Banggai ArchipelagoThe Banggai Islands, off eastern Central Sulawesi: Lake Paisupok on Peleng Island, reef diving, and the Banggai cardinalfish, native only to these islands.Read more
BangkaBangka Island, off the northern tip of North Sulawesi: soft coral pinnacles and quiet dive resorts, reached by boat from Likupang.Read more
BiraTanjung Bira, at the southern tip of South Sulawesi: white sand beaches, clear water for snorkelling, and the pinisi boatyards of Tana Beru nearby.Read more
Sulawesi Travel Guide: Plan Your Trip by Region and SeasonPlan a Sulawesi trip in one place: the six regions and what each is known for, when to go, the two gateways, sample routes, visa, money and safety.Read more- How to Get to Sulawesi: Flights, Ferries and Entry PointsFly to Makassar (UPG) or Manado (MDC), Sulawesi's two international gateways with visa on arrival. Flights, Pelni ships and entry points, October 2026.Read more
- Things to Do in Sulawesi: Diving, Wildlife, Culture and IslandsDiving at Bunaken, Lembeh and Wakatobi, tarsiers at Tangkoko and the tongkonan of Tana Toraja: 21 things to do in Sulawesi, by region and best month.Read more
- Sulawesi Cave Art: The World's Oldest Dated Rock Art and How to Visit
- Pinisi Shipbuilding at Tana Beru: Inside the Bugis Boatyard
- Attending a Toraja Rambu Solo' funeral
- The Bajau at Mola, in the present tense
- Reading a tongkonan: the carvings at Ke'te Kesu'
- Understanding Rambu Solo': The Torajan Funeral Ceremony
- All
- How to Get to Sulawesi: Flights, Ferries and Entry Points
- Is Sulawesi Safe? Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Sea, Roads and Official Advice
- Manado to Bunaken Ferry: Public Boat or Resort Transfer
- Surviving a Pelni ferry, two nights at sea
- Driving the Trans-Sulawesi, what to expect
- Getting Around Sulawesi: Flights, Buses, and Ferries Explained
- All
2-Day Lembah Ramma Valley Hiking & Camping TourJourney from Makassar into the cool highlands of Malino for a 2-day trekking adventure through mountain streams and pine forests to Lembah Ramma. Camp overnight in a tranquil valley beneath the shadows of Mount Bawakaraeng, surrounded by lush meadows and dramatic rock wallsRead more
2D1N Tangkoko Nature Reserve Overnight Wildlife SafariExperience Tangkoko Nature Reserve across two distinct wildlife activity windows on an overnight safari. Track troops of Sulawesi black crested macaques, bear cuscus, and nocturnal tarsiers at dusk, then wake for an early-morning canopy trek to spot rare endemic birds and early-rising primatesRead more
3D2N Manado Highland & Island EscapeDiscover the cool Minahasa Highlands and historic landmarks before venturing out on a boat excursion across Bunaken Marine Park and Nain Island. Wrap up your journey with local culinary experiences and a quick city shopping tour of ManadoRead more
- 2-Day Lembah Ramma Valley Hiking & Camping Tour
- 2D1N Tangkoko Nature Reserve Overnight Wildlife Safari
- 3D2N Manado Highland & Island Escape
- 3-Day Toraja Cultural Immersion & Traditional Villagestay
- 7-Day Mount Gandang Dewata Remote Peak Traverse
- 5-Day Babirusa & Nantu Forest Expedition
- 14-Day Grand South & West Sulawesi Cultural Grand Overland Expedition
- All Trek tours
- 2-Day Lembah Ramma Valley Hiking & Camping Tour
- 3D2N Manado Highland & Island Escape
- 3D2N Makassar & Maros Highlights Tour
- 2-Day Bulukumba & Ammatoa Kajang Indigenous Village Cultural Tour
- 3-Day Toraja Cultural Immersion & Traditional Villagestay
- 7-Day Mount Gandang Dewata Remote Peak Traverse
- 7-Day Banggai Islands Expedition Cruise
- 5-Day Babirusa & Nantu Forest Expedition
- 8-Day Togean Islands Cruise & Beach Hopper Adventure
- 14-Day Grand South & West Sulawesi Cultural Grand Overland Expedition
- All Culture tours
- 2-Day Lembah Ramma Valley Hiking & Camping Tour
- 2D1N Tangkoko Nature Reserve Overnight Wildlife Safari
- 3D2N Manado Highland & Island Escape
- 3D2N Makassar & Maros Highlights Tour
- Bunaken & North Sulawesi Flexible Dive Resort Escape
- 3-Day Toraja Cultural Immersion & Traditional Villagestay
- 7-Day Mount Gandang Dewata Remote Peak Traverse
- 7-Day Banggai Islands Expedition Cruise
- 5-Day Babirusa & Nantu Forest Expedition
- All Wildlife & Birding tours
Private car with driverDoor to door across Sulawesi, with a local driver. Send us your route, and we reply with a price.Ask for a price- Road routes27 routes between the towns of Sulawesi, each with its distance and drive time.All land routes
- Tours with transport includedTours put the driving, the stops and the nights together into one trip.See the tours
SOUTH SULAWESI
Selayar Island
WHITE BEACHES & CORAL WALLS
Selayar Island
Selayar Island lies south of Bira, 2.5 hours away by car ferry. Most visitors stay in Benteng, the main town, on the west coast. They come for quiet beaches, reef diving and the boat trip to the Taka Bonerate atoll.
