Page 81 - Diving Indonesia 21 November 2019

Central, South and

South East Sulawesi

Historically it was used as a stopover Sulawesi is famed throughout Indonesia
port for ships travelling east to the Spice for its spicy seafood and most traditional
Islands and today Sulawesi is still a dishes feature fish and rice or for sweet
seafaring hub with coastal areas relying treats banana and coconuts which flourish
on trade from ships and fishing, both for in the local climate. The rainy season runs
subsistence and export, is a major indus- from November to February and dry sea-
try. Inland Sulawesi provides excellent son from April to September, the further
growing conditions for numerous crops south you travel the drier the wet season
from coffee to corn and a range of spices. with Bira and Selayar having markedly less
On the low lying lands rice is grown com- rain than Makassar. At sea level Sulawesi
mercially – paddy fields stretch as far as is hot and humid but venturing into the
the eye can see and the rice produced is mountainous highlands can be remark-
exported both domestically and interna- ably fresh and even chilly.
tionally. Sulawesi not only boasts natural
beauty however, it is also rich with natural Travelling south in Sulawesi takes you
resources from gold and silver to nickel. off the beaten track and whilst tourism
is evident in small localized pockets
Land The people of Sulawesi are predominantly tourists are still fairly new and cause for
Muslim but Christianity is a large minority
curiosity to the friendly local people. It is
of the Bugis – almost 20% of the population. The not an area that boasts a large choice of
largest city in South Sulawesi is Makassar
operators and places to stay but there are
which is the administrative capital and is
situated on the west side of the southern a handful of beautifully located resorts
and its underdevelopment leaves it with
part of the region, Palu is the Capital of an atmosphere which is slightly bohemian
Central Sulawesi and Kendari the capital yet exclusive, charming and relaxed.
urrounded by some of Indonesia’s deepest waters of South West Sulawesi.
Central and Southern Sulawesi’s fertile lands,
Swhich are rich with diverse flora and fauna, make
this amongst the most naturally beautiful and bountiful
of lands in the Indonesian Archipelago.

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