François Rabelais
There can’t hold out many things inwards life that are ameliorate than a sandy beach inwards the tropics. They don’t rust, they don’t pause downward as well as they don’t fifty-fifty demand whatever maintenance (unlike many other things I could mention!) They inspire dreams. And, if we’re lucky, nosotros may fifty-fifty larn to view them in 1 lawsuit inwards a while.
To notice that fabled oasis inwards the Sun is non every bit slow every bit it in 1 lawsuit was, however, as well as dissimilar twenty or thirty years ago, when you lot could just just hop on a Garuda airplane to Bali, a piffling to a greater extent than attempt is at in 1 lawsuit needed to larn to a really prissy Indonesian beach which is non either overrun yesteryear tourists or spoilt yesteryear rubbish.
A genuinely remote as well as isolated beach is not, however, an pick for many people - either because of the considerable fourth dimension as well as attempt needed to larn at that topographic point or because of the lack of decent accommodation (which tin plow that dream opor-garai into a proverbial opor-garai from hell).
So when individual told me most the sandy beaches at the southern tip of the bizarrely-shaped isle of Sulawesi – just expression at it on the map! - I naturally became intrigued.
The beaches prevarication unopen to a house called Tanjung Bira as well as to larn at that topographic point you lot start direct keep to wing into the bustling metropolis of Makassar. That’s the slow part. After that it’s a long v to half-dozen hr journeying on what, for Indonesia, is a remarkably skilful road, which takes you lot though little traditional Bugis towns as well as villages as well as across extensive coastal tabular array salt plains every bit you lot in conclusion larn closer to Bira.
The Bugis alive inwards fine-looking as well as ofttimes brightly-painted wooden houses (rumah panggung) which are built on stilts. This is intended to offering protection from wildlife (okay I made that up) as well as proceed the houses airy as well as cool, but they also expression every bit if they could withstand some fairly serious flooding every bit well. H5N1 traditional solution to Jakarta’s perennial floods, perhaps?
About 15km on the route before Tanjung Bira is the boat edifice hamlet of Tanah Beru. The structure of traditional pininsi (schooners) has been done hither for many hundreds of years now, as well as you lot volition in all probability direct keep already seen pininsi if you’ve always visited the onetime Sunda Kelapa harbor inwards Jakarta. According to 1 of the immature boat builders I spoke to at Tanah Beru, the structure of these magnificent boats is undertaken yesteryear adhering to the “knowledge” passed downward through the generations, amongst no actual boat edifice plans or measurements always made - an amazing idea when everything seems to hold out written downward or recorded inwards this 24-hour interval as well as age.
Any lingering doubts over the seaworthiness of the vessels are dispelled yesteryear elaborate ceremonies: 1 of which obviously involved the launching of newly-constructed schooners over the bodies of SEVEN meaning women. Fortunately for whatever aspiring mothers inwards the surrounding area, this item ceremony is no longer carried out (perhaps the locals came to realize that the ceremony was having a rather detrimental touching on on time to come generations rather than bringing whatever skilful luck).
You know you lot direct keep arrived at Tanjung Bira when you lot come upwardly to 1 of those dreaded roadside lockets where you lot are asked to pay what is then endearingly termed inwards Republic of Indonesia every bit “retribution” (for what exactly, what the f*** direct keep I done wrong?!!!). But since at that topographic point is no gate, at that topographic point is no existent argue to halt as well as that’s precisely what the locals do: drive direct through without stopping. Just saying…
First impressions of Tanjung Bira are non really that corking to hold out honest. It has that sort of tired as well as neglected experience of a house which is struggling because of a lack of visitors. Bit similar Anyer as well as Cerita inwards Banten: ghost towns yesteryear the sea.
But Tanjung Bira isn’t really 1 place. It’s two. There’s the Tanjung Bira at the weekends when it’s packed amongst domestic tourists – mostly from Makassar as well as nearby Bulukumba - as well as the Tanjung Bira during the calendar week when it’s pretty much deserted.
