Makassar is the largest city in eastern Indonesia and the capital of South Sulawesi, a busy port on the Makassar Strait that has traded with the wider archipelago for centuries. Travellers come for the sunset promenade at Losari, the coral islands just offshore, the karst country of Maros and some of the most distinctive cooking in Indonesia. Many also use the city as the starting point for the highlands of Tana Toraja. If you are searching for flights to Makassar from Malaysia, this page brings together fares, schedules and planning tips in one place.

About the airport serving Makassar

Location

Makassar is served by Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport, still coded UPG after the city's former name, Ujung Pandang. The airport sits north-east of the city centre in Maros Regency, close to the Mandai area. It is one of the main hubs for eastern Indonesia, so it handles a large share of connections between Java, Bali, Kalimantan, Maluku and Papua as well as a smaller set of international routes.

Terminals

Domestic and international flights are handled in a modern main terminal building, with separate areas for each. Check the terminal and check-in details shown on your e-ticket before you leave for the airport, especially on international departures, and allow extra time for immigration and security when you fly out of Makassar during holiday peaks.

Getting to and from the airport

A toll road links the airport with the city, which makes the ride into central Makassar fairly straightforward outside rush hour. Official airport taxis wait outside arrivals, and ride-hailing apps are widely used for pick-ups. Public airport buses run towards the city as well, which is a budget choice if you are travelling light. Traffic around the city centre can be heavy in the late afternoon, so leave a buffer when heading to Hasanuddin Airport for an evening flight.

Direct and connecting flights to Makassar

Direct international service to Makassar is limited, and routes change from season to season, so the quickest way to see your options is to search your dates and switch on the direct-flight filter. Travellers from Kuala Lumpur may find non-stop options at certain times. From Miri, Sibu or other Borneo cities, a connection is the usual pattern, often through Kuala Lumpur or a major Indonesian hub such as Jakarta, Surabaya or Bali.

When you compare connecting itineraries, look at the layover length and whether you change terminals or re-check bags along the way. The same applies if you are starting a longer regional trip elsewhere: flights from Manila, Cebu or Chiang Mai to Makassar generally involve at least one connection, often through Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta or Bali. Because Makassar is a gateway to eastern Indonesia, it can also be a sensible place to break a longer trip before flying on to Ambon, Manado or Papua.

When to fly to Makassar

Makassar has a hot tropical climate with a clear split between seasons. The wetter months usually run from around November to March, when heavy afternoon downpours and choppy seas can affect island trips. The drier stretch, roughly from June to September, brings calmer water for snorkelling around the Spermonde islands and easier conditions for day trips inland to Maros and Tana Toraja.

Demand from Malaysia tends to rise during school holidays, Hari Raya, Chinese New Year and Deepavali, and Indonesia's own Lebaran period fills domestic connections as families travel home. Fares on this page change with that demand, so use the price chart above to spot quieter weeks, keep your dates flexible and set a Price Alert if you are planning well ahead.

Popular places in Makassar

Losari Beach

Losari is less a beach than a long waterfront promenade, and it is the heart of the city in the evening. Locals gather here to watch the sun drop into the strait, and food stalls set up along the seafront. The large lettered sign and the nearby floating mosque make it a favourite photo stop.

Fort Rotterdam

This well-preserved fort began as a stronghold of the Gowa Sultanate before the Dutch rebuilt it. Its whitewashed colonial buildings, thick walls and quiet lawns now house a museum on the history of South Sulawesi. It is an easy walk from the Losari waterfront and makes a calm morning visit.

Paotere Harbour

At Paotere you can see traditional wooden phinisi schooners lined up along the docks, loading cargo much as they have for generations. Mornings are the liveliest time, when the neighbouring fish market is in full swing. It is a short ride north of the centre and a vivid look at Makassar's seafaring roots.

Samalona and the Spermonde islands

A short boat trip from the city takes you to small coral islands such as Samalona, part of the wider Spermonde Archipelago. The shallow reefs are good for snorkelling in calm weather, and the white sand makes a pleasant contrast with the busy city. Boats leave from piers near the waterfront.

Rammang-Rammang and Bantimurung

North of the city in Maros Regency, Rammang-Rammang is a dramatic karst landscape you explore by small boat along a river lined with limestone towers. Nearby Bantimurung is known for its waterfall and its many butterflies. Both sit on the same side of the city as Hasanuddin Airport, so they fit well into a first or last day.

Where to stay in Makassar

The Losari waterfront and the streets behind it, around Jalan Somba Opu and Jalan Penghibur, put you within walking distance of the promenade, Fort Rotterdam and plenty of places to eat. Panakkukang, further inland, is a newer commercial district with shopping malls and a good choice of mid-range accommodation. Tanjung Bunga to the south-west has a more spread-out, resort-style feel near the coast, while travellers with early flights often pick somewhere in the Mandai or Maros area close to Sultan Hasanuddin Airport.

Food to try in Makassar

Coto Makassar

The city's signature dish is a rich, spiced beef and offal soup thickened with ground peanuts. It is usually eaten with ketupat, rice cakes cooked in woven palm leaves, and a squeeze of lime. Many small coto shops open early and sell out by lunchtime.

Konro

Konro is built around beef ribs, served either as a dark, aromatic soup coloured with keluak nuts or grilled and served with a sweet, peanut-based sauce. The grilled version, konro bakar, is a favourite dinner for visitors and locals alike.

Pallubasa

Similar to coto but richer, pallubasa is a beef soup made with toasted grated coconut. It is often served with a raw egg yolk stirred into the hot broth just before eating, which gives it a silky finish.

Pisang epe and es pisang ijo

For something sweet, try pisang epe, grilled bananas pressed flat and topped with palm sugar syrup, sold at stalls along Losari in the evening. Es pisang ijo wraps banana in green pandan dough and serves it over shaved ice with coconut milk and syrup, a welcome treat in the Makassar heat.

Whether you want sunsets on the seafront, reef trips or a road journey into the Toraja highlands, Makassar rewards a few extra days. Compare fares above, choose your dates and book your e-ticket on Traveloka, with 24/7 customer service and Easy Reschedule if your plans change.