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Bantimurung-Bulusaraung

One of the world's largest karst landscapes, a waterfall famous for butterflies and a river trip through limestone towers

Difficulty
Easy
Duration
2 to 4 hours to combine the waterfall, butterfly area and the nearer show caves; a full day if you continue into the Rammang-Rammang karst village trails

Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park protects a stretch of the Maros-Pangkep karst, the second-largest limestone karst formation on Earth after one in southern China, riddled with over 280 known caves. The park's two best-known corners could hardly be more different: Bantimurung waterfall, historically nicknamed the Kingdom of Butterflies for the swarms that gather in its spray, is an easy, well-developed area with paved paths and show caves close by, while the Rammang-Rammang karst village a short drive away offers a quieter boat trip along a river threading between sheer limestone towers, past rice paddies and small farming settlements.

Highlights

  • Bantimurung waterfall and its historic reputation as the Kingdom of Butterflies
  • Show caves close to the waterfall with accessible walkways and lighting
  • A river boat trip through the Rammang-Rammang karst towers, among the most photographed landscapes in Sulawesi
  • Prehistoric hand-stencil cave art in the wider Maros-Pangkep karst, among the oldest known in the world

Getting there

The Bantimurung waterfall gate is about 50 km, roughly an hour’s drive, north of Makassar and 20 km from Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport. Rammang-Rammang village, for the karst river trip, is a separate entrance a short drive further, with its own jetty for boat hire.

Safety tips

The waterfall and cave paths are low-risk and family-friendly, but the rocks around the falls are slippery when wet, so take care near the water’s edge. For the karst river trip, use only boats and guides operating from the official village jetty rather than an informal arrangement, and wear the life jacket provided.

What to bring

  • Sandals or reef shoes with grip for the wet rocks around the waterfall
  • A dry bag for cameras and phones on the karst river boat trip
  • Cash, since fees and boat hire at both the waterfall and Rammang-Rammang are cash-based
  • Insect repellent for the cave areas