Dig deeper as well as Tanjung Bira reveals its secrets. First off, the beach at Tanjung Bira - patch non precisely bad - is non that corking either. However, exclusively most 3km away is the nearby Bara Beach as well as this beach is a truthful regain amongst its wonderfully powdery sand as well as crystal clear turquoise bounding main which abruptly turns to nighttime bluish when the H2O gets deep. Being then secluded it’s really tranquillity as well as peaceful too.
Yet Republic of Indonesia wouldn’t hold out Republic of Indonesia without something completely unexpected as well as wacky going on. In Bira’s case, it’s a modestly-sized “entertainment” district situated off the town’s principal drag consummate amongst seedy bungalows as well as a motley assortment of inexpensive karaoke bars. “hindari pergaulan bebas & narkoba” (avoid complimentary gender activity as well as drugs), reads 1 sign exterior a especially ramshackle establishment. Well you lot know what they nation most sailors as well as seamen …
In short, Tanjung Bira is a corking finish for seasoned travelers seeking a flake of solitude as well as clean, secluded beaches. More adventurous types tin also become diving at that topographic point - although the currents tin hold out potent - as well as some decent snorkeling is normally possible at nearby islands (depending on the conditions as well as the conditions of the sea). Wifi inwards Bira is, alas, rarer than a sighting of a Javanese tiger, then don’t expression to larn access to the net. Bring some books instead – or ameliorate silent your lover. After all, this is a holiday, isn’t it?
Traveler Tips
- Many airlines wing to Makassar every bit the metropolis is the regional hub for air transportation inwards eastern Indonesia. From Makassar to Bira it’s a long 195km drive. The slow (but expensive) agency to create this is to run a rental automobile (best booked inwards advance). H5N1 much to a greater extent than challenging proffer (but far cheaper) is to run populace transportation: accept a taxi from the aerodrome to the Mellengkeri jitney terminal (about xl minutes) as well as from at that topographic point you lot tin larn a little populace minivan to Bira (although you lot may demand to modify inwards Bulukumba).
- Bira may hold out a suitable finish to avoid the monsoon flavour since its seasonality of rainfall is dissimilar that inwards Jakarta, Makassar or Bali. Generally dry out for much of the year, most pelting falls inwards the months of April, May as well as June.
- Besides the beaches at Tanjung Bira as well as Bara Beach at that topographic point are many little beaches inwards the surrounding surface area worth checking out, mostly deserted except for a few fishermen.
- To larn around, rent a motorbike (cheap at around Rp60k/day).
- Food is to a greater extent than ofttimes than non awful inwards Bira. The exclusively decent eating seat is laid dorsum some agency from the principal beach, almost contrary the Wisma Bahari Indah hotel, as well as called Rumah Makan Cici.
- Visit the nearby islands of Pulau Kambing as well as Liukang Island for snorkeling. The coral is non fantastic as well as at that topographic point is a foreign lack of large fish – direct keep they all been caught? - but nosotros did spot a few little black-tipped reef sharks, turtles, trumpet fish, as well as moray eels. H5N1 speedboat volition toll most Rp350k for the trip.
- Bira has 1 renowned dive centre called Bira Divers (telp: 081237200560).
- Visit an underground cave most twenty minutes away from Bira called P. Sohara Mandala Ria. After descending most lxx meters (bring a torch) you lot tin swim inwards a cool, crystal-clear puddle of leap water.
- The ameliorate value hotels are to a greater extent than ofttimes than non found away from the beach front. The Wisma Bahari Indah hotel has really affordable create clean large rooms amongst aircon as well as TVs. The hotel is owned yesteryear a corking guy called Pak Arifin (telp: 0853 4156 5555), Bira’s tourist policeman, as well as he volition help you lot to organize boat trips, motorbike rental etc.
*A slightly different version of this article was before published inwards Jakarta Expat. Sumber https://al-terity.blogspot.com
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