Rammang-Rammang

The Maros-Pangkep karst north of Makassar is one of the largest tower karst fields in the world, a forest of limestone pinnacles and cliffs riddled with caves, and Rammang-Rammang is the village that gives the accessible way into it: a wooden boat runs up the Pute river between mangrove and nipa palm with towers rising on both sides, to a hidden valley of paddy fields entirely enclosed by cliffs, with a stone garden of eroded pinnacles beyond. The caves in the wider karst hold rock art that has been dated among the oldest figurative art known anywhere, with a hunting scene at Leang Bulu' Sipong dated to around forty-four thousand years - though those particular caves are restricted and not part of the ordinary visit. Cement quarrying eats into the karst nearby.

What you actually see

• A boat between limestone towers - the Pute river through mangrove and karst.
• An enclosed paddy valley - fields ringed entirely by cliffs.
• A stone garden - eroded pinnacles standing in a field beyond the village.
• Quarrying at the edges - cement extraction cutting into the karst.

When to go

May to October; morning light in the valley. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The famous dated rock art caves are restricted and are not on the standard visit. Boat prices are per boat and negotiated. It is hot and shadeless in the valley by midday.

Nearby

Bantimurung is close; Makassar is south.