Making the most of Ujung Pandang Makassar Sulawesi
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Cruise vessels berth close to the town centre, and the terminal provides few facilities.
Take a printable map ashore.
Ujung Pandang, previously Makassar, is the capital of south-western Celebes, or Sulawesi, Island on Makassar Strait. As the largest city and chief port, it is a commercial centre and transshipment point for goods moving to and from Indonesia's eastern islands. The city is home to Hasanuddin, a handicraft museum, and Fort Vredenburg.
Getting around
Visit Fort Rotterdam for an impressive historic reminder of the city's Dutch colonial past.
Numerous taxi companies operate, all charging the same fare and using meters. A 4 hour trip costs about 50 USD.
Many trishaws also provide town tours at 10 USD per hour.
Nearby places
The old harbour of Paotere lies 3 kms north of port. In this northern Makassar harbour, traditional Buginese sailing craft called pinisiq load and unload cargo. Watching workers run along narrow wooden planks between dock and vessel with unbelievably large loads is fascinating
Food and shopping
Enjoy a delicious combination of Chinese, Sulawesi and local food, then stroll along the central waterfront
Money
ATMs are widespread in Indonesia's major cities.
Use credit cards carefully because cloning and fraud are major Indonesian problems. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, although American Express can cause difficulty. Smaller businesses commonly add a 2-5% surcharge over cash prices.
Staying connected
Indonesian, known as Bahasa Indonesia, is the sole official language.
The terminal has WiFi.
For mobile phones, the emergency number is 112.