Bantimurung – Bulusaraung National Park

Bantimurung – Bulusaraung is a national park in South Sulawesi that covers limestone mountains, waterfalls, and forested valleys between Maros and Pangkep districts. The protected area includes numerous cave systems, river courses, and rainforest zones across more than 43,000 hectares.

Alfred Russel Wallace explored the region in 1857 and documented its butterfly population in scientific publications. His work made the area known to international researchers and contributed to its later designation as a protected zone.

The caves hold rock paintings and tools from prehistoric times, showing how people lived here thousands of years ago. Visitors can view these traces of early settlement in several accessible grottos.

Guided walks through the caves and butterfly zone are offered by park staff and help with navigation across the terrain. Lighting systems make it easier to access several grottos, while educational trails provide information about animals and plants.

The area hosts over 250 butterfly species that can be observed in what is known as the Kingdom of Butterflies. Leang Puteh, a vertical cave reaching 273 meters (896 feet) deep, is considered the deepest vertical grotto in Indonesia.