Tentena & Ampana
the gateway towns to the Togeans from the south
Most people pass through Tentena and Ampana as a way to get from South Sulawesi to the Togean Islands of Central Sulawesi. While these small towns don’t necessarily have much to see, there is still beauty to be found there and may be worth taking your time to explore a bit! For us, we actually quite enjoyed the little town of Tentena located on the shores of Lake Poso and would recommend spending a couple days there if you have the time. However, Ampana didn’t really have much and is okay to just spend a night, or pass through as quick as possible.
Contents
Getting to Tentena & Ampana
How long to spend in Tentena & Ampana
What to do in Tentena
How to get to Tentena & Ampana
From the South: Tana Toraja to Tentena
Public transit (recommended) – There’s a 14 hour day bus that leaves Tana Toraja at 7am and arrives in Tentena around 11pm. There’s no night bus option. Your homestay host in either Tana Toraja or Tentena can help you book tickets, and tickets cost 200K IDR ($13). It’s a long, but smooth and easy journey, and much more affordable than the private car option.
Private car – You can take a private car which takes 10-12 hours and costs 1,800,000 IDR ($112). Departure times are flexible but it’s recommended to start early, around 6am, and you can make stops whenever you want.
Tentena to Ampana
Public transit – Take a bus from Tentena to Poso (2 hours; 9-11am), costs 50K/person ($3). Then, transfer bus and take another bus from Poso to Ampana (4-5 hours), costs 100-200K/person ($6-12). Sometimes you can directly catch the transfer, but if not, you will have to wait 1-5 hours in-between buses.
Private car (recommended) – Costs 1,000,000 IDR ($62) and can fit up to 5 people. The journey takes 5-6 hours. If you split this between 4-5 people, the price is similar to using public transit and much easier.
How long to spend in Tentena & Ampana
How long to spend in Tentena
Tentena and Ampana are mostly towns that people pass through as they make their way between the popular destinations, Tana Toraja and the Togean Islands. From Tana Toraja, it’s a long, 14 hour journey to Tentena, where you’ll arrive around 11pm. Some people only stay in Tentena for 1 night just as a place to sleep before continuing to Ampana the next morning. In my opinion, Tentena is actually quite a nice town to stay in. It’s a small town in the countryside with a beautiful lake nearby. We stayed for 2 nights, and actually wished we had stayed 1 more. So, it depends what you want — if you want to make your way as fast as possible, then 1 night is fine. You’re not missing out on so much. But if you want to take it a bit more slowly, I would recommend 2-3 nights, as Tentena is a nice town to slowly enjoy and recuperate in!
How long to spend in Ampana
While Tentena is a pleasant small town that you could enjoy for a few days, I would recommend staying the minimal time in Ampana. We arrived in Ampana in the afternoon, explored the town some and spent one night, and took the ferry the next morning. It is what I would also recommend. There’s not much to see or do, and the town can be easily explored in an afternoon. Unlike Tentena, there’s also not much nice nature nearby to enjoy. Therefore, I would say just 1 night is enough in Ampana!
Torau Resort
Siuri Cottage and Beach
What to do in Tentena
Saloupa Waterfall – A very beautiful waterfall, and if you do the easy climb to the top, you can even swim there!
Siuri Beach / Siuru Cottage – Super cute cottages and restaurant overlooking the water. The restaurant area is built on stilts over the water and is a lovely place to have a drink and relax, and there’s even a pool table there that you can use! Also a very idyllic swimming spot at the lake.
Torau Resort – A resort on the lake with infinity pools and beautiful restaurant overlooking the water. We preferred Siuri Cottage’s restaurant since it was more lowkey and quaint, but still with amazing views. Torau has a more luxury feel if you’re looking for that! Also a nice place to relax for a day and spend a few hours.
Atalambu Hill – A pine forest with nice views of Tentena and Lake Poso.
Bada Village – Home to some 400 ancient stone megaliths of unknown origin that might be over 5000 years old! They are seemingly scattered haphazardly around the hills near Lore Lindu National Park. It’s a 3 hour drive down rough roads from Tentena, and scooters are not allowed. It’s recommended to visit this area with a guide who can also share some history!