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Full day tour of Toraja villages & countryside: After breakfast set off for Bori to see megalithic stones and graves of babies. From here climb up Batutumonga Hill to enjoy spectacular views over Rantepao and the surrounding valleys. Continue to villages of Bori and Palawa and then enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon visit Marante to see hanging graves and statues.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Santai Toraja (Deluxe Room with Ricefield View)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Visit to Bolu Market: After breakfast this morning you will visit the weekly Bolu market, where locals trade their livestock such as water buffalos, pigs and vegetable. You get a real sense of how much is invested into these ceremonies by visiting the bi-weekly buffalo auction, where the rarest and most sought-after albino buffalos can sell for up to USD 30,000 each. Your guide may be able to arrange for you to attend part of a funeral ceremony, by offering a donation which could be a carton of kretek cigarettes, sack of rice or even a pig. The morning market is the best place to ask around for information about which families have been at the market preparing for an upcoming funeral ceremony. Should there be a ceremony being held during your time in Toraja, your guide will do their best to adjust the itinerary to accommodate this.

Cycling and hiking in Torajaland: After this morning’s market visit set off by road to Kapitu village to begin your cycling tour through the spectacular scenery of the Batu Tumonga area. Along the way you will see villagers going about their daily routines - locals drying coffee beans and working in the terraced rice fields. There will be a stop at Riu village for lunch, where you will meet a Torajan family and set foot in a traditional house to enjoy some local specialisties for lunch with your hosts. After lunch hike to the village of Toyasa Akung, with more stunning views of traditional Torajan houses and rice terraces, where you will be met by your driver and transferred back to your hotel.

Please note that this afternoon's cycling and hiking activity can be replaced with more sightseeing by car if preferred.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Santai Toraja (Deluxe Room with Ricefield View)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Private transfer: You will be collected from the Melia Makassar Hotel and transferred to Hasanudin Airport for your flight to Manado.

Flight: JT742 Makassar - Manado 09.10 - 10.45 

Road journey from Manado to the Minahasa Highlands: Set off south from Manado to Tomhon in the Minahasa Highlands, a journey time of approximately 1 hour.

Afternoon sightseeing: After checking in to your accommodation, explore the surrounding highlands with your guide.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Gardenia Country Inn (Bungalow)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Guided tour of the Minahasa Highlands: After an early breakfast drive towards Gunung Mahawu and embark on a short hike to the crater rim for sunrise on the top of the volcano. This is a spectacular vantage point from where you can see Bunaken National Marine Park, the Tua Islands and the Bay of Manado. At the bottom of the crater there is a steaming lake, and you will smell the sulfur from the bubbling pools. For a more challenging trek this morning we can arrange a trek to the summit of Mount Lokon as an alternative to Gunung Mahawu. Continue by road to Lake Tondano, the largest lake in the region, where you will have lunch at a shore side restaurant. Fertile rice paddies lead towards the lake’s edge and numerous fish restaurants are dotted upon the lakeside where you can sample baked ikan mas (koi fish) served with fresh water spinach. Don’t forget to try the fiery dabu dabu, a local accompaniment to the fish consisting of chopped chillies, tomatoes and spring onionst. After lunch visit the Toraget hot springs for an optional bathe in the natural open-air pools. Finish the tour with a trip to Lake Linow, a highly sulphurous lake with constantly changing colours depending on the light and viewing perspective.

For a more challenging activity today we can arrange a volcano trek to ascend Mount Lokon or Mount Soputan.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Gardenia Country Inn (Bungalow)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Morning wildlife activities: Rising at dawn this morning you will take another hike into the forest with local ranger. An early start will give you an excellent opportunity for seeing Black-Crested macaques, as well as a host of other mammals and birds. After hiking for a couple of hours you will return to the homestay for a late and well-earned breakfast.

Road journey from the Tangkoko Nature Reserve to Manado Marina: Travel by road to the Manado Marina, taking approximately 90 minutes.

Shared boat journey from Manado to the Bunaken Marine Park: Board a shared speedboat for the trip to your resort on Siladen Island, a journey of approximately 45 minutes.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Siladen Resort (Garden View Villa)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Days at leisure: These days are at leisure to relax and enjoy the beach, or explore the island independently. Diving and snorkelling excursions are a real highlight, and can be booked with the Siladen Resort on your arrival.

Accommodation: Stay these nights at the Siladen Resort (Garden View Bungalow)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner