Tanjung Bira, a stunning beach destination in South Sulawesi, offers an escape for those seeking both relaxation and adventure. This remote promontory is famous not only for its pristine shores and world-class diving spots but also as the heart of the legendary Phinisi boat-building tradition. Here, you can witness master craftsmen meticulously building these magnificent wooden vessels by hand, a sight that defines the unique cultural heritage of this beautiful part of Indonesia.
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About Tanjung Bira
When we mention Indonesia, most people first think about Bali. But Indonesia is much more than Bali, and because Bali attracts the main portion of tourism in this country, almost everything else remains more off-the-beaten-path, more authentic, less popular, and less crowded, but not less “paradisy”.
One of these hidden gems is Tanjung Bira. Let’s go to this point on Earth’s surface and immerse ourselves in the local tropical paradise!
Some geography
First, let’s open the map of Indonesia and focus on Sulawesi Island. It has a weird alien shape with tentacle-looking peninsulas. Now, let’s pay attention to the South Peninsula and zoom in on its southernmost tip. Actually, it is not exactly the southernmost (the southern curve of the South Peninsula goes a bit further south in another place), but it is still a much better place that can be called “the end of a land”.
In the Indonesian language, these tips (promontories, capes) are called “tanjung”. And the name of this “tanjung” is Bira, that’s why it is called Tanjung Bira- its official name. But its more popular name is just Bira.
The cape of Bira separates the Flores Sea from the Gulf of Boni. At the same time, the land of Sulawesi proceeds underwater and rises again as a long, narrow island called Selayar.
And here, around the cape, local people have established a nice village that recently became a resort, with pure white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, great for snorkeling and diving- actually, some of the best beaches in the whole of Sulawesi Island.
This village is Tanjung Bira (or just Bira), and it is not only a “classical tropical paradise” (free from tourist crowds) but also a strategic point for exploring the southern coasts of Sulawesi Island and the nearby Selayar Archipelago.
Some culture- the sea-related lifestyle
Centuries ago, the local Bugis and Makassarese (and probably even the people before them) noticed the strategic importance of this geographical point- an excellent place for starting sea voyages for various purposes- fishing, colonizing new lands, trade, or just traveling for whatever purpose.
So, the people, considering this area as a great starting point for their voyages, started to build ships. They were not just ordinary sailors but long-distance explorers. They reached Australia, Melanesia, and even Africa. To do this, they needed not just ships but good ships, built by professionals. Thus, the so-called Phinisi wooden ship, famous in the whole of Southeast Asia, was born, and its birthplace was the area of Tanjung Bira.
In the following centuries, Phinisi ships were used as the main navy ships of the local kingdoms, like Gowa. Today, they are still in use, despite modern technologies. Locals still build them, mostly for the local fishing industry. And they don’t build them with modern machinery in factories; they build them on the beach, in the same way they did centuries ago.
This is the modern culture of Tanjung Bira and the area around, tightly related to the sea life, mostly fishing, and in recent years, tourism. Visitors of this area come here to enjoy not only the beaches and diving opportunities but also the exotic local lifestyle.
Our journey to Tanjung Bira
We went on a trip to South Sulawesi to explore the area around. Our starting point was Makassar, the capital of the province and the largest city in Sulawesi Island. From Makassar, we made a trip to some of the most amazing and exotic places in this part of the world- the karst area of Rammang Rammang, the unique culture of Tana Toraja with its weird tongkonan houses and funeral traditions, and Lake Tempe, with its floating village.
All of these places are located deep in the interior of the island. But we wanted to explore something more, this time related to the sea- an important component of the local geography. So, while we researched for “sea places of interest” in South Sulawesi, the (almost) southernmost tip of the island drew our attention.
We found that some of the best beaches on the island are located there. We noticed the unique geographical features of this place. And we saw the strategic location of Bira as a starting point for Selayar Island and probably beyond it.
