Central Sulawesi
Gimpu
Lawua
Losmen Atlantik +6281293444227
Adequate twin room with shared bathroom (bak mandi) for INR 70,000.- or US$ 8.10 per night. Drinkable and methanol-free Cap Tikus ("jungle juice") available for INR 20,000.- or US$ 2.20 per litre.
Click below for an interactive road map of the Losmen Atlantik in Gimpu, which we would recommend, and for directions:Haggling in vein with two ojeks from Gimpu’s money-hugging transport cartel (who are in the second stadium of the below-mentioned development model) over the price for the 50-km off-road ride through the Sungai Lariang valley to Gintu, a steep asking price of INR 500,000.- or US$ 60.- plus petrol costs, and confirming our empirically observed Three-stage Model of Tourism Development: (i) first stadium - the locals haven’t seen too many travellers yet, their attitude towards strangers is still naive/fair and they charge local prices (harga biasa), e.g. in Palu; (ii) second stadium - the locals have already seen a trickle of tourists but they have seen even more fact-finding office sitters from the government’s tourism authority who told them about an anticipated inflow of wealthy tourists, thus changing the locals' attitude from naive/fair to greedy/illusory, e.g. in the Lore Lindu National Park with its overpriced guided tours and with far too many unskilled tour guides; (iii) third stadium - the locals have met international tourists on a regular basis for many years, they have adjusted their attitude, and their asking prices (harga turis) are competitive/realistic, albeit still above the local prices, e.g. in Tana Toraja.
"'Tourist', Rincewind decided, meant 'idiot'."
Deciding to penetrate the Lore Lindu National Park from the east, instead of from the west, and securing two seats in one of the regular Kijang (shared) taxis back to Palu (90 km, 3 hours, INR 30,000.- or US$ 3.30 per person).
Click below for more blog posts about the Lore Lindu National Park
29 Sep - 03 Oct 2011 Tentena
27 Sep - 29 Sep 2011 Bomba
26 Sep - 27 Sep 2011 Tentena
Click below for a summary of this year's travels
29 Sep - 03 Oct 2011 Tentena
27 Sep - 29 Sep 2011 Bomba
26 Sep - 27 Sep 2011 Tentena
Click below for a summary of this year's travels
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| Facing Sulawesi © Konni & Matt |
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