Tentena

Tentena is a town in Central Sulawesi.

Understand

Beach at Lake Poso, near Tentena.

Tentena sits on the road between Ampana and Rantepao, on the northern shore of Lake Poso. The town itself could be easily overlooked if it were not for the number of guides and locals recommending it as a better option than Poso for an overnight stop. The main street might be a little underwhelming, however the various warungs and homes build over the clear lake waters, and the surrounding rice fields give this charming little town a surpsising appeal. The community exists on two sides of the lake, connected by a busy concrete traffic bridge and a quieter, wooden foot bridge. The main side of the lake is the more commercial area, while the opposite site has a noticeably quieter and more homely feel.

Tentena is in North Pamona district in the regency of Poso, about 50 km south of regency capital Poso. The headquarters of the Central Sulawesi Christian Church are in Tentena.

Get in

The arrival point is the Bus Terminal - a simple drop-off point on the side of the road. From here its a 4km walk into the main areas of guesthouses and shops. A better option is to flag down a local Ojek (motorbike taxi) to take you and your luggage in for Rp5,000.

If you are arriving from Rantepao, 'tourist guides' will be on hand to suggest accommodation options. They are likely to charge you double the normal rate for an ojek (motorbike taxi) ride; however the late arrival of the bus from Rantepao (anywhere between 8pm and 11pm depending on road conditions) Rp15,000 - Rp20,000 (as of Sep 2018).

Get around

• Ojeks (motorbikes) can take you to most local spots for around Rp5,000
• Bemos (a minivan, Kijang [old model Toyota SUV], or minibus] can bring you around.

See

• 1 Poso Lake. The main attraction within Tentena, which has beautiful clear water, adjacent warungs (and some home-stays under construction) and a peaceful vibe. 2 parallel bridges exist to bring you back and forth. It's worth exploring the opposite side of the lake for guesthouses, homestays, and warungs (kiosk / eatery).  
• 2 Latea Cave (Goa Latea) (Near the city center, on the West side, near the new bridge, off to a small road.). This cave used to be a burial place, just like stone graves in Toraja. Latea Cave is a limestone cave which is estimated to be around 30 million years old. You would need to squat down and crawl through. Remember to bring mosquito repellent.  
• 3 Saluopa Waterfall. By all accounts the Saluopa Waterfall - while a little tough to reach, about 12 km out of town - is one of the best available, notable for the lack of other tourists and businesses. There are approximately 10 drops, each of which you can bathe in. A nice relief from the heat of Sulawesi, and worth if considering if you have time. Toilets and restaurants at site. 20,000 Rpfor foreigners (Oct. 2022).  

Eat

Try 'Sigoli', a freshwater eel from Lake Poso.

Sleep

• Victory Hotel, victorytentena@yahoo.com. a bit old, but has good, clean rooms in both budget (Rp150,000 per person) and Deluxe (Rp250,000 with TV and hot shower). All prices include breakfast. A good option for a single night. The hotel is excellent at booking trips and transportation for you. 
• Tropicana. If you're in town for a few nights, the opposite side (West side) is worth exploring for the peaceful atmosphere (away from the traffic and 'bussle') superior views of the lake and nearby farmlands, and good range of warungs (kiosk / eatery). 

Connect

Telephone area code for Tentena is 0458.

Go next

All connections in Tentena are made from the Bus Terminal, 4km out of town. Ojeks (motorbike taxi) are easily chartered to take you and your luggage to the Terminal for Rp 5,000.

To Rantepao: Bus connection (13 hours, Rp 250,000) (as of Oct 2022). The road between Palopo and Rantepao is prone to landslides. The road can be blocked for hours or days.

To Ampana: You need to take Ojeks (motorbike taxi) or Bemos to Tentena Bus Terminal to Poso (2 hours, Rp40,000), and then transfer to Bus to Ampana (a further 4 hours from Poso, Rp70,000) or another Bemos (Rp80,000 - Rp100,000) (as of Sep 2018). Taxis and private vehicles will hover by the Poso Bus station trying to convince you that the Bus is not available. Predictably, once it is apparent you intend to wait for the bus, the price of Taxis and Private vehicles will become more competitive (sometimes the same price as a bus seat). Private care can be arranged for Rp800,000 - Rp1,200,000 (as of Oct 2022).