Quoi faire à Bira

Located on the southern point of Sulawesi Island, Bira’s nearest access point is through its capital, Makassar. It is a remote area where you can enjoy beautiful landscapes and have quiet time on your own on a white sandy beach. Bira is a well-kept secret, but it’s on the rise and despite being remote, Bira still offers a wide range of accommodation catering to all budgets.

Bira and its surroundings have plenty of things to offer: from cliff jumping to hikes up to panoramic views, from beautiful beaches to visits of traditional handcrafted boatbuilding (inscribed at UNESCO in 2017), Bira will surprise you with the diversity of what it can offer.

Phinisi or the Art of Boatbuilding in South Sulawesi

Phinisi or the Art of Boatbuilding in South Sulawesi is the heart of the local economy and culture in the region. Here in Bira you can visit the boatyards – you can even go onboard! – where you can see various boats in different stages of development. Each masterpiece is entirely crafted by hand with exquisite attention to detail. The trade was even inscribed in 2017 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (UNESCO). An overview video of the process and trade can be found ici

3 Phinisi building sites are to discover around bira:

Closest one – 8 minute drive from Blue Planet, and here is the google maps link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/1esMJUigQKDe2pf56
Mandala Ria Beach – 30 minutes drive and with other activites like the caves to see. There is also a nice coffee on the beach. Link to the place : https://maps.app.goo.gl/Gyoh1fdYnvgcZkHd9
Biggest building site around Bira is in Tanah Beru, a small town 20 min drive away from Bira: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4XhbrZjcf7toiVmG7

Aparalang Beach

Less than a 30-minute drive from Bira, this place offers a beautiful view of the coastline with crystal-clear, bright blue water. A wooden platform has been built – perfect for either sunbathing or leaping off! Don’t forget to bring your snorkeling gear as there is a small reef offshore. During high season, you can also explore the small shops and restaurants which line the main access road.

Google maps link to Aparalang: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Uezo9BeTeaSQbFHh6

La plage de Mandala Ria et ses cavernes

A 30-minute drive from Bira, you can find this white and very clean sandy beach. Small restaurants serve food and drink all day. It’s a very calm and peaceful place without many tourists. Traditional boat building is also done here. On the way back up, there are two caves for those looking for an adventure. The first is a quiet secret underwater cave. The access is very steep, but it’s worth the trouble. Make sure to go there equipped with a torch and snorkeling gear if you’re up for a little free dive thrill. The second cave is dry with many small nooks and crannies to explore. A road has recently been built which makes it easily accessible.

Google maps link to the dry cave : https://maps.app.goo.gl/1PdLXyfiMHXRNnHd8

Google maps link to the fresh water cave : https://maps.app.goo.gl/vGazZydRSu1kJRww9

Google maps link to Mandala ria beach : https://maps.app.goo.gl/hJL1VHt7itxi3ShU7

L’Ile de Liukang

Directement en face de la plage de Bira se trouve cette belle petite île à explorer pendant une journée. Les plages sont calmes et isolées, et dans la mer vous pouvez voir facilement, rien qu’en faisant du snorkeling, ou mieux, en plongeant avec des bouteilles, toute la vie sous-marine. Les petites maisons des habitants locaux sont des constructions traditionnelles, pleines de couleur, toute proches des quelques restaurants et magasins. Après avoir fait un tour à pied, asseyez vous à la table du restaurant qui vous servira, à l’ombre d’un des grands arbres sur la plage, votre repas directement sur la plage et profitez de la vue de la belle mer bleue, scintillante qui s’étend à Bira en face. Choisissez votre poisson de la pêche du jour, servi avec des légumes de la région, et du riz. La meilleure façon de profiter de cette île est en réservant notre tour organisé pour la journée, qui comprend la plongée sous-marine, ou du snorkeling. L’île propose aussi des possibilités d’hébergement, si vous souhaitez vous évader pendant plus d’une journée.

La vue depuis Pua Janggo

It will take you around 30 minutes to hike up the path leading to this viewpoint. A nice place to enjoy the sunset and admire Bira and its surroundings.

Google maps link to the view point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Vj9YagA3QQPbrSjW8

How to Access Bira

For the moment, the only way to reach Bira from Makassar is by car. Depending on the traffic, it can take from 4h45 to 5h30. Contact us if you want us to book you a private car (850,000 IDR per car). It’s also possible to take a shuttle for 100,000-200,000 IDR but it can be a bit packed if you have lots of luggage.