“Once you have travelled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey” – Pat Conroy One of the secrets of visiting Selayar is discovering how to get there. The very fact it takes nine bumpy hours overland to reach this unspoilt, idyllic, tropical sea gypsy paradise, makes this little known tucked away treat in the South of Sulawesi a pleasure. Places that are this far removed from the trappings of mainstream tourism lead you on a discovery: an adventurous travel experience that is truly unique. Selayar Island is eighty kilometres long and teeming with rainforest, white sandy beaches and sits in the Asian coral triangle. The clear blue waters and scattering of twenty-one small islands and atolls make for perfect snorkelling and diving opportunities, opening up a world of colourful corals, huge sponges, sea fans, turtles, dugongs, rays, tuna, parrot fish – the variety and proliferation of this underwater sea adventure is virtually unsurpassed in the world. Flores Sea Selayar sits in the Flores Sea and is the gateway to Takabonerate National Sea Park, the third biggest atoll in the world, after the Marshall Islands and the Maldives. Takabonerate is a Bugis word meaning “coral pile up on the sand”. The unique barrier and fringe reefs allow for exploration, as well as the challenge of steep walled drop-offs. Many divers say the diving environment is more beautiful than Bunakin National Park in Northern Sulawesi, which enjoys developed tourism and is promoted successfully to the world. Selayar on the other hand is a gem of unspoilt beauty, pristine nature and clear waters; a secret find on planet earth. Selayar is all about the sea. The island was once part of the ancient trading route to the Moluccas. Chinese, Philippine and Thai traders have been visiting for centuries. Relics have been found on Selayar dating back to the 14th century. Benteng is the island’s main town, and housed there in a stand-alone museum is a 2,000-year-old Vietnamese Dong Son drum. This kettle drum is the oldest and biggest in the world. It was made in the Bronze Era and brought to Selayar by mariners from China. To view the drum you need a special key, which your tour guide can organise. Locals know the drum as the gong and when it’s struck it is said the sound can be heard for miles with perfect pitch and tone. It is the pride of Selayar. “Have you seen the Gong?” is a question you will be asked many times. The friendly and hospitable local Selayar people are proud of their town. No matter where you go, it does not take long before there is a small group of people keen to converse and practice their English (if you happen to be a Westerner). The enthusiasm and curiosity factor is on the high scale and the locals’ genuine willingness to help in any way, answer your questions or simply just hang with you, is a rare find these days. It seems if you are from a culture different to theirs, you will be immensely popular by default. At one point I counted twenty-five people lined up to speak to my husband, who is Australian. There were whispers going down the line that a famous person had arrived, which caused much excitement. The main town of Benteng is a hub of prolific action: a bustling small town with colourful becaks competing on small streets with motorbikes, cars and pole vendors making their way to the busy fishing market and the pride of the town: the football field, where everything seems to happen. Selayar locals are very proud of that football field. Everything goes on around there; it even doubles as a cultural piazza (open square), for the Annual Takabonerate Islands Expedition, a colourful cultural festival. Sea Gypsies and Master Boat Builders Of those twenty-one islands stretching out from the mainland to form the Takabonerate National Park, only seven are inhabited. The Bajau and the Bugis ethnics live there. The sea gypsies (Orang Bajau) of Sulawesi are a nomadic people who have roamed the seas for generations. They live by subsistence fishing practices using hand made boats, nets, spears and primitive fishing tools. Their livelihood comes from trade and, of course, the sea. An interesting aspect of the Bajau people is their ability to hold their breath under water for an unusually long time. According to local legend it is believed their lung capacity is larger than the normal human and not so many years ago many of them preferred to sleep on water, rather than on land. The Bugis ethnics are a boat-building race. They are well known for their remarkable wooden sailing boat craftsmanship. They design and build their beautiful wooden vessels by hand and totally by