:: Selayar Island Dive Resort - South Sulawesi
Travel Guides ::
The Island of Selayar – Rediscover
Nature!
Selayar, a
secluded island, far away from mass tourism, lies in the
Celebes Sea to the south of the Indonesian Island
Sulawesi. Myths have been kept alive on this small
island which once lay on the Chinese trade route. The
west side of the island is mainly inhabited by
fishermen, who live in small villages that continue to
follow their traditions largely unaffected by western
influences. Besides traditional fishing, the growing of
vanilla and tangerines generate the main sources of
income on the island.
Selayar is a fascinating destination owing to its unique
landscape, unusual rock formations - full of caves and
waterfalls - and its beautiful unspoilt beaches. The
almost uninhabited east side of the island, where our
re
sort is situated, is still covered with original rain
forest. It is possible to find numerous species of
birds, small reptiles, marsupials, varans and even
wildboars. Furthermore, when one is lucky, the world’s
smallest monkey, the tarsius, that is in danger of
extinction, can be seen in his habitat.
This eastern side of the island is surrounded with a
reef - and our resort is proud that it owns this longest
house reef in Indoneisa. Thanks to our efforts this last
idyllic destination, where few human traces are yet
visible, has now been put under protection. With the
help of the Indonesian Government, a marine park has
been founded that makes diving in our resort a unique
experience.
The resort – a home at the beach
The resort was
planned and built by us without
international influence. We made a special effort to
conserve the natural beauty of the surroundings and
integrate the resort into the marvellous scenery of our
one kilometre long white sandy beach.
There are no roads in the resort; everything has been
kept in harmony with nature. In fact, the resort can
only be reached by boat. From the open sea as one
arrives, the landscape and rain forest show off their
natural beauty. Only when really close in to the shore,
is it possible to identify bungalows between the trees –
all built a respectable distant from each other.
Behind our resort, there lies a fossilized coral reef
where primeval forest trees have grown to the height of
300m. The rocky landscape with many caves is very
inviting for those with an appetite for adventure.
Bungalows
The guest bungalows have been built in traditional
Indonesian style using local raw materials and perfected
with western know-how. Each one stands in its own
secluded grove of trees and has its own beach.
Protected by tinted glass, guests have a fantastic view
of the beach, the sea and palm trees, even lying in bed.
There is a ceiling fan in each bungalow – some even have
air-conditioning – a minibar, soft comfortable
mattresses and mosquito nets. The bungalows are
furnished with solid wood and rattan furniture and on
the terrace there are beach loungers.
Large desks with
220 V shock-proof sockets offer
considerable space even for the most enthusiastic
photographer. The bathrooms are equipped according to
European hotel standards, including hot water with
decent water pressure. But in order not to disturb the tranquillity of the surroundings, the generators, that
provide a 24 hour electricity supply, were built two
kilometres from the resort.
Restaurant
No holiday would be perfect without excellent food and a
place for relaxation. Our restaurant is the heart of the
resort. Not only do guests meet here for breakfast,
lunch and dinner on the big veranda but at night they
can also enjoy cocktails at the small bar – served by
the boss himself. Guests are invited to bring their own
liquors if they wish! Our chef offers both Asian and
international cuisine, including a hearty steak from
time to time. For breakfast, traditional brown bread is
served. Lunchtime is mainly
vegetarian with fresh fruits
and for dinner, a full three-course-menu is the usual
fare including soups, fresh fish, Asian or European
style chicken. We are proud to report that our guestbook
is full of praise for our culinary delights,
particularly the creative desserts.
HOW TO REACH SELAYAR DIVE
RESORT
Your journey to Sulawesi
No matter at which international airport you arrive in
Indonesia, we will help you to organize the rest of the
journey. We will book your domestic flights, your hotels
and inland tours e.g. to the Toraja. No matter where you
wish to go or what you want to see, we can organise your
trip for you at a competitive rate.
Arrival in Makassar
Makassar (Ujung Pandang) is the basis for your journey
to
Selayar. Depending on the arrival time of your flight
from Bali, Jakarta or any other airport, the journey
will either continue the same day or you will spend the
night in Makassar. We recommend the hotel ‘Pantai Gapura’.
This hotel is situated right next to the sea, with
comfortable rooms and a well-groomed park with tropical
flair. After a long flight, you can relax by the pool.
The hotel restaurant is built in Pinisi style, like a
traditional ship. At night you can dine in the hotel,
have a drink at the Sunset bar or go for a walk around
the city. For anybody interested in culture there is
Fort Rotterdam. The best place for buying souvenirs is
Jl.Somba Opu – the street parallel to the one with the
hotel. For breakfast there is a choice of an American or
Indonesian breakfast at the hotel buffet.
Journey to Selayar by boat
You can reach Selayar by boat any day of the week. At
about 8 am the guests are picked up from the hotel lobby
or the airport in
Makassar and taken to Bira by
airconditioned minibus. During the 4-hour journey you
are offered an insight into the culture of South
Sulawesi, passing through places where the traditional
Pinisi ships are built as well as through small villages
where sea-salt is gathered in the traditional way. When
there is enough time, you can take a break and have
lunch. In the coastal village of Bira, the resort’s
speedboat and its crew are waiting to receive guests.
The trip along the picturesque and untouched coast of
Selayar to the resport will take about 2.5 hours.
Journey to Selayar by plane
The plane to Selayar goes only twice a week. It is best
to check which days as they can be changed at short
notice. The guests are picked up at the hotel at about
6.30 am and taken to the airport in Makassar. The plane
has 24 seats and it takes 45 minutes to get to Selayar.
From the airport that is close to the Capital Benteng,
you will be taken by car to a small harbour in about 1.5
hours. A boat will be waiting there also to take guests
to the resort.
RESORT RATES:
|
Resort price |
Double room/ per person* |
Single
(single room guarantee) |
|
One Night Resort |
120 € |
175 € |
|
Non-Diver |
80 € |
120 € |
|
Air con-room |
135 € |
190 € |
*single in shared double
room possible
Notice: Resort open from
15. October till 30.April
Included in the resort price:
• Government fee for Selayar National Park
• Two boat-dives and unlimited house-reef-diving per day
• Accommodation
• All meals in the resort (breakfast, 2-course lunch and
3- course dinner)
• Welcome drink
Excluded from price:
• Price for the Journey to the island
• Soft drinks, cocktails and beer at the resort that
need to be paid in cash
• Rental gear, apart from tanks and weights. Souvenirs.
• Tips
• Travel insurance
• Island tours
Come and Discover Indonesia Islands with us!
