When it comes to the beauty of tourist destinations in Sulawesi, there are many tourist destinations that we can visit. Starting from culinary tourism destinations, cultural tourism, religious tourism, to various natural tourism destinations. From beaches and mountains to karsts, Sulawesi has it all. Yes, Sulawesi has karst mountains and is one of the largest and longest karsts in the world. The name of this karst is Karst Rammang-rammang.
About Karst of Rammang-rammang
Rammang-rammang offers a very attractive panoramic view in the form of a cluster of karst mountains (limestone clusters) that are very charming. The beauty of Rammang-rammang, which covers an area of approximately 43,000 hectares, makes it the second largest and most beautiful karst in the world after the karst in China.
The term karst was first used in Slovenia and Italy, which have distinctive landscapes. Karst is an area formed by the dissolution of carbonate rocks, such as limestone and dolomite, by water. Karst landscapes have various distinctive features, such as closed basins, underground rivers, caves, and numerous pores on the ground surface.
These distinctive features of the landscape can be found in Rammang-rammang. Thanks to its beauty and uniqueness, Rammang-Rammang, which is part of the Maros Pangkep Karst Area (KKMP), has become a world tourist attraction and was named a world heritage site by UNESCO in 2017 in the designation of the Maros Pangkep UNESCO Geopark.
This karst initially developed into a tourist destination as a form of resistance by the community to prevent the area from being exploited for mining. Its development began with CSR funding from several companies, such as PT. Semen Bosowa, PT. Bank Indonesia, and PT. Angkasa Pura.
This tourism initiative focuses on community-based tourism to improve the welfare of the local community, in line with the objectives of the tourism law.
How to get to Rammang-Rammang Karst
Similar to Samalona Island, which at that time still had limited access, the Karst Rammang-Rammang natural tourist destination also had limited access. Initially, it was not very popular with tourists, but recently it has become booming after many people uploaded it on social media, and it has also been developed by the local government. This karst tourist destination has become a wish list to visit. Thus, access to it has begun to be improved by the local government.
This tourist attraction is located in Salenrang Village, Bontoa District, Maros Regency, South Sulawesi. It is about 45-60 minutes from Sultan Hasanuddin Airport in Makassar and 5-10 minutes from the train station. Alternatively, from the city of Makassar, the trip takes approximately 90-120 minutes by car. Currently, access is very easy.
Facilities:
Several facilities available at Karst Rammang-rammang that can be used by visitors, as well as supporting tourist destination facilities, are:
- Parking Area
- Meeting Hall
- Cafeteria
- Jungle Tracking
- Public Bathrooms
- Souvenir Kiosks
- Culinary
- Prayer Room
- Outbound
- Restaurants or eating places
- Selfie Area
- Photo Spots
- Etc.
Entrance ticket prices
Entrance ticket prices to Karst Rammang-rammang vary, as there are several costs, such as entrance tickets, boat rentals, and entrance fees to other tourist spots. The entrance ticket price is IDR 10,000 per person. Boat rental costs vary, ranging from IDR 200,000 to IDR 400,000 per boat.
Tourist Activities at Karst of Rammang-rammang
Some activities that tourists can do while visiting this limestone tourist destination are:
1. Photo hunting in the Stone Forest
Rammang-rammang has beautiful scenery, especially in the Stone Forest. For those of you who love photography, you can capture various moments by taking photos at unique spots in this stone forest.
Tourists will find thousands of karst rocks of various sizes and shapes. You can choose which rock spot to use as a photo backdrop, and everything will look aesthetically pleasing.
2. Exploring the Puteh River by Boat
To reach Berua village, tourists must cross the Puteh River. Tourists can rent boats from the local community. You will enjoy views of green forests, blue skies, and a river atmosphere that you cannot find anywhere else. The river is clear and the water is very calm. Along the way, you will also see mangrove plants and nipah trees along the river.
3. Interact with the local communities of Berua Village
Berua Village can be called the main landmark icon of the Rammang-rammang Karst tourist area. This village offers a distinctive, beautiful, green rural atmosphere. The houses in this village are still traditional, and some are even on stilts.
For those of you who enjoy a calm, cool, and beautiful atmosphere, Kampung Berua is the perfect place to visit. The houses here are still very traditional, offering a comfortable rural atmosphere. There are several activities tourists can do, including farming, fish farming, and others. The rice fields also provide a soothing rural atmosphere.
4. Feel the freshness of Lake Bidadari
In this tourist area, not far from the Puteh River, lies Lake Bidadari, with obvious, fresh water. According to legend, this lake, flanked by karst, is where many angels bathe in heaven, so it's no wonder it's called Lake Bidadari. Don't forget to enjoy this place when you visit Rammang-rammang.
