The gateway to Sulawesi and all of East Indonesia, Makassar is a city travelers often overlook. But give this dynamic port a little time and its charms unfold, from Fort Rotterdam and the 99-dome mosque to arguably Indonesia’s best soups and seafood. The signature things to do in Makassar are actually a little way out of the city: the Rammang-Rammang karst landscapes, the almost unimaginably ancient Leang-Leang cave paintings, and the Spermonde Archipelago’s fascinating islets.
Like most of Indonesia, Makassar has two seasons: hot and wet (roughly November to April) and hot and dry (around May to October). If you’re heading onwards for hiking or diving, you’ll want to visit during the dry season, but don’t let a little rain put you off the city. The Makassar International Writers Festival each May is a must for Indonesian speakers and worth a look for any visiting bookworm.
Indonesia’s Teman Bus public transport has finally come to Makassar, but the routes are designed for locals, not travelers. If you stay centrally, you can walk to many attractions, while taxis and the Gojek and Grab rideshare apps pick up much of the slack. Traditionalists may also enjoy the chance to ride a becak rickshaw. To head out of the city to Rammang-Rammang or Leang-Leang, you’ll want to book a tour or hire a freelance driver.
Meat lovers can't leave Makassar without sampling its signature dish: the savory beef soup known as coto Makassar. Head to Coto Nusantara for lashings of the stuff topped off from an apparently bottomless stock pot. Meanwhile, Ratu Gurih Seafood Market showcases the city’s seafood to extraordinary effect. Everything from crab to razor clams to snapper and grouper is grilled to perfection and served with sauces and sides: Try the green mango fish with dabu-dabu sambal.
