So, on the journey from Makassar to Rantepao there are a whole heap of “suggested” stops, with some being better than others. Of them, Enrekang is one that is recommended more than others.
As it turns out though there is not only bugger all to do here, but hardly anywhere to stay or eat. Aside from that though, it is actually a pleasant little town and decent if you want serenity.
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The road to Enrekang (and Rantepao)
Enrekang is a small town in the mountains of South Sulawesi and is roughly halfway between the coastal cities and Tana Toraja. Coming from Makassar, the usual road takes you through Maros, Pangkep, Barru and Parepare before heading inland towards Pinrang and Enrekang. From Makassar it is roughly 220 km by road, although the exact journey depends on where you start and the route you take.
From Parepare, where I had stopped, it is a much shorter run, and in a private car I found it took around three hours, although the mountain roads and traffic can obviously change that. From Enrekang the road continues through the spectacular mountain scenery around Bambapuang and eventually towards Makale and Rantepao.
Hotels in Enrekang Guide
Being the baller that I am I rented a car, looked up the best hotel in Enrekang and drove three hours to get there. On arrival I was told no room at the inn, only for them to then let me use their toilet, in a room that had no people. This was the Hotel Wifadelia.
They were though nice enough to point me to Helen’s Homestay, where I was to meet the person I assume was Helen. Helen (I assume) told me a room would be 300,000 Rupiah, or about $18. Despite literally having zero other options, backpacker rules dictated that I check out the room. It was not only nice and with an en-suite, but also had a connected living room and balcony/smoking zone. They also had a shop connected to the place and a whole army of kids that wanted to practice English. Very wholesome, very good value and they did a decent breakfast.
Aside from here I saw places listed on Booking.com for as little as $3, which I assume were also homestays. And ChatGPT lists a whole bunch of places, but these seem theory rather than fact. Even Booking.com only has a very small number of places actually listed in Enrekang, with Malakui Bed&Coffee being one of the more established options – although this again had no room at the inn.
I therefore declare though that were you to ask me “what is the best hotel in Enrekang” I would reply Helen’s Homestay!
Eating in Enrekang
OK, so there’s no street food Enrekang scene, but there were at least two restaurants on the main road. And yes, I mean two restaurants, both of which pretty much just had mie goreng, nasi goreng and bakso.
Well, I like all three of these dishes, so it really was not an issue! Aside from that there were shops to buy snacks, but well, Enrekang is not exactly Vegas, heck it is not even Parepare.
Getting around and out of Enrekang
Does Grab work in Enrekang? No, it does not, not even Grab Bike, so if you do want to get around, such as to the bus station, you will need to walk. As for buses? This is on the whole Makassar to Rantepao route, but by the seems of things it’s more luck than judgment actually getting one.
I therefore got Helen’s Homestay to book me a private car. This came to about 500,000 Rupiah, or roughly $30, which was how much it cost me to get there from Parepare.
So, not the most interesting place in the world, but Enrekang has some charm, looks nice and at least offers serenity.
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