Karst towers
Tall black pinnacles.
Mamansukirman06 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Chafidwahyu — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Schwarzenfelder — CC BY-SA 4.0
One of Sulawesi's most beautiful landscapes, a valley ringed by towering black limestone pinnacles rising from rice fields and water, part of the Maros-Pangkep karst, among the largest karst areas in the world. The calm Pute River winds between the rocks, and the only way to the villages inside is by boat. The trip starts at a small jetty in a narrow wooden boat gliding between nipa palms and sculpted rocks, through narrow rock passages, to Berua, a small village in a green basin walled in by karst on every side, with wooden stilt houses, rice fields and buffalo. Caves in the area hold rock art among the oldest human paintings in the world. The area fee is a token one, the boat is hired whole at a roughly fixed price by number of passengers, and the village charges a small fee. The sun is strong, so bring a hat. Come early in the morning for soft light and still reflections, and combine it with nearby Bantimurung waterfall in a day from Makassar.
Tall black pinnacles.
Between rocks and palms.
A hidden green basin.
Maros, about 45 km north-east of Makassar
About half an hour each way to Berua, plus time to wander. Allow three hours for the whole visit.