Pre-arrival handbook
Welcome to Tanjung Bira.
Mountains, white-sand beaches and islands at the southern tip of Sulawesi. Here's everything to know before you land, from the flight to Makassar to what goes in your bag.
Welcome to Sulawesi
An island of mountains, reefs and old traditions
South Sulawesi is a province on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Makassar, the capital, is home to 17th-century Fort Rotterdam, a harbourside Dutch colonial landmark. Up in the highlands, Tana Toraja is known for its traditional villages, cliff tombs and saddle-roofed tongkonan houses around Rantepao.
Bira sits at the southern tip, in the Bulukumba regency, and this is where you'll be living on the reef.
How to get there
Fly to Makassar, then drive south to paradise
Fly · 2 hours
Jakarta (CGK)
Makassar (UPG)
Fly · 3 hours
Kuala Lumpur or Singapore
Makassar (UPG)
Drive · 4 to 5 hours
Makassar
Tanjung Bira
Direct flights to Makassar (UPG) run from Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. From Makassar it's a 4 to 5 hour drive to Bira. Message us and we'll help you arrange the transfer.
Life in Bira
Money, food, health and signal
The local currency is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). Check today's exchange rate before you travel, and bring some cash for small warungs.
Restaurants
Breakfast, and lunch on boat-dive days, are covered at Tevana House Reef. For dinner we want you to try the local favourites, serving a mix of Asian and Western food. Meals run roughly IDR 30,000 to 100,000. Most places serve local beer (Bintang, Singaraja), and a few on the Bara Beach stretch serve spirits too.
ATMs
The closest ATMs are at the harbour, about 5 minutes by motorbike from Tevana House Reef. They take Visa and Mastercard. Tell your bank you'll be in a remote part of Sulawesi, and make sure they don't mistake Bira for Bali.
Shops
Small sundry shops (Indomaret, Toko 22, Toko Windy) sell the essentials: soap, shampoo, snacks, ice cream. For anything else, most people order on Tokopedia or Shopee using Tevana House Reef's address for delivery.
Clinic and pharmacy
Bira has one small clinic and one pharmacy with most over-the-counter medicine. Bring your own antihistamines if you have allergies, and make sure your insurance is up to date. The closest hospital is an hour away.
Internet
Limited Wi-Fi is available at Tevana Vida, the main restaurant. To stay connected everywhere, buy a local SIM: Telkomsel has the best signal here, from about IDR 70,000 to 100,000, topped up as you go through the Telkomsel app.
Language
Seven phrases that open every door
Bahasa Indonesia is the official language, but not the mother tongue for many: Indonesia has over 700 languages. In Bira people speak Makassar, Bugis or Konjo. Simple Indonesian is easy to pick up. Tap a card to flip it.
The people of Bira
Bugis, Makassar and the Kajang
Most people in Bulukumba, the regency around Tanjung Bira, are Bugis or Makassar. A smaller group, the Kajang (part of the Konjo), still keep a very traditional way of life, far from modernisation.
The name Bugis comes from "To Ugi", the people of Ugi, after their leader La Sattumpugi. Their epic La Galigo, written by Bugis nobility, is said to be one of the largest works of literature in the world. Before Islam arrived in the 17th century, the Bugis believed spirits lived in trees, mountains and crossroads. A few communities, like the Amma Towa in Kajang, still hold those beliefs today.
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2017
Phinisi boat building
Bira is famous for its huge wooden phinisi. Building one is a whole journey of Konjo custom, known since the 15th century: the wood is cut only on the 5th or 7th day of the month, a crew of 4 to 15 builds each boat, and it takes from 3 months to 2 years depending on size. The builders work by intuition, with no architectural drawings at all.
Things to do in Bira
Caves, cliffs and white-sand beaches
All distances are from Tevana House Reef, where Bara Beach is a few steps from your door.
Caves around Bira
Lemo Lemo Cave
30 to 40 min westNear Lemo Lemo beach, with a freshwater natural spring.
Passea Cave
30 to 40 min northHolds century-old relics, including three old coffins.
Passohara Cave
30 to 45 min northeastAround 30 m deep with a natural spring. Locals say you can dive through to a second spring on the other side.
Beaches worth visiting
Tanjung Bira beach 650 m away
Panrang Luhu beach 10 min drive
One of the places phinisi boats are built.
Marumasa Beach 20 min drive
Cliff-top photo spot the locals love.
Panorama Panaikang Bira 2 min past Marumasa
Another viewpoint for photos.
Tebing Apparalang 30 min drive
Cliff viewpoint with a bridge across the edge.
Your home in Bira
Tevana House Reef
Created by a family who love scuba diving and care for the environment, Tevana House Reef is an eco resort of minimalist rooms that use traditional phinisi woodworking, the heritage of Tanjung Bira. Expect garden views, the sea at your doorstep, and healthy organic food on the table.
Things to bring
Your packing list
Tick things off as they go in the bag. Your list is saved on this device.
0 of 12 packed
See you on the reef.
Questions before you fly? An ocean gardener is a message away.
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