memory, without a drafted plan. Getting There If the nine-hour journey overland by car and local ferry sounds a little too challenging, there is an alternative. There is a direct flight, which takes 45 mins from Makassar to Selayar. SMAC is an air charter service and operates this route. On boarding the plane each passenger is handed a pilot-like headset with huge orange earmuffs. This definitely helps to soften the deafening sound of the noisy twin propeller plane. The Internet states, “SMAC air has no scheduled services”, so it’s safe to say it’s unreliable. Travelers have to book a flight well in advance and even then there is no guarantee that SMAC will hold the seat. The airport strip on Selayar sits between the main town of Benteng and a series of small stilted villages. The runway is part of the main road which links village to village and when a plane is due (three times a week at present) a red fire truck can be seen hurtling out on the runway, siren blaring alerting all motorbikes, cars and trucks that a plane is coming. This is really not a problem because the propeller plane is deafeningly loud. The real purpose of the shiny red fire truck’s warning system seems to be a noise alert to clear the goats off the runway. Where to Stay If you want a canopy of coconut palms, pure white sandy beach and a hammock, then sunset can be viewed from a delightful spot, The Selayar Island Resort, only nine kilometres from Benteng. Bernhard, who is the most gracious expat host and manager of Selayar Island Resort, also runs the dive resort. It is on Baloyia Beach and the only place you can get pizza and french fries. This may be a drawcard for westerners but don’t let that fool you. Bernhard’s culinary talents extend to an extensive range of Indonesian dishes as well as traditional western cuisine. Although Bernhard is strongly German in character, personality and accent he says: “Why serve German food to my guests? They don’t come to Selayar for German food!” He’s spent many months in the kitchen training his local staff and has achieved a remarkable fusion, blending flavours of the East with the West to produce top class culinary capers. You won’t be disappointed. Sitting back with a signature ‘sunset sangria’ cocktail in hand, enjoying the evening display of purples, oranges and red hues splashed across the horizon as the sun sets on the West side of island, is simply a sensational moment to be savoured. The lasting memories you will take away from this isolated, charming friendly and remote place will live with you, every time you close your eyes. FACT FILE Makassar, South Sulawesi to Selayar Island Road/Ferry : Makassar to Selayar by rental car/bus /ferry combination – 8-9 hours Air : SMAC Air Charter - Makassar to Selayar (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday) – 40 mins SMAC Office in Selayar (0414) 21361/081355222282 Selayar Airport (0414) 2700099/085242016932 SMAC do not have a website. It is highly recommended to make arrangements through the local tourism office. Accommodation Selayar Island Resort – Baloyia Beach – 9 kms from Benteng 9 Beachside Bungalows 1 Honeymoon Suite (with private beach) Professional dive centre (TDI/SDI and PADI) Well-maintained dive equipment, 3 speedboats and 4 professional dive guides – all levels catered – beginner to experienced. Offers access to 50 world-class dive sites, sloops and walls. Selayar Island Resort: www.selayarislandresort.com Email: bernhard@selayarislandresort.com The Culture and Tourism Office of Selayar Regency has a listing of several hotels, guesthouses, cottages and home-stays in Benteng. The friendly staff can answer any of your questions, arrange a tour guide, liaison with SMAC air, arrange traditional wooden boats trips and can recommend restaurants. Most speak English. Contact name: Pak Edison and Ibu Ningshi Email: edisonede@yahoo.com www.pariwisataselayar.com Address: Kantor Dinas Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata, Kabupaten Kepulauan Selayar, Jl. Jend. Sudirman No. 3 Benteng, Selayar, South Sulawesi. Annual Takabonerate Islands Expedition The Inaugural 2009 Takabonerate Islands Expedition was held Oct 16-24 including an International Fishing Competition (open to everyone), Cultural Festival (music and dance from the 23 different regencies of Sulawesi) and Underwater Exhibition (included 300 naval divers competing in technical dive techniques). Dates for 2010 – unavailable at this stage. www.takabonerate.com Access to dive sites: From Benteng, the capital of Selayar Regency or from your dive resort 10 minutes to 3 hours by speedboat or traditional wooden boat.