So, we found a shared taxi from Makassar and traveled to Tanjung Bira. We stayed there 2 days, then proceeded further to Selayar Island (with an unsuccessful attempt to reach the fantastic Taka Bonerate atolls). After that, on our way back to Makassar, we stayed in Tanjung Bira again because it had more to offer.
Below is what we did in Tanjung Bira and what we could do more if we stayed for a longer time there.
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Things to do in Tanjung Bira
You can go to Tanjung Bira just for relaxation in a resort and don’t do anything else but only to enjoy the silence and tranquility of the local “tropical paradise”. But if you are thirsty for geography and exploring, you can go deeper and discover more of the place- it would definitely enrich your relaxation and local experience.
The village itself is nothing special. There is no “old town”, “ancient ruins”, museums, or special landmarks- just a tranquil place with residential houses and small hotels (plus several more luxurious hotels), just like every resort village in the world. So, it is more of a starting point for enjoying places and activities located outside, or beside the village.
Enjoy the beach of Bira
This is the nearest to the village beach in Tanjung Bira. Although it is beside a settlement with some fishing activities, it is still clean, with pure white sand and crystal clear waters. It is shallow and great for swimming and playing in the water. There are a lot of small shops and restaurants at the beach, as well as stands offering some activities- mostly trips to the nearby Liukang Loe Island.
The sea here is calm- don’t expect big swells proper for surfing, you can’t find them in this part of Indonesia. But this beach, besides the great opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, and boat riding, it also offers an opportunity to enjoy beautiful sunsets.
Go further, to a more exotic beach- Bara Beach
Bara Beach is located about 2,5 km west-northwest of Bira. A good paved road from the village leads to this beach and proceeds further to more coastal villages. But a more exciting way to reach Bara Beach is if you just walk on the sand of the beach of Bira- the two beaches are actually connected, forming one, longer beach, just a bit narrow in the middle.
If you walk on the sand, you can enjoy some amazing rock formations, like overhanging cliffs or just rocks in the middle of the sand. All the time, you will be immersed in a heavenly seacoast landscape until you reach a place with more coconut palms…
When you travel from Makassar to Tanjung Bira, you will notice that coconut palms- one of the main elements of a “tropical paradise” are almost missing or very rare along the coast. They are rare in the village of Bira itself too. But they are abundant along Bara Beach. That’s why many small resorts were built along this beach, and in recent years, many foreign visitors of this beautiful place prefer these resorts over the village. At the same time, sand and water are as beautiful as in Bira.
Face the east- Panrangluhu Bira Beach
The village of Bira has another coast to the east, facing the Gulf of Boni. Here is the main port of Tanjung Bira- an important transportation hub that connects Tanjung Bira (and the whole Sulawesi Island) with the nearby Selayar Island.
Another beach starting north of the port- the southernmost beach of the South Sulawesi coast of the Gulf of Boni. This beach is called Panrangluhu Bira. It is a bit narrower than Bira and Bara beaches, but no less beautiful than they are. And it is “decorated” with coconut palms too.
This place is considered another, smaller village, neighboring Bira, called Panrangluhu. Here is the nearest spot to Tanjung Bira where you can see a few Phinisi ships in a construction phase. It is another favorite area for visitors- there are several resorts and a hostel built here. And while the beach faces eastward, here you can enjoy amazing sunrises.
Reach the (almost) southernmost end of Sulawesi Island
When you go in a southeastern direction, the land between the two coasts- the coast of Bara and Bira beaches, and the eastern coast- gets narrower and narrower, until the two coasts and the two sea basins meet at one point- Cape Bira (Tanjung Bira).
Cape Bira is located about 2 km southeast of Tanjung Bira village. A good paved road leads to the cape. First, it passes by a panoramic place with spectacular views to the east. A bit further is the entrance gate of the place, and there is a small entrance fee you have to pay there, 10,000 IDR. After the gate, you enter the small “Cape Bira park” (here you can spot some monkeys), and less than a kilometer further is the end of the road with a parking lot, and some souvenir and fruit stalls.
