Indonesia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 330

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By bus Terminal Bolu is 2.5km northeast of town and linked
by bemos (Rp4000), though buses from Makassar can drop
you off at your accommodation or in the vicinity of the
crossroads. Bus companies are set along Jl Andi Mappanyuki
in the town centre, and buses leave from just outside their
o ces. Buses to Makassar run day and night, with luxury a/c
options available from a number of companies (Rp100,000-
150,000). For Tentena and Poso, the best companies are
Ketty (Jl Andi Mappanyuki 49 T 0853 4215 4747) and
Rappan Marannu (Jl Andi Mappanyuki 52 T 0423 25193),
each with daily departures at 8am (Rp150,000).
Destinations Makassar (8hr); Pendolo (10hr); Poso (14hr);
Tentena (12hr).
By bemo Bemos leave Jl Ahmad Yani every few minutes
for Makale (Rp7000), and just as often from Jl Diponegoro
for Terminal Bolu.

EATING AND DRINKING
Most restaurants offer local Torajan dishes such as piong
(chicken, fish, pork or buffalo cooked over an open fire
in bamboo shoots with coconut, herbs and spices) and
pamarassan (again chicken, fish, pork or buffalo cooked in
black Torajan spice), though you should give at least two
hours' notice.
Riman Jl Andi Mappanyuki 113. Serving a wide range of
local dishes, this is a good place to stock up on vitamins,
with excellent fruit juices, fried vegetables and an
assortment of Torajan specialities (Rp45,000). Daily
8am-10pm.
Saruran Jl Diponegoro 19. Popular restaurant, just before
the banks on Jl Diponegoro if you're coming from town;
serves large portions of tasty Indonesian food with a
Chinese twist (sweet-and-sour chicken Rp28,000), and
there's wi-fi. Daily 8am-10pm.

INFORMATION
Tourist information The government tourist o ce
(Mon-Thurs 7.30am-2pm, Fri 7.30-11.30am, Sat
7.30am-12.30pm; T 0423 25455) is just past the hospital
at Jl Ahmad Yani 62A; however, the friendly tourist services
at the Tora Tora gallery, Jl Mappanyuki 64, are open longer
hours (daily 9am-6.30pm).

DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange The BNI and Danamon banks,
next to each other on Jl Diponegoro, and the BRI on Jl
Ahmad Yani, all have ATMs.
Hospital The best doctors are at Elim Hospital, Jl Ahmad
Yani ( T 0423 21258).
Internet There are many internet cafés around town,
including several on Jl Mappanyukki; all charge Rp4000-
6000/hr.
Motorbike Rental Lebonna, Jl Monginsidi ( T 0423
23520), rents out motorbikes, as do most hotels and tour
agents in town, for Rp70,000/day.
Pharmacy Jl Mappanyukki 92.
Post o ce Jl Ahmad Yani 111, just south of the main
crossroads (Mon-Thurs 8am-3.30pm, Fri 8am-4pm, Sat
8am-12.30pm).
Travel agencies Metro Permai, at Jl Mappanyuki 15
( T 0423 21785).

4

ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation is scattered across town, with some
offering excellent value for money.
Duta 88 Jl Sawerigading 12, signposted off Jl Mappanyuki
T 0423 23477. Seven beautiful, tightly packed traditional-
style bungalows, all with hot water, in an atmospheric
garden. Ver y central, but the road outside is noisy.
Rp250,000
★

Pia's Poppies Jl Lorong Merpati 4, off Jl Pong Tiku
T 0423 21121. This backpacker stalwart remains a
beautiful and tranquil place to stay, with a small garden
and creatively decorated rooms featuring rock-pool
bathtubs with hot water. Good value for solo travellers
(Rp100,000). Breakfast is extra (Rp25,000), but the food
is fantastic. If full, check acro ss the street at Pison , which
has basic, good-value rooms. Rp154,000
Wisma Maria I Jl Dr Ratulangi 23 T 0423 21165. Central
and good value, this friendly place offers a range of
prices (up to Rp220,000) according to room size, location
and water temperature. Everything is kept immaculate,
though the cheapest rooms suffer slightly from damp.
Rp132,000
Wisma Monton Jl Abdul Gani 14A T 0423 21675.
Hidden away down a quiet side street, this homely family-
run guesthouse offers en-suite rooms with bathtubs;
slightly more money (Rp250,000) gets you hot water.
Breakfast is on the roof top terrace, and the upstairs rooms
boast mountain views. Rp100,000

TENTENA
Straddling the northern shores of
Danau Poso, Indonesia's third-deepest
lake, the charming Christian town of
Tentena offers a welcome rest on the road
between the Togians and Tanah Toraja.
It's also a decent base for excursions to
the pristine forests and mystifying
megaliths of Lore Lindu National Park.
A pleasant motorbike ride through
Tentena's countryside passes dozens of
churches, cacao plantations and
wonderful vistas across the lake,
eventually reaching Saluopa (Rp10,000),
a spectacular set of falls set in the jungle
14km west of town.