Selayar, South Sulawesi – Slow Living Experience

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,

Since early 2024, I have taken on a new professional role in my company—not entirely new, but with a stronger focus on being a spices planner, while still supervising the procurement division in a smaller capacity

A spice planner generally monitors and coordinates orders from start to finish—from procuring the raw materials to ensuring the order is completed and shipped. The spice I handle is clove.

I ever posted about this spice in this link: clove back in 2023, and never guessing it I will handling it

Our company is committed to adding value at the origin, so we’re building networks in the areas where spices mostly grow, one the areas is Selayar.

In detail by Wikipedia Selayar is the main island of the Selayar Islands (Kepulauan Selayar). It lies off the coast of Cape Bira of South Sulawesi Province. The Selayar Straits separate it from the mainland of Sulawesi. Its principal town is Benteng, while much smaller towns to the south are Tanabau, Padang, Tile-tile, Pariangan, Galung, Layolo, Pa'garangang, Barangbarang, to Appattanah. To the north are Parak, Barugayya, Batangmata, Onto, and finally Bonelohe. The island is over 50 miles (80 km) long and very narrow at the northern and southern ends; its area is 798.58 km² (308.33 sq mi). Benteng is the starting point for diving tours.

Selayar in similar to Bali, where beaches are around, however, here people more depend on the plantation products, such as; copra, clove, nutmeg, and vanilla.

Every year there will crop season for clove and in this past 5 years, I always visit this island and stay around 1 - 3 months to make sure the clove procuring and drying are running and meet the expected target

From Bali to Selayar it will take total around 7-8 hours, and usually I will take afternoon or evening flight from Bali to Makassar, stay a night, in the next early morning continue the trip to Bira (port) by land for 5 hours, and then by ferry crossing to Pamatata (Selayar's port) around 1.5 - 2 hours, and from Pamatata to my company's site will take 15 minutes by land. Tiring!

Since I’m based in a fairly remote area, my company has provided complete facilities, room to stay, pantry, a cook whom serve the food everyday, and this year I get a bicycle to workout ✌✌

Mostly I already visit places here like: Puncak Tanadoang, Pantai Punagaan, Masjid Tua Gantarang, Pulau Bahuluang, and Makam Karang.

Another thing I love about staying here is that there are lots of mosques, so I never have to worry. Whenever it’s prayer time—whether I’m on a field trip or just hanging around—I can fulfill it, alhamdulillah.

I hope that in the near future, the local government will pay more attention to the potential tourism destinations and open the airport for flight options, as this is really important to speed up travel and bring more visitors to this beautiful island, and I hope that my presence here each year can contribute to building solid teamwork that leads to a strong, valuable, and sustainable company

---Life is Good---