Hostels in Sulawesi 
Looking for the best hostels in Sulawesi? You are in the right place!
On this page, we have listed every city in Sulawesi with backpacker hostels and budget-friendly stays. Hostelz.com makes it easy to find your ideal Sulawesi hostel by comparing prices across major booking platforms. Save money while backpacking Sulawesi and sleep comfortably on a budget.
All Backpacker Hostels in Sulawesi
We have got you covered with a complete list of every hostel in Sulawesi, across 11 cities! Not all cities have hostels, but many offer alternative budget options like guesthouses and affordable hotels. Use our filters to quickly find cities with hostels or other budget accommodations to simplify your trip planning.
All Sulawesi hostels on a map
Alright, you are more the visual type? Planning your trip with a map is always handy.
Therefore, this map shows you all cities with hostels in Sulawesi. It will help you to plan your trip. Just zoom in the map and click your destination for more details. Just so you know: If we do not have a hostel in a city, it is likely that there is no hostel in that city.
Our handwritten guide on Backpacking Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the largest island regions in Indonesia. Part of Kalimantan, it is known the world over for its attractions for both fans of adventure and lovers of nature. From large cities to small, out-of-the-way villages, Sulawesi has a lot to offer the casual and enthusiastic traveller.
You can stay at one of the many hostels on the island, most of which are very affordable. The landlords are usually very friendly and most of them speak English so you won’t have issues with language barriers at the hostels.
Try searching for hostels near some of the landmarks you intend to visit. This shouldn’t be too hard considering the wide range of options available everywhere in the region.
Consider staying in or near Makassar, the largest city in the Sulawesi region and the capital city of the southern part of the island. It is within reach of famous Losari beach as well as the historic Fort Rotterdam.
You can also rent a boat here to visit Pulau Khayangan and if you want to visit Tana Toraja, it is just a short flight away.
Tana Toraja is an ancient settlement of the Torajan people, one of few remaining cultures in the world untouched by progress. You can witness the ancient rituals of this fascinating people, which haven’t been changed for over a century.
If you happen to be a nature lover, be sure to visit Lindu National Park in Palu. It is a fun place to explore, and can be reached by travelling up a mountain. The jungle, in many places unexplored, has an abundance of rare species of plants and animals, including monkeys, hornbills, and varieties of snakes.
While travelling from the south to the north of the island, you should visit the Tentena area in the centre of Sulawesi, a region surrounding a clear freshwater lake called Pendolo. The lake has white sands and a waterfall located nearby. If you visit this area in August, you can watch the Poso festival which is staged on the lake.
Your diving fantasies can also be satisfied in Sulawesi by visiting the Togian islands. This is part of the northern district of Sulawesi and is very secretive. Most of the underwater areas in these islands are unexplored and full of rare marine life. To top it all off, the sunsets on the islands are world-renowned.
Handwritten by local expert for Sulawesi hostels Jakob Lombardi
Travel Tips for Sulawesi - from the Community
Hey fam! Here are a few more tips from the community, from them to you, and you to them. This space is dedicated for travellers to share their best tips on backpacking Sulawesi. Have a closer look - the Hostelz community share real hidden gems, insider knowledge and overall impressions of Sulawesi. Everyone is welcome to add something useful, funny, unexpected and the "absolutely necessary to know before you go" - share, share and then share a little more!
FAQ on Hostels in Sulawesi
There is a lot of travel planning to do. So let us help you once again by putting together the frequently asked questions:
Finding Hostels and Prices
What hostel booking sites are best to use?
There is several hostel booking sites, such as Hostelworld.com, Hostelsclub.com and Booking.com. While every platform has its pros and cons, there is a universal truth you as a traveler should be aware of: Not a single booking site can always offer the best prices.
This is where Hostelz.com comes in. You can compare all major booking portals with one click.
For you as a traveler, Hostelz.com is the best booking site to actually save money.
How much are hostels in Sulawesi?
Prices always vary, depending on various factors. Weekends tend to be more expensive, same goes for special holidays. Please also take into account local vaction time.
You can search for exacty hostel prices in Sulawesi here on Hostelz.com. Pick your destination and pick a date. The system will track down the prices to give an idea of what budget and prices you can expect.
When to book hostels?
If you want to stay at the best hostels, it is a good idea to have your hostel booked around 1 month before you travel. For the regular hostels, booking one week before should be okay. Yet again, this always depends.
We dedicated a full article to the topic of when to book hostels.
Safety and Packing
Are hostels in Sulawesi safe?
Generally speaking, hostels are as safe as you make them. We highly recommend always to bring your own padlock, using the lockers and taking care of your belongings. Make sure you pick a safe hostel, offering lockers and a safe location. Please always pay attention to the reviews; they can give you a great insight on what to expect and safety tips.
What to pack when staying in hostels?
There is a few basics you should always pack when staying in hostels.
There is more actually. We wrote a complete guide with more details. Read our full hostel packing list.