Live out your Indiana Jones fantasies at this extensive (and very popular) burial cave below a massive cliff face. Its entrance is guarded by a balcony of tau tau, while inside piles of coffins – many of them rotted away – and bones lie haphazardly on almost every ledge. Members of the upper class are placed in hanging caskets on the cliff face, some at dizzying heights, while commoners are placed in the caves, often without caskets at all.
A local myth says that the people buried here are the descendants of Tangdilinoq, chief of the Toraja; English-speaking guides with lanterns (50,000Rp) are eager to tell you all about it and more as you explore the depths of the caves. If you’re thin, and don’t suffer from claustrophobia, squeeze through the tunnel that connects the two main caves, passing some interesting stalactites and stalagmites.
Rantepao–Makale bemo will drop you off at the turn-off 5km south of Rantepao. From there it's a 2km walk (or ojek) from the cave.
