Selayar Islands

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Selayar or Saleyer (Indonesian: Kabupaten Selayar, Dutch: Saleijer), is an archipelago of South Sulawesi province, Indonesia. It lies in the Flores Sea, between Sulawesi and Flores, around 150km southeast of the major city of Makassar. Kabupaten Selayar is the Regency, covering 903.35 km² with a population of about 120,000 (2012). There are 73 islands, the main one being Selayar Island. To the east lies Pulau (Island) Kalaotoa and Pulau Karompa Lompo (in Sulawesi Tenggara province), and to the west lies Kepulauan Sabalana (the Sabalana Islands). It is a biodiverse diving site.

Islands

 

Map showing the location of the islands

• Selayar Island
• Pulau Pulasi
• Pulau Tambalongang
• Pulau Tanahjampea :
  Tanah Jampea, also variously known as Tanah Djampea, Tanahjampea, Jampea Island and Pulau Jampea, is the second largest island of the Selayar Islands group in Indonesia’s South Sulawesi Province. The group lies in the Flores Sea between the much larger islands of Sulawesi to the north and Flores to the south. The island is some 22 km long by up to 10 km wide, with the highest point 521 m above sea level. It has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area because it supports populations of critically endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoos and endangered White-tipped Monarchs.
• Pulau Batu
• Pulau Kayuadi
• Pulau Panjang
• Macan Islands: ( Latondu, Rajuni, Timabo, Pasi Telu, and Taka Lumungan.) 
• Pulau Kalao
• Pulau Bonerate
• Bahuluwang

The Selayar Strait (Selat Selayar) is more than 100 fathoms deep and, with a strong current, is dangerous for native ships to navigate. The strata of Selayar Island are all sedimentary rocks: coraffine limestone, occasionally sandstone; everywhere, except in the north and north-west, covered by a fertile soil. The watershed is a chain running throughout the island from N. to S., reaching in Bontona Haru 5840 ft., sloping steeply to the east coast.

 

People

The population, mainly a mixture of Makasars, Bugis and the natives of Luvu and Buton, is estimated at 57,000 on the main island and 24,000 on the nearby islands. They use the Macassar language and are for the most part nominally Muslims (though many non-Muslim customs survive) and support themselves by agriculture, fishing, seafaring, trade, the preparation of salt (on the south coast) and weaving. Raw and prepared cotton, tobacco, trepang, tortoise-shell, coconuts and coconut oil, and salt are exported. There is frequent movement between the area and other parts of Sulawesi as well as to other parts Indonesia. For that reason, and also because of its excellent horses and numerous water buffaloes, the Saleyar Islands are often compared with Madura, being of the same importance to Celebes as is Madura to Java 

Bonerate people

The Bonerate people are an ethnic group in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. They inhabit around the Selayer island group such as Bonerate, Madu, Kalaotoa, and Karompa islands. Sexually provocative behaviour occurs in possession-trance ritual practiced by women only and rituals were carried out in a way by which they smother glowing embers with their bare feet at the climax. The Bonerate language shares many similarities with the Butonese language.

 

Benteng (City), Selayar Islands

Benteng is an administrative district in the Selayar Islands Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is the administrative capital of the Selayar Islands Regency and is located on the seafront where the means of transport from outside the closest is Benteng Pier. The nearest airport and is the only airport H. Aroeppala located in Padang few miles south of Benteng Bontosunggu precisely in the village, Bontoharu District, Selayar Islands Regency. Capital city is the administrative district Benteng Citadel

Selayar Island is the main island of the Selayar Islands (Kepulauan Selayar). It lies off the coast of Cape Bira of South Sulawesi Province. The Selayar Straits separate it from the mainland of Sulawesi. Its main city is Benteng, towns Bonelohe, Padang, Barangbarang, over 50 miles long and very narrow; area, 248 mi². Benteng is the starting point for diving tours.

Nearby dive sites

From Benteng, there is:

• Pulau Kambing (Goat island), located in the Selayar Straits. It has white tipped and black tipped sharks, bumhead parrotfishes, scorpionfishes, cuttlefish or an octopus and with luck the zebra batfish.
• Selayar Atoll: 10 min to 1 hour, slopes down to 16 m, sandy bottom, sea slugs, napoleon fishes, pipe fishes, Dugong.
• Selayar East: 1 to 2 hours, pelagic fishes, sometimes manta rays.

Selayar Islands for dive sites not in the immediate region around the island.

Taka Bonerate Islands in Indonesia consist of Latondu, Rajuni, Tinabo, Pasi Telu, and Taka Lumungan. They lie about 3 to 4 hours by boat from Benteng, the administrative capital of the Selayar Islands. Together they make up the Takabonerate District of Selayar Regency in South Sulawesi Province. It is part of a National Marine Park, with dive sites, pelagic fishes, dolphins, turtles, many soft corals, sea fans. Also it is the third largest atoll in the world.

Taka Bone Rate National Park

Taka Bone Rate National Park is a marine park which includes the Takabonerate atoll islands, located in the Flores Sea, south of Sulawesi island of Indonesia.

The area, which consists of the atoll islands and surrounding marine area was granted national park protection status in 1992

Geography

Taka Bone Rate is administered as part of Selayar Regency, South Sulawesi province. The atoll is located in Flores Sea, southeast off the coast from the southern "arms" of Sulawesi Island and to the east of Selayar island. It is located west of Wakatobi islands and far north of Komodo island across the Flores Sea. The nearest large city is Makassar, from where it can be reached in about 16 hours by boat.

With an area of 530,765 hectares which has an atoll expanse of 220,000 hectares, Taka Bone Rate meaning 'coral islands over sand' is the biggest atoll in Indonesia, and Southeast Asia, and the third biggest in the world after Kwajalein Atoll and Suvadiva.

The atoll consists of separate table reefs enclosing a lagoon filled with massive reefs. The atoll has around 20 islands, six of which are inhabited. There are 15 islands for diving and snorkeling.

Demography

The natives of the atoll are the Bonerate people. They traditionally trade for fishery sea products from the Bajau in exchange for freshwater and other land supply. The Bonerate are predominantly Muslim, although with strong elements of traditional beliefs.

They speak the Bonerate language, a Celebic language, and like most languages of Indonesia part of the greater Austronesian languages. Their closest linguistic relations is with people in the neighbouring Buton, Wakatobi and Muna Island in Southeast Sulawesi. Most also speak Indonesian.

Ecology

The atoll is of major ecological importance, with rich marine and bird life. The national park is considered to contain some of the world's highest marine biodiversity. According to the Indonesian Department of Forestry the atoll has 261 species of coral, 295 species of coral fish, 244 species of mollusc and other species such as hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), Pacific ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), and green turtle (Chelonia mydas). 

For more information in conjunction with Takabonerate National Park, you may view Takabonerate Official Site

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IQRA' Tour Organizer

Makassar - South Sulawesi
Indonesia

E~mail: Adventure.Sulawesi@yahoo.co.uk

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