Malino

Malino sits at around a thousand metres in the Gowa highlands behind Makassar and was developed by the Dutch as a hill station for the same reason as every other one - the heat below - with pine plantations, vegetable terraces, strawberries, a waterfall at Takapala and a landscape unlike the coastal lowlands. Its place in Indonesian history is more serious than its resort character suggests: two rounds of negotiations were held here at the height of the communal violence of the early 2000s, producing the Malino I accord on Poso in December 2001 and Malino II on Maluku in February 2002, agreements that were imperfect and contested but that marked the turning point in both conflicts. The town keeps a memorial. It is a weekend destination for Makassar.

What you actually see

• Pine and vegetable terraces - the highland landscape at a thousand metres.
• Takapala waterfall - the fall on the edge of the town.
• The Malino accords site - where the 2001 and 2002 peace agreements were signed.
• A Dutch-era hill station - developed for the cool air above Makassar.

When to go

May to September; weekdays for space. A day.

Honest expectations

Weekends bring heavy Makassar traffic on a winding road. The town is developed with photo spots and stalls. It rains and clouds over most afternoons.

Nearby

Makassar is below; Bantimurung and the karst are north.