From here, you leave the vehicle (if you travel by vehicle) at the parking lot and walk on a short trail to the cape itself. You reach the end at a marker with a sculpture of a Phinisi ship. The two coasts are high above the two seas, and you stand between two, more than 20 m tall cliffs. Another wooden artificial trail descends to a panoramic terrace established on the eastern cliff.
Relax at the most beautiful cliffs- Dego Dego na Bira
In general, the seacoasts of Tanjung Bira are tall, especially the eastern coast. And there is an area north of the village where you walk eastward to the coast, and the land suddenly ends at an edge with a tall cliff over the sea behind it. Here, locals have established one of the most beautiful and unique resorts in the Sulawesi Island- Dego Dego na Bira.
Dego Dego na Bira is not a typical resort established along a beach but at the edge of this cliff. Yet it is one of the most favorite places for visitors to stay. They come here to spend a great time enjoying some of the most spectacular seacoast views in South Sulawesi. Here, the sea below the cliffs is shallow and you can observe the sea bottom and all the colorful elements on it from above while relax and drink your coffee at the edge.
Even if you don’t stay in Dego Dego na Bira, it is worth just visiting it. A well-signed route leads to the resort, about 5 km from the gate of Tanjung Bira, so you can find it easily.
Explore the eastern coast: Mandala Beach and more
The beautiful part of the eastern coast of Bira doesn’t end with Dego Dego, but proceeds further north. The coastline alternates between high, steep cliffs and beaches, and the land along the sea is a mix of rainforests, villages, and some agricultural areas.
There are three beaches, quite off-the-beaten-path, less known for foreign travelers but mostly for locals. They are Kasuso Beach, Mandala Beach, and Samboang Beach, with small villages besides them. Again, these beaches face eastward, they are shallow, with crystal clear waters, and white sand.
The most beautiful of them is Mandala Beach (also known as Panatai Mandala Ria). There is a small resort beside the beach, with two restaurants and a café. There is also another Phinisi construction site at the beach.
You can easily explore these beaches and the villages beside them just by renting a motorcycle from Tanjung Bira, as we did. Then, just follow the GPS on Google Maps.
Leave the mainland: Liukang Loe Island
Let’s go back to the beach of Bira. You stay on the white sand and watch the pure turquoise waters. You also see an island, not far from the beach, and you wonder- what is this island? What are the waters between the mainland and the island?
This is Liukang Loe Island. It is about 3 km long and 2 km wide. There are two Buginese villages on the island. Buntutuleng is the main village, facing Bira, where most of the day trips to Liukang Loe go. The other village- Passilohe, is on the southern coast. A dirt road connects the two villages (about a 25-30-minute walk). The rest of the island is wild, covered by low rainforest, with low rocky cliffs (often undercut, as a normal local feature).
While the larger village Buntutuleng offers some resort options and you can stay here, enjoying the tranquility of “the end of the world’, the other village- Passilohe- is more off-the-beaten, without known guesthouses or other places to stay. In both villages, you can walk between wooden houses in local Buginese architecture.
But the most exciting part of Liukang Loe Island is around it, in the sea, underwater.
Immerse in the underwater paradise at Liukang Loe
The waters around Liukang Loe Island are mostly shallow, pure and clear, with rich coral fields. This is an excellent opportunity for snorkeling and diving. The reefs around the island are healthy and home to a variety of hard and soft corals. You’ll likely encounter a wide range of tropical fish, including clownfish, parrotfish, and angelfish, swimming among the coral. Other marine creatures you can notice are sea cucumbers, sea stars, and more.
If you want to go deeper by scuba diving, there are several diving spots around Liukang Loe. These spots are located between the island (inner spots) and the mainland of Sulawesi, and on the other side of the island (outer spots). Here you can see large fish schools, reef sharks, manta rays, and many other exotic sea creatures.
