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Voykit pocket guide · Indonesia
Makassar
Give Makassar 2 nights as a gateway to Sulawesi: Fort Rotterdam, Losari sunsets and Coto Makassar, then move on to Toraja or the islands.
Makassar is the biggest city on Sulawesi and the transport gateway to eastern Indonesia, sitting on the southwest coast facing the Makassar Strait. It is a working port city, not a resort: the draw is Dutch-era Fort Rotterdam, the Losari Beach waterfront at sunset, offshore islands and one of Indonesia's best regional cuisines. Most travellers pass through in two nights on the way to Tana Toraja or the Togean and Banda islands.
- Country
- Indonesia
- Best months
- May–Oct (drier)
- Avoid
- Dec–Mar (heavy rain)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- IDR
- Money
- Rupiah (Rp) in small notes for warungs, parking, offerings and drivers; large cards are common in tourist restaurants but not everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rp350,000–600,000 excl. bed · Mid Rp600,000–1,200,000 excl. bed · High Rp1,200,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telkomsel, XL and Indosat sell tourist SIMs at airports; foreign phones must be IMEI-registered if staying over 90 days — check.
- Emergency
- General emergency 112 · Police 110 · Ambulance 118 · Fire 113
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European round pins.
- Tipping
- Warung: Nothing.; Restaurants: Often 10% service + tax on the bill; nothing more needed.; Drivers and guides: Rp50,000–100,000 a day.; Spa: Rp20,000–50,000.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; refill stations common in Bali.
- Toilets
- Western in hotels and cafés; squat toilets with a water scoop elsewhere; paper in the bin.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coto Makassar or Sop Konro bowl | Rp25,000–60,000 |
| Pisang epe at Losari Beach | Rp10,000–25,000 |
| Petepete minivan ride | Rp5,000 |
| Becak short hop | Rp8,000–15,000 |
| Taxi airport to centre | Rp100,000–150,000 |
| Museum La Galigo entry (foreign visitor) | Rp10,000 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | Rp100,000–200,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- UPG · Sultan Hasanuddin International
- About 30 km (19 mi) northeast of the centre; taxi or ride-hailing to town, airport bus runs 07:00–19:00.About 30 km (19 mi) northeast of the centre; taxi or ride-hailing to town, airport bus runs 7:00 AM–7:00 PM.About 19 mi (30 km) northeast of the centre; taxi or ride-hailing to town, airport bus runs 07:00–19:00.About 19 mi (30 km) northeast of the centre; taxi or ride-hailing to town, airport bus runs 7:00 AM–7:00 PM.
Typical fares
- Airport → city centre, taxi
- Rp100,000–150,000, about 30–45 min
- Airport bus → city centre
- about Rp27,000, about 1 h, 07:00–19:00about Rp27,000, about 1 h, 7:00 AM–7:00 PM
- Boat to Pulau Samalona
- about Rp600,000–800,000 per boat, 30–45 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Petepete minivans (about Rp5,000 a trip) and becak trishaws cover short hops; taxis meter and Grab or Go-Jek ride-hailing is cheap and stated up front. Trans Mamminasata buses link the centre with the airport corridor and beyond. Traffic is heavy at rush hour.
See and do
Known for
- Fort Rotterdam
- Losari Beach sunsets
- Coto Makassar and Sop Konro
- Gateway to Tana Toraja and eastern Indonesia
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Pulau Samalona | Boat from the Makassar waterfront, 30–45 min | About 1–1.5 h |
| Pulau Khayangan | Boat from central Makassar, about 20 min | About 45 min |
| Tana Toraja | Bus from the Bintang Prima or Litha company terminal, not Terminal Daya | 8–10 h (check) |
| Paotere port | Taxi or ride-hailing from the centre | About 30 min |
Sleep
- Losari Beach and the old centre
- Walk to Fort Rotterdam, the 99 Domes Mosque and the waterfront food stalls; best for a first short stay.
- Jalan Ratulangi and Mamajang
- Malls, cafés and mid-range hotels; 10–15 min by car to the waterfront.
- Panakkukang
- Business and mall district on the airport side of the centre; quieter, more chain hotels.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me | Permisiper-mee-see |
| Thank you | Terima kasihte-ree-ma ka-see |
| How much is it? | Berapa harganya?be-ra-pa har-ga-nya |
| This one, please | Ini, pleaseee-nee |
| Can I pay by card? | Bisa bayar pakai kartu?bee-sa ba-yar pa-kai kar-too |
| Where is the toilet? | Di mana toilet?dee ma-na toy-let |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Light handshake then hand to chest; smile; avoid: Firm grips
- Left hand: Give and receive with the right; avoid: Passing anything with the left
- Temples: Sarong and sash; step around offerings; avoid: Standing higher than priests
- Keeping calm: Patience; indirect requests; avoid: Anger in public
- Pointing: Thumb; avoid: Index finger
Scams and watch-outs
- Wet-season downpours Dec–Mar can make central roads slow; build slack into airport runs (seasonal road conditions: check).
- The Daya bus terminal has a poor local reputation — buy Toraja tickets and board at the company terminal (Bintang Prima or Litha) instead.
- Losari is a waterfront promenade, not a swimming beach; use the offshore islands for that.
- Agree becak and boat fares before you set off.
Makassar is generally safe for travellers by day and in the main districts. The main risks are traffic and wet-season road conditions; use metered taxis or app rides, and agree boat fares before boarding (petty theft and unlicensed boats: check).
One and two days
No timed day plan for Makassar yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Fort Rotterdam
- Losari Beach sunsets
- Coto Makassar and Sop Konro
- Gateway to Tana Toraja and eastern Indonesia
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Makassar, revision 5331004 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5331004
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Makassar
Ke alamat ini, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most embassies are in Jakarta; Australia has a consulate-general in Makassar (check the address and hours before you go).
Local Makassar Malay drops some Indonesian prefixes and suffixes; standard Indonesian is understood everywhere.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/makassar). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.