Makassar Strait, Indonesia

Makassar Strait is a strait between the islands of Borneo and Sulawesi in Indonesia. To the north it joins the Celebes Sea, while to the south it meets the Java Sea. The Mahakam River of Borneo empties into the strait. Ports along the strait include Balikpapan in Borneo, and Makassar and Palu in Sulawesi. The city of Samarinda is 48 km (30 mi) from the strait, along the Mahakam. The strait is a common shipping route for ocean going ships too big to fit through the Straits of Malacca.

The city of Makassar is home to the Trans Kalla—the biggest indoor theme park in Southeast Asia and third largest in the world. Beside the Theme Park, it also has a tourist resort, a marina, a bank office, and a shopping center which will be completed around 2012. The theme park is located in Tanjung Bunga. Other attractions include Fort Rotterdam, an old fortress from Sulawesi’s Time as a Dutch colony.

Things to See & Do

* Losari beach
* Fort Rotterdam
* Trans Studio – third largest indoor theme park in the world
* Trans Studio Mall

General information

Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – Rupiah (IDR)
Language – Indonesian
Electricity – 2 round pins European style
Population - 1,330,000 approx. (Makassar)
Land Area – 175.77 km²
Time - GMT plus hours seven hours
International Country Telephone Code – +62

Port Location – There are ports located at Balikpapan in Borneo and Makassar and Palu in Sulawesi.

Travel Links – Hasanuddin International Airport (IATA: UPG) is located 20 km from Makassar and has flights to Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Banjarmasin, Balikpapan, Kendari, Palu, Manado, Gorontalo, Ambon, Ternate, Manokwari, Sorong, Kuala Lumpur, and Jayapura.