Practical

How to Get to Sulawesi: Flights, Ferries and Entry Points

By Sulawesi.com editors7 min read

Fly to Makassar (UPG) or Manado (MDC), Sulawesi's two international gateways with visa on arrival. Flights, Pelni ships and entry points, October 2026.

To reach Sulawesi, fly to Makassar (UPG) in the south or Manado (MDC) in the north. They are its two international gateways, and both have visa on arrival. In October 2026, nonstop flights reach them from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Guangzhou and Seoul, and from Jakarta, Bali, Surabaya and Balikpapan. Pelni passenger ships also sail to Makassar and to Bitung, near Manado, from Java, Kalimantan and Maluku.

Flights to Sulawesi from abroad: Makassar and Manado

Makassar's Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport (UPG) lies in Maros, about 20 km from the city centre. Manado's Sam Ratulangi International Airport (MDC) lies 13 km north-east of the city. These are the scheduled international flights in October 2026:

FromToAirlineFlights a weekTime in the air
SingaporeManadoScoot5, from 26 October3 hr 35 min to 3 hr 40 min
SingaporeMakassarScoot43 hr 5 min to 3 hr 10 min
Kuala LumpurMakassarMalaysia Airlines2, on Tuesdays and Saturdays3 hr 20 min
Kuala LumpurMakassarAirAsiaCheck with AirAsia3 hr 20 min to 3 hr 25 min
GuangzhouManadoChina Southern3 in the summer 2026 schedule4 hr 10 min
GuangzhouManadoTransNusaCheck with TransNusa4 hr 10 min
Seoul (Incheon)ManadoEastar Jet7, from 25 October5 hr 50 min

No airline flies nonstop from Kuala Lumpur to Manado: connect in Singapore, Makassar, Surabaya or Bali. Saudia, flyadeal, Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air and Citilink run seasonal pilgrim flights from Makassar to Jeddah. All of them except flyadeal also fly to Medina.

Flights to Makassar and Manado from Jakarta, Surabaya and Balikpapan

RouteAirlines (October 2026)Nonstop time in the air
Jakarta to MakassarBatik Air, Citilink, Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, NAM Air, Pelita Air, Sriwijaya Air2 hr 25 min
Surabaya to MakassarBatik Air, Citilink, Lion Air, NAM Air, Sriwijaya Air1 hr 30 min
Balikpapan to MakassarBatik Air, Citilink, Lion Air, Super Air Jet1 hr 10 min
Jakarta to ManadoBatik Air, Citilink, Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air3 hr 25 min
Surabaya to ManadoLion Air2 hr 40 min
Makassar to ManadoBatik Air, Lion Air, TransNusa1 hr 45 min

Jakarta has several nonstop flights a day to both cities. On 1 November 2026, airasia.com listed six from Jakarta to Makassar. On 19 November, it listed five from Jakarta to Manado. Super Air Jet also flies from Balikpapan to Manado. Some flights stop on the way under one flight number: check that yours is nonstop. Jakarta and Surabaya are one hour behind Sulawesi.

Sulawesi from Bali: Makassar, Manado and Wakatobi

Bali (DPS) has nonstop flights to Makassar, Manado and Wangi-Wangi, the gateway island of Wakatobi (October 2026).

  • Bali to Makassar: Batik Air, Citilink, Lion Air and Sriwijaya Air, in 1 hr 20 min to 1 hr 25 min.
  • Bali to Manado: Lion Air and TransNusa. TransNusa's nonstop flight takes 2 hr 30 min.
  • Bali to Wakatobi: TransNusa's flights to Matahora Airport (WNI) on Wangi-Wangi started on 16 July 2026. Its July 2026 schedule has three flights a week, on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays. Flight 8B 5662 leaves Bali at 08:05 and lands at 09:45.

No airline flies nonstop from Bali to Palu, Kendari, Gorontalo or Luwuk: change planes in Makassar. No airline flies from Makassar to Wangi-Wangi either. From Makassar, fly to Kendari, then take FlyJaya to Wangi-Wangi.

Palu, Kendari, Gorontalo and Luwuk: flights from Jakarta and Makassar

AirportFrom Jakarta (October 2026)From Makassar (October 2026)
Palu (PLW)Batik Air, Garuda Indonesia, Super Air Jet. Nonstop: 2 hr 50 minBatik Air, Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air
Kendari (KDI)Batik Air, Citilink, Garuda Indonesia, Pelita Air, Super Air Jet. Nonstop: 2 hr 50 min to 2 hr 55 minBatik Air, Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air
Gorontalo (GTO)Garuda Indonesia. Nonstop: 3 hr 5 minLion Air
Luwuk (LUW)No flightBatik Air, 1 hr 15 min

Wings Air also flies to Luwuk from Manado and Palu, and to Gorontalo from Manado.

