Availability of public transport at port/terminal: Available (shuttle buses are arranged by tour operators)

Printable map to take along.

Cruise Schedule

Sulawesi Island is one of the biggest islands in Indonesia. It is the world's eleventh-largest island, covering an area of 174,600 km². The island is surrounded by Borneo to the west, by the Philippines to the north, by Maluku to the east, and by Flores and Timor to the south. It has a distinctive shape, dominated by four large peninsulas. The central part of the island is home to rugged mountains and as such, the island's peninsulas have traditionally been remote from each other. It is better connected by sea than by road.

The people of Sulawesi are famous for their dedication to their diverse art abilities, which include pottery, weaving, and dancing. Their pottery was originally made specifically for the purpose of storing rice and water but when the Dutch arrived, it became useful for commercial exporting and sale, and was noted for its extensive detail.
The Sulawesian also excel at intricate weaving, and repeat the same pattern at least once in every project they do. Although the women are predominantly weavers, both genders love to dance. The male dancers are rigid, mechanical and robotic, while the female dancers are fluid and smooth. They combine these aspects to tell a story.

SIGHTSEEING OPPORTUNITIES (HALF DAY/FULL DAY)

• Bugis in Tradition
• Toraja Overland Tour

SIGHTSEEING OPPORTUNITIES (FULL DAY)

• orajaland Tour
• Bugis Full Day Tour

In Indonesia eating with your hand (instead of utensils like forks and spoons) is very common. The basic idea is to use four fingers to pack a little ball of rice, which can then be dipped into sauces before you pop it in your mouth by pushing it with your thumb. There's one basic rule of etiquette to observe: Use only your right hand, as the left hand is used to clean yourself in the bathroom. Don't stick either hand into communal serving dishes: instead, use the left hand to serve yourself with utensils and then dig in. Needless to say, it's wise to wash your hands well before and after eating. Eating by hand is frowned on in some "classier" places. If you are provided with cutlery and nobody else around you seems to be doing it, then take the hint.

ATMs are common in any major cities in Indonesia.

Be careful when using credit cards, as cloning and fraud are a major problem in Indonesia. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, but American Express can be problematic. At smaller operations, surcharges of 2-5% over cash are common.

Currency Converter

The sole official language is Indonesian, known as Bahasa Indonesia.

Internet: Prices vary considerably, and as usual you tend to get what you pay for, but you'll usually be looking at around Rp 5,000 per hour. In large cities, there are free hotspots in certain shopping malls, McDonald restaurants and Starbucks cafes. Some hotels provide free hotspots in the lobby.

mobile phones emergency number: 112

December/January Idul Fitri, the celebration of the end of Ramadan.

January 1 New Year's Day ( Tahun Baru).

March/April Nyepi, Balinese saka New Year.

March/April Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

May Idul Adha (Hajh), Muslim Day of Sacrifice.

May Waisak Day, anniversary of the birth, death and enlightenment of Buddha.

May/June Ascension Day.

June/July Muharam, Muslim New Year.

July/August Maulud Nabi Muhammad, the anniversary of the birth of Mohammed.

August 17 Independence Day ( Hari Proklamasi Kemerdekaan) celebrates the proclamation of Indonesian Independence in 1945 by Dr Sukarno.

December Ascension Day of Mohammed.

December 25 Christmas Day.

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