5. Explore the historic caves at Liang Pettakere Cave
One tourist attraction you shouldn't miss is the ancient Liang Pettakere Cave, which preserves traces of prehistoric life and features 268 caves. It consists of beautiful stalagmites and stalactites.
Eighty-nine of them are prehistoric caves containing artifacts in the form of hand paintings, stone artifacts, and other relics. In this karst, researchers found traces of the world's oldest civilization, dating back 40,000 years.
6. Stay at Rammang-rammang Ecolodge
There is a Rammang-rammang Ecolodge near this tourist destination. This ecolodge is located on the banks of the Puteh River and offers beautiful views, especially in the morning. This ecolodge provides facilities similar to those of a regular hotel, making visitors feel even more comfortable staying here.
7. Enjoying the sunset and sunrise
Tourists who stay at the ecolodge can enjoy the sunset and sunrise from the ecolodge. Of course, enjoying the sunset or sunrise will make your vacation here even more enjoyable.
8. Firefly night tour
If you stay in Rammang-rammang, you will see fireflies at night. You can enjoy the beauty of Rammang by watching the fireflies on the Pute River. The Pute River is a wonderful place, especially at night, because thousands of fireflies gather here.
9. Enjoying the karst from the top of Padang Ammarung
While in Berua village, you can also enjoy the beautiful view of Rammang-rammang from the top of Padang Ammarung hill. On Padang Ammarung hill, there are many huts or stalls owned by residents that you can use to relax. At the same time, you can enjoy the view of Rammang-rammang and the life of the residents of Berua village.
10. Watching bats
Watching bats emerge from karst caves is one of the tourist attractions you can enjoy at this destination. This attraction is rarely available elsewhere.
Those are some of the activities you can do when visiting Rammang-rammang Karst.
Experience Visiting Karst of Rammang-Rammang
I visited the Karst Rammang-Rammang tourist attraction in 2013. At that time, the facilities and accessibility to this tourist destination were still minimal, not as complete as they are today. Reading about some of my friends' trips, I see that access to this location is now excellent, especially after receiving assistance in developing it into a tourist destination.
At that time, we rented an elf-type car because there were many of us and we visited many other tourist destinations around Karst Rammang-Rammang. When we arrived at the entrance, we were immediately met by a guide who helped us pay the entrance fee and explained the tourist destination.
My friends and I rented a boat for a river tour. We rented the boat from the local community, and the rental price varied depending on the boat's size. At that time, there were about 12 of us, and we shared the cost, so it was more economical.
Along the river, we passed beautiful scenery on our way to Kampung Berua, including the Limestone Forest Park. Tourists can enjoy the beauty and splendor of this karst rock formation, which is more than a thousand years old.
The Limestone Forest Park is the only limestone forest in Indonesia. With this boat, we headed to Berua Village and enjoyed other tourist attractions.
Berua Village is the prominent landmark of the Rammang-rammang Karst tourist area. This village has only about 15-20 families, and on average, they are all relatives. Berua Village has now been developed into a tourist village. So, tourists who visit can enjoy various activities that the local community usually does.
When we visited in 2013, there were no activities like there are today. We could only enjoy the village view and chat with the locals about Rammang-rammang. However, now that it has been developed into a tourist village, visitors can enjoy various activities that reflect village life, including farming, fishing, and other traditional pursuits.
In addition to exploring the river and visiting Berua village, I also visited a beautiful and interesting historical site in the form of a cave. The walls of this cave are adorned with beautiful stalagmites and stalactites. We also saw several artifacts, and the guide explained this cave in detail.
Furthermore, we truly enjoyed the beautiful karst formations as far as the eye could see, which were very unique. It is no wonder that this is one of the most beautiful and largest karst formations in the world. Some sources say this karst formation is the third-largest in the world, after the Tsingy Stone Forest in Madagascar and the Shilin Stone Forest in China.
Wow, it's so cool, I'm proud to be Indonesian. And I'm glad to be able to enjoy it firsthand. At that time, it was just my friends and me, along with the guide who accompanied us. So we could freely take pictures at this tourist spot. I didn't expect the beauty of Rammang-rammang Karst to be so popular now, or that many people would be competing to visit it.
That's my experience enjoying the Rammang-rammang Karst. Besides visiting the second-largest karst in the world, don't forget to explore Makassar's culture, such as the Bori Parinding Cultural Heritage Site, it's exciting. Has anyone ever visited this natural tourist destination? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments section.
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