Sulawesi destinations: which airport to fly to

DestinationFly toThen
BunakenManado (MDC)Boat, 40 to 90 minutes
Lembeh StraitManado (MDC)Road to Bitung, 1 to 1.5 hours, then a boat of 15 to 40 minutes
TangkokoManado (MDC)Road, 1.5 to 2 hours
TomohonManado (MDC)Road, 1 hour
Tana TorajaMakassar (UPG)Road, 8 to 10 hours, or Wings Air to Toraja Airport (TRT) on Wednesdays and Fridays
Togean IslandsPalu (PLW), Luwuk (LUW) or Gorontalo (GTO)Ampana by Susi Air from Palu or by road from Luwuk (6 to 7 hours), then a speedboat to Wakai (1.5 hours). From Gorontalo, an overnight ferry (12 hours)
WakatobiKendari (KDI) or Bali (DPS)FlyJaya from Kendari or TransNusa from Bali to Wangi-Wangi (WNI)
BiraMakassar (UPG)Road, about 200 km: 5 to 6 hours by bus
SelayarMakassar (UPG)Road to Bira, then the ferry to Pamatata (2.5 hours)
Lore LinduPalu (PLW)Road, 1.5 hours to Kulawi or 3 hours to Wuasa
Lake PosoPalu (PLW)Road to Tentena, about 6 hours

Small flights and boats change their days. Check them the day before you travel. For the details, read getting around Sulawesi, Makassar to Toraja and the Wakatobi travel guide.

Sulawesi by sea: Pelni ships and ferries

Pelni, Indonesia's state passenger shipping line, ran 26 passenger ships in January 2025. In Makassar, its ships use Soekarno-Hatta port. In the north, they call at Bitung, 1 to 1.5 hours by road from Manado. Pelni's schedule for 1 to 10 October 2026 lists these routes:

  • From Java: four sailings from Jakarta (Tanjung Priok) to Makassar, on KM Labobar, KM Ciremai, KM Nggapulu and KM Gunung Dempo. Each takes 2 to 2.5 days.
  • From Kalimantan: KM Bukit Siguntang and KM Lambelu sail between Tarakan and Makassar. In August 2026, KM Bukit Siguntang called at Makassar, Pare-Pare, Balikpapan, Tarakan and Nunukan.
  • From Maluku: KM Sangiang, KM Dorolonda and KM Tatamailau sail from Bitung to Ternate, and KM Sinabung from Ternate to Bitung. KM Nggapulu sails from Ambon to Bitung. Three ships sail from Makassar to Ambon.

ASDP, the state ferry company, runs Kariangau ferry port in Balikpapan. In February 2025, its crossings went to Pare-Pare, Mamuju and Taipa, near Palu.

Pelni schedules change. Check pelni.co.id, which sells tickets for departures in the next 14 days. Before a sea crossing, read Is Sulawesi safe? on boat safety, and the seasons by region for the rough months at sea.

Sulawesi entry points for foreign visitors

Makassar (UPG) and Manado (MDC) are the Sulawesi airports with visa on arrival (October 2026). Palu (PLW) became an international airport on 11 August 2025. Its only flights from abroad are charters, and no visa-on-arrival facility is listed there. Kendari, Gorontalo, Luwuk, Wangi-Wangi and Toraja have domestic flights only. The ships and ferries in this guide sail between Indonesian ports, so you pass immigration where you first enter Indonesia.

Visitors from the countries on the visa-on-arrival list pay IDR 500,000 for 30 days, at the airport or online in advance (the e-VOA). ASEAN citizens need no visa for 30 days. Every traveller from abroad also fills in the All Indonesia arrival card. Read visa, SIM card and money for the details. Rules and fees change: confirm them on the official site, evisa.imigrasi.go.id, before you travel.

How do I get to Sulawesi? Fly to Makassar (UPG) or Manado (MDC), Sulawesi's two international gateways with visa on arrival. In October 2026, Scoot flies to both from Singapore, and AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines fly from Kuala Lumpur to Makassar. Jakarta and Bali have several flights a day to Makassar, in about 2 hours 25 minutes and 1 hour 25 minutes. Pelni ships also sail to Makassar and Bitung from Jakarta, Kalimantan and Maluku.

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