Londa - The Creepiest Tombstone in Tana Toraja Regency, South Sulawesi
People in Tana Toraja Regency have been familiar with Londa. It is actually an ancient tombstone. What makes it unique? The dead people are buried in a wall. Near to these holes, there are some wooden dolls. These represent the dead people, actually. The dolls wear traditional clothes of Tana Toraja and they stand neatly near to each other. Due to such uniqueness, Londa has attracted many visitors over time. Despite its creepy nuance, such burial site is considered valuable for tourism. It helps tourists to recognize the culture of people in South Sulawesi, after all.
The Nuance
Londa is actually a formation of burial holes. The shape of the holes is square and each of them has a wooden lid. Near to these holes, you can find a formation of wooden dolls. Their appearance is quite creepy. The skin color is either red or brown. As mentioned before, they wear clothes just like a normal person. However, their size isn’t quite big. From afar, tourists are able to witness these features like a display. What an uncommon way to bury people!
Exploring Londa
Each culture has its uniqueness. People of Tana Toraja are not an exception. They have a unique way to bury their relatives. Those who come from a noble family get a better burial treatment than regular ones, actually. The death person will be placed in Londa (wall caves). It is a special tombstone of Tana Toraja. Not to mention there is a special ceremony prior to burying the corpse. The entire procedure costs lots of money. No wonder, only rich families are able to perform such special ceremony.
Today, Londa becomes more popular either among local or foreign tourists. The world even considers it as one of the creepiest burial sites. It is true not all villages have Londa. The best destination to witness it is in Sandan Uai Village. You can simply head to Sanggalangi District and the location is about 7-8 km from Rantepao City. Not to mention it is approachable using different types of vehicles. As for the tip, it is better to come with a local guide.
If you want to reach Londa, you need to take some stairs. The locals may tell you to carry a flashlight, too. It is because the location features a cave. You may need illumination, later. As mentioned before, a tour guide is quite recommended. He may lead the way to the location. It is because he knows the route well. Once you reach the location, you may see several skeletons on the floor. It is because they are falling off the wall.
Nearby Attractions
- Ollon
- Serambu Waterfall
- Kete Kesu
How to Get There
It is easy to reach Tana Toraja Regency. What you need to do is to visit South Sulawesi Province. If you come from Jakarta, your destination is definitely Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport. Once you get to Makassar City, you can simply head to any villages in Tana Toraja. This trip takes 7 hours and 30 minutes. The distance is 315 km. Despite the tiring trip, it is quite worthy.
Where to Stay
- Misilaiana Hotel
- Indra Toraja Hotel
- Torsina Hotel
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