Central Sulawesi
Jalan Yos Sudarso 22
Hotel Intim Danau Poso +6285340875152
Clean and spacious twin room with attached bathroom, Western breakfast for two and a great river/lake view, for INR 140,000.- or US$ 16.- per night.
Beer: 620-ml bottles of warm Bintang Pilsner available from the Chinese wholesale merchants on the northern end of Jl. Yos Sudarso, for a reasonable INR 22,000.- or US$ 2.40 per bottle.
Click below for an interactive road map of the Hotel Intim Danau Poso in Tentena, which we would recommend, and for directions:Beer: 620-ml bottles of warm Bintang Pilsner available from the Chinese wholesale merchants on the northern end of Jl. Yos Sudarso, for a reasonable INR 22,000.- or US$ 2.40 per bottle.
Exploring independently the hospitable lake-site town Tentena with its landmark v-shaped eel traps north of the pretty 210-m long covered bridge over Sungai Poso and chumming up with a bunch of friendly natives: (i) with our friend Ram, the knowledgeable durian seller (three medium-sized lekker durians for only INR 15,000.- or US$ 1.65), (ii) with Simon, the relaxed owner of the Tandolala Cottages and the privately-run Tentena Visitor Centre (simonsonggo@asia-nusa.com +6281245273438, ice-cold Bintang for INR 25,000.- or US$ 2.75 per 620-ml bottle and useful intel for free), (iii) with Wawan, the clever IT guru from the reliable Shiawase Internet Café +6285255623130 (three hours wifi for INR 5,000.-) and with many others.
"When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable."
Leaving our backpacks in the hotel and taking the rugged Pamonaraya bus +6281341175080 from Tentena to Bomba (65 km, 5 ½ hours, INR 60,000.- or US$ 6.60 per person), a painfully slow and gruelling off-road ride into the Bada Valley which touches the southern border of the remote Lore Lindu National Park and is famous for its first millennium CE megaliths: mysterious stone statutes, vats and urns whose meaning and creators are still totally unknown.
Click below for blog posts about other Asian national parks
09 Mar - 12 Mar 2013 Gunung Leuser National Park (Sumatra)
21 Jan - 23 Jan 2010 Kuala Koh National Park (Kelantan)
31 Aug - 03 Sep 2009 Lambir Hills National Park (Sarawak)
19 Aug - 28 Aug 2009 Similajau National Park (Sarawak)
20 Jul - 24 Jul 2009 Gunung Gading National Park (Sarawak)
Click below for a summary of this year's travels
09 Mar - 12 Mar 2013 Gunung Leuser National Park (Sumatra)
21 Jan - 23 Jan 2010 Kuala Koh National Park (Kelantan)
31 Aug - 03 Sep 2009 Lambir Hills National Park (Sarawak)
19 Aug - 28 Aug 2009 Similajau National Park (Sarawak)
20 Jul - 24 Jul 2009 Gunung Gading National Park (Sarawak)
Click below for a summary of this year's travels
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