The inner spots are more proper for beginners due to the calmer waters with less currents. But the outer spots are proper for more advanced divers- they are deeper, with stronger currents.
You can easily join a boat tour from the beach of Bira- just go there and ask. Prices vary between 150,000 IDR for a boat (only for a 2-3 hour boat ride to Buntutuleng village on Liukang Loe and a short stop in the middle for snorkeling), and up to 1,000,000 IDR for a full stay boat trip with stops at multiple spots for scuba diving.
Go further: more underwater wanders- Kambing Island (Babynaw, Sarontang Island)
If you look at the map of the region, you will notice another island in the area. It is much smaller, and it is located about 5 km south of Cape Bira. On Google Maps, its name is marked as “Sarontang Island” (Pulau Sarontang), some locals also call it Babynaw, and officially, local tour operators call it Kambing Island (Pulau Kambing).
This island is only 500 x 700 m large, uninhabited, covered by low rainforest (it is difficult to access in its interior), and surrounded almost entirely with low undercut cliffs. While travelers seldom step on its surface, its main focus is the underwater world around it. There are excellent diving spots around the island, with the full variety of marine life that can be seen in this part of Indonesia.
If you want to go there (mostly for diving or snorkeling), again, you can talk with the owners of your local hotel or guesthouse in Tanjung Bira or go directly to the beach. Here you can find boat tours directly to Kambing (Sarontang) Island, or combined trips, including Liukang Loe. Again, price can be very different but usually more expensive than just a short trip to Liukang Loe.
Travel back in time: Phinisi ships- a living open-air museum: Kampongpasar
Finally, let’s go back to the culture and history. It can always enrich your stay in Tanjung Bira, not just as a sea resort but to immerse you deeper in an exotic world, somewhere “at the end of the world”.
I already mentioned two small sites with Phinisi ships constructing- both at the eastern coast of Bira. Here you can see only a few ships in the construction stage. But if you want to see more of that, you should go to a larger Phinisi construction site, a place with more authentic cultural experience.
You can find such a site in the village of Kampongpasar, located at the southwestern coast of Bira. It has a narrow beach, with crystal clear waters and white sand. But it is not used for swimming because there are a lot of Phinisi boats under construction- you can count more than 20 of them. Besides, unlike the small Phinisi constructing spots, the ships in Kampongpasar are of various sizes.
Again, you can easily visit Kampongpasar by renting a motorcycle. It is about 15 km from Tanjung Bira, and you can combine this trip with the eastern coast described above, making a “triangle-shaped route”.
Useful tips
Whether you’re planning a quick visit to Tanjung Bira and its local activities, or incorporating it into a longer journey toward Selayar Island, this guide offers some useful tips on key travel details: getting there, where to stay, and what to eat.
Transportation
First, how to get to Tanjung Bira? The main starting point for Bira is Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province. More precisely, your goal in Makassar is a terminal called Mallengkeri.
From here, you can find buses (called Bis Umum), minivans, and private charters. The first two options (buses and minivans) don’t have a fixed schedule- when they are full, they depart (usually, in the morning). They are cheap- expect prices between 150,000 and 200,000 IDR. And double check that they go to Bira, not to Bulukumba (the last town before Tanjung Bira).
Charters are much more expensive but much more convenient. You can go to Mallengkeri, find a driver (drivers usually wait there for clients), arrange an hour, and provide the address of your hotel in Makassar, and the driver comes and pick you up. However, the price is more expensive: 1,000,000 IDR for the whole vehicle or 250,000 IDR per person (two choices).
Another option is to travel by luxurious bus (by the Damri company) from Makassar to Benteng on Selayar Island. This route stops at Tanjung Bira’s ferry port and you can get off the bus there.
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Makassar ⇄ Bulukumba / Bira
Buses and shared cars usually run early in the day — afternoon departures are limited, so plan to leave Makassar before noon.
