SOUTH SULAWESI

Makassar

PORT CITY & FORT ROTTERDAM

Makassar

Most travellers pass through Makassar on the way somewhere else, and that is a fine way to use it — but a night or two pays back. The city is known for coto, konro and pallubasa, and for ikan bakar, grilled fish. Fort Rotterdam, a 17th-century Dutch fort, holds the La Galigo Museum. At sunset, families fill the Losari waterfront.

It is also the main air hub of Sulawesi, and the roads to Toraja and Bira start here. Wakatobi has no flight from Makassar: it is reached from Kendari or Bali.

Two nights is the sweet spot — a city dinner, a Fort Rotterdam morning, the airport in time for the connection north.

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Makassar in pictures

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Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi: Fort Rotterdam, the pinisi boats of Paotere harbour, sunsets at Losari Beach, and coto and konro to eat.

When to go and how to get there

Rain in Makassar, month by month, and the journey in from the nearest airport.

Driest months

May – Oct

August is the driest month, with 4 mm of rain on average. December is the wettest, with 689 mm.

Driest months
In between
Wettest months

Rain: CHIRPS v2.0, Climate Hazards Center, UC Santa Barbara, average of 1991-2020. See the weather in Sulawesi by month

Getting there

01 · Fly
To Sultan Hasanuddin (UPG)
Direct flights from Singapore, KL, Jakarta and Bali. The hub of Sulawesi.
02 · Transfer
Airport → city centre
45 min by Grab or hotel pickup. Traffic 4 – 7 pm is the only catch.
03 · Onward
Bus / car to Toraja, Bira
Buses to Toraja leave from the Daya terminal, and buses to Bira from the Mallengkeri terminal. Private cars from any hotel.

Makassar weather by month

The average rain, temperatures and sea of each month, measured over many years.

Month	Rain (mm)	High / low (°C)	Sea (°C)	Rough for small boats (% of time)
January	670	29 / 25	29	4
February	538	30 / 25	28.9	3
March	436	31 / 25	29.3	0
April	173	32 / 25	29.6	0
May	88	31 / 25	29.3	0
June	68	31 / 24	28.7	0
July	33	31 / 24	28	0
August	4	32 / 23	27.7	0
September	17	33 / 24	28	0
October	58	33 / 25	28.8	0
November	191	33 / 26	29.8	0
December	689	31 / 25	29.6	3

Rain: CHIRPS, 1991-2020. Temperatures: NASA POWER, 2001-2025. Sea temperature: NOAA Coral Reef Watch, 1991-2020. Waves: NOAA WAVEWATCH III, 2017-2026, in the open sea about 39 km away. Bays and straits are calmer. Rough means waves of 1.25 m or more, BMKG's warning level for small boats.

See Makassar on the live weather page

Makassar travel guides

The Sulawesi.com guides that cover Makassar.

Tours that go to Makassar

Every published trip that reaches this part of the island.

Experiences in Makassar

Day trips and activities in and around Makassar. Each one has its own page.

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Where to stay

See all 483 places to stay in Makassar

Local businesses in Makassar

Contact each business directly.

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