South Sulawesi: Tanjung Bira & Tana Beru

Tanjung Bira and Tana Beru are at the southern tip of the province of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. To get there one can take a seven-seater public transport, a locally produced Toyota Kijang or Unser, but packs eight and sometimes nine passengers at Malengkeri Terminal in Makassar to Bulukumba for Rp35,000.  Be prepared for four and a half hours trip with one stopover somewhere in the middle of the journey.  Then on continue the journey from Bulukumba to Tanjung Bira.  Pete-petes (pronounced Paytay-paytay) that ply the route from Bulumkumba to Tanjung Bira are few and less frequent.  If there is one, one have to wait for hours for it to be filled before leaving for Tanjung Bira.  The fare from Bulukumba to Tanjung Bira is about Rp10,000 to Rp15,000.  If you are with a group or you mind the wait, it is best to charter the whole transport for yourself or your group.  Simply multiply the fare by eight or nine and then bargain.  Call Haji Undang at telephone number 0813 5577 9258 if you are at Bulukumba and may wish to do so.  If I am not mistaken his vehicle is a seven-seater Toyota Unser.  The other alternative is to go to Tana Beru from Bulukumba, about halfway distance from Bulukumba to Tanjung Bira and then onward continue to complete the last part of the journey from Tana Beru to Tanjung Bira.

Haji Undang next to his vehicle on the left at Bulukumba transport terminal

Tanjung Bira has a nice little beach with fine white sands.  Finding a place to stay should be no problem except if one arrives at weekends or during the high seasons.  The water is clear and besides the normal beach activities, arrangement can also be made for snorkelling or diving tour.  There is a small harbour for a twice daily ferry trips to Pulau Selayar just south of Tanjung Bira, another alternative route to Tanjung Bira from the city of Makassar. There are daily flights from Makassar to Pulau Selayar and vice versa.

Sunset at Tanjung Bira beach

Dive centre at Tanjung Bira beach

Tanjung Bira harbour

Passenggers disembark at the harbour

Pinisis and outriggers prahus at the harbour

One of the other attractions at Tanjung Bira is that you can rent a bike and go to Tana Beru to see the boatyards there that build the famous Bugis boat called the Pinisi.  Along the way you can see the architecture of the traditional wooden houses of the Bugis on stilts.  But the biggest surprise is still at Tanjung Bira where just not far away from the harbour there are two boatyards, little known to the outside world, that as of this writing are in the process of making a very huge Pinisi each.  One has already completed the hull part and is now floating at the harbour undergoing completion for the rest of the parts of the Pinisi.

The town of Tana Beru

Entrance to the boatyards at Tana Beru

One of the boatyards at Tana Beru

Traditional bugis house at Darubiah village

An old traditional bugis house at Darubiah village

Huge Pinisi in the making at Tanjung Bira

The woods for this Pinisi are very strong, dense and heavy known in the local lingo as Kayu Berlian (diamond wood). As seen in the picture it sinks in the water. Tanjung Bira harbour is in the background

Hull is done for these Pinisis and the rest will be completed here at the harbour

I visited both of these places late last month and stayed at Sunshine Guest House formerly known as Nini’s Guest House, a lovely little place atop a hill with a commanding view of the sea and the western end of the beach, for bed and breakfast.  You may contact Sunshine Guest House and book your lodging in advance.  It is possible to ask them to make arrangement for your transfer to Tanjung Bira.  A lot more less hassle than going there on your own accord unless you are of the adventurous type.  They do provide snorkelling tour but not diving tour as for the latter there is a dive centre near the beach.  One future package that Sunshine Guest House will be providing is spear fishing and the maximum number of participants is 2 paxs only.  Below is the contact number to call from outside Indonesia.

Sunshine Guest House, Tanjung Bira, Bulukumba, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.  Call Nini at telephone number +62 821 9093 1175.

Sunshine Guest House atop the hill

Looking out to the sea from the hallway

View of Bira beach at the veranda