You can also travel by rental car and enjoy the freedom to go wherever you want on your own schedule. But it is worth only if you insert Tanjung Bira as a point of a longer route that includes the eastern coast of South Sulawesi or Selayar Island.
The whole trip from Makassar to Tanjung Bira is between 5 and 7 hours, regardless of your transportation. Once you arrive in Bira, you can enjoy the activities mentioned above, and you can proceed further to Selayar Island by ferry.
Keep in mind that when you reach Tanjung Bira, there is a gate-checkpoint where you have to pay an entrance fee (30,000 IDR per person + 20,000 for a car or 5000 for a motorcycle) if you travel by your own vehicle or private charter. You pay it only once. Somehow, they know that you have entered, and next time when you go out and get in, they don’t check you.
From Tanjung Bira, the journey naturally continues further south across the water to Selayar Island — quieter, wilder, and perfect as the next stage. For full details on how to get there and transit options, see our Makassar → Bira → Selayar transportation guide
Going further:
Selayar Island
Local transportation
Unless you travel by your own rental car, the only other way of transportation around Tanjung Bira (on land) is by rental motorbike. The best place to find a motorbike is a local restaurant called Warung Bamboo. Usually, they offer motorbikes for 150,000 IDR per day.
Accommodation
You don’t have to worry about accommodation in Tanjung Bira. There are plenty of local small hotels, most of them cheap, with a bit basic conditions. We tried two of them, not bad, but just no more than 1, max 2 stars. For those who are not pretentious, it is perfect (however, don’t expect hot water).
But if you still look for some luxury, there are a few options like Balatoa Bungalow, Same Resort Bira Beach, and Puri View Inn Bira Beach.
Finally, you can enjoy one of the resorts at Bara Beach or the eastern coast, like Dego Dego na Bira. They are more expensive than the cheap hotels and homestays in the village. However, they provide not only a bit of luxury but also an exciting environment of “tropical paradise”.
You can find most of these properties on Booking or Agoda.
Food
Although Tanjung Bira has some tourism, there are not too many choices for lunch and dinner. There are only a few restaurants, including Warung Bamboo mentioned above. Honestly, we found a better one- Villa Claudia, on the same street, with more choices.
At least the luxurious properties and resorts offer all meals- breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But if you stay in a cheap hotel or homestay, they offer only breakfast there.
Finally, there are two big supermarkets- Indomaret and Alfamart, located north of the entrance gate, as well as several minimarkets here and there. The big supermarkets work until 10 pm and you can always find something to eat there too.
Leaving for Selayar Island
As mentioned above, Tanjung Bira is the starting point for traveling to Selayar Island (unless you travel by domestic flight to Benteng directly from Makassar). We also left for Selayar from Bira, traveling by the morning ferry to Pamatata port in Selayar- the entry point for exploring the island. And we returned to Bira in the same way from Selayar. We stayed in Bira for 3 days totally, and we fell in love with this place.
Tanjung Bira is more than just a beautiful beach resort at the end of a peninsula. It’s a place where pristine white sands and crystal-clear waters meet a living maritime culture forged over centuries of exploration. Whether you’re mesmerized by the underwater paradise around Liukang Loe, standing between two seas at the end of the land, or watching Phinisi ships take shape on the beach, you are immersing yourself in a world that is deeply connected to the sea. It is a true explorer’s destination, proving that some of Indonesia’s most rewarding experiences are found far from the well-trodden path. It is a perfect start or end to your journey in South Sulawesi.
Take a look at the videos about Bira below:
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Hi, we are Krasen and Ying Ying. Krasen is from Bulgaria, and Ying Ying is from China. We are passionate about geography and history, and we believe that the best way to experience it is by exploring the Earth in reality, not in a school, and not virtually.
So, we created this blog Journey Beyond the Horizon, where we share geographical knowledge, travel guides and tips how to experience it when you explore our planet, and a lot of inspiration.
And we wish you a happy journey, not just virtually, but most of all- in reality.
Enjoy!
