Untold Miles - Chapter 7 – Fire on the Beach? Our Most Magical Evening in Sulawesi

Untold Miles - Chapter 7 – Fire on the Beach? Our Most Magical Evening in Sulawesi

Our final morning in Ampana began with a familiar sound.

Knock... Knock...

It was Dadang.

With his usual cheerful smile, he stood outside our cottage and said,

"Your bike is ready. Two helmets are there as well."

What a host!

We wished him a great day and promised to catch up in the evening before leaving for the Togean Islands the next morning.

Little did we know...

Today was about to become one of the most unforgettable days of our entire Sulawesi trip.

Another Day, Another Road Trip

Today's plan sounded fairly simple.

✔ Ride through the countryside.

✔ Visit a hot spring.

✔ Explore the coastline.

✔ Be back in time for a surprise planned by Wati.

Simple enough.

After another fantastic breakfast—complete with fresh tropical fruits that somehow tasted better than any fruit we'd had back home—we geared up and left the homestay around 9 AM.

The destination was roughly 35 kilometres away.

The route?

Impossible to miss.

There was basically one road.

One side...

The sea.

The other...

Endless coconut plantations.

By now, we'd become experts at spotting the huge Chinese-owned coconut farms that stretched for kilometres along the coast.

The road was smooth, the weather was perfect, and every few minutes we'd stop just to admire the deep blue sea sparkling under the morning sun.

Some roads aren't meant to be rushed.

They're meant to be enjoyed.

The Hot Spring That Didn't Feel... Natural

About forty-five minutes later we arrived at the hot spring.

To be honest...

It wasn't what we expected.

In my imagination, I was picturing a natural steaming pool surrounded by rocks and trees.

Instead...

Someone had built a concrete swimming pool and channelled the hot spring water into it.

It felt more like a public swimming pool than a natural wonder.

Personally, I believe hot springs are best left exactly as nature creates them.

No walls.

No tiles.

No concrete.

Just nature doing its thing.

There was a beautiful freshwater stream flowing nearby, but unlike the hot spring, it was refreshingly cool.

We clicked a few photographs, appreciated the place for what it was, and decided it was time to head back.

Thankfully...

The day still had plenty of surprises waiting for us.

A Beach with Nobody Around

On our return journey, we noticed a narrow trail disappearing into one of the coconut plantations.

The sea was visible in the distance.

Curiosity immediately won.

We turned off the main road and followed the little path.

Five minutes later...

We found ourselves on a quiet stretch of coastline.

No crowds.

No beach shacks.

No tourists.

Just a few fishing spots, scattered food wrappers left behind by previous visitors, and the peaceful sound of the waves.

It looked like a favourite place for local fishermen rather than tourists.

We walked into the water, but decided against swimming.

The beach was too deserted, and sometimes common sense is the best travel companion.

Instead, we climbed over a few rocks, took some photographs and simply enjoyed having the entire place to ourselves.

Those are often the best beaches.

An Unexpected Invitation

Before returning to Ampana, we made one more stop.

Wati had mentioned there was a Catholic church nearby, so naturally we wanted to visit.

When we parked outside the church, something completely unexpected happened.

A family living directly opposite noticed us and walked over.

The lady smiled warmly and invited us into their home.

We politely asked if the church was open.

She called her husband, who spoke English.

He explained that the parish priest travelled from Luwuk, so Mass was celebrated only once or twice each month.

The family themselves were Catholic.

They invited us inside, offered us drinking water and spent time chatting about our journey.

Where were we from?

Where were we travelling next?

How did we like Sulawesi?

After a lovely conversation, we exchanged smiles, thanked them for their kindness and continued our ride.

It never stopped amazing us how welcoming people were throughout this trip.

Goodbye Chicken... Hello Fresh Fish!

Back in Ampana, the afternoon heat had become intense.

We searched for a restaurant with one very important feature.

Air-conditioning.

Mission accomplished.

Since we were now surrounded by the sea, we both agreed on one thing.

Enough chicken.

It was finally time for fresh seafood.

We ordered a coconut-flavoured fish curry, steamed rice and a plate of chicken satay to share.

The portions were enormous.

The flavours?

Even bigger.

The fish was unbelievably fresh.

From that moment onwards, chicken officially lost its place on our menu.

Seafood had taken over.

The Surprise Wati Had Been Hiding

Yesterday I had mentioned there was something special about Ampana.

This was it.

A place called Wisata Tanjung Api.

It isn't famous.

It isn't crowded.

In fact, many people travelling to the Togean Islands don't even know it exists.

And that's exactly what makes it so special.

The beach is home to a rare natural phenomenon where flammable gas escapes from beneath the ground, creating what locals call the eternal fire.

The moment Wati mentioned it while planning our itinerary, I knew we had to see it.

By around 4 PM, we reached the beach near our homestay where Wati and Agunk were already waiting for us.

Along with two local boatmen, we climbed aboard a traditional fishing boat and began sailing across the calm sea.

Sailing Towards the Unknown

The water was unbelievably peaceful.

Soon the mainland disappeared behind us.

Ahead lay only mountains covered in thick green forests.

No buildings.

No roads.

No people.

Just nature.

In the distance, I noticed a tiny wooden hut standing all alone on an empty beach.

"I think that's where we're going," I said.

For once...

Google Maps wasn't needed.

Fire... Coming Out of the Sand!

After about forty-five minutes, we reached the beach.

As the boat approached the shore, something unusual caught my eye.

Tiny bubbles were rising through the water.

Lots of them.

Wati smiled.

"That's the gas."

Immediately my imagination went into Hollywood mode.

I was expecting lava.

Boiling water.

Fire exploding everywhere.

Clearly I'd watched too many movies.

The water was perfectly normal.

We stepped onto the beach while one of the boatmen picked up a long wooden stick and walked towards a rocky patch.

He gently rubbed the stick against the ground.

And suddenly...

Fire.

Actual fire.

We all stared in complete disbelief.

"How is this even possible?"

Within seconds everyone grabbed a stick and started rubbing different parts of the beach.

Everywhere...

Little flames appeared.

It felt like performing magic.

Only this time...

Nature was the magician.

Fire on Water?!

Just when we thought we'd seen everything...

The boatman dug a tiny hole in the sand using nothing but his hands.

Bubbles immediately appeared.

Then