Benteng is a low-rise town with a working market and a long beachfront walk. Beaches near Benteng have calm water and few facilities: bring food. Local dive operators run trips to wall and reef sites on the south coast.
For breakfast, try gogos: sticky rice with grated coconut, grilled in a banana leaf. Places on the beachfront serve grilled fish, caught locally.
Two or three nights is enough, after two nights in Bira on the way down. Add three or four nights for Taka Bonerate. July to October is dry: August averages 14 mm of rain. For diving, come from September to November, when the sea is calm. The sea is roughest in January and February.
Selayar Island in pictures
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Selayar, the long island off the southern tip of South Sulawesi: white sand beaches, coral walls close to shore, and the way to Taka Bonerate.
When to go and how to get there
Rain in Selayar Island, month by month, and the journey in from the nearest airport.
Driest months
Jul – Oct
August is the driest month, with 14 mm of rain on average. January is the wettest, with 260 mm.
- Driest months
- In between
- Wettest months
January: 260 mm, February: 217 mm, March: 215 mm, April: 218 mm, May: 179 mm, June: 198 mm, July: 59 mm, August: 14 mm, September: 41 mm, October: 70 mm, November: 150 mm, December: 204 mm
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 Makassar (UPG)
Daily flights from Jakarta, Bali and across Sulawesi.
02 · Drive
Makassar → Bira
5 – 6 h by car along the coast.
03 · Ferry
Bira → Selayar
Car ferry, about 2.5 h, then about 90 min by road to Benteng. Rough weather can cancel a sailing: confirm on the morning you travel.
04 · Fly (optional)
Makassar → Selayar (KSR)
FlyJaya flies ATR 72 planes from Makassar to H. Aroeppala Airport, 7 km from Benteng, in about 45 min (October 2026). Flights to Selayar stopped in December 2023 and again in May 2025, so keep a spare day.
Selayar Island 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 | 260 | 29 / 27 | 28.9 | 20 |
| February | 217 | 29 / 27 | 28.9 | 18 |
| March | 215 | 30 / 27 | 29.2 | 5 |
| April | 218 | 30 / 27 | 29.4 | 1 |
| May | 179 | 30 / 27 | 28.9 | 0 |
| June | 198 | 29 / 26 | 28.1 | 1 |
| July | 59 | 28 / 26 | 27.3 | 4 |
| August | 14 | 28 / 25 | 26.9 | 3 |
| September | 41 | 29 / 26 | 27.3 | 1 |
| October | 70 | 31 / 27 | 28.3 | 0 |
| November | 150 | 31 / 27 | 29.5 | 0 |
| December | 204 | 31 / 27 | 29.5 | 9 |
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 14 km away. Bays and straits are calmer. Rough means waves of 1.25 m or more, BMKG's warning level for small boats.
Selayar Island travel guides
The Sulawesi.com guides that cover Selayar Island.
- Guide9 min readSelayar Island Travel Guide: The Coral Triangle Outpost South of BiraRead the guide
Guide9 min readSurfing in Sulawesi: Lesser-Known BreaksRead the guide- Guide11 min readThe Classic Sulawesi Loop: 21 Days from Makassar to ManadoRead the guide
Guide10 min readHoneymoon in Sulawesi: Five Romantic BasesRead the guide
Experiences in Selayar Island
Day trips and activities in and around Selayar Island. Each one has its own page.
Where to stay
Local businesses in Selayar Island
Contact each business directly.
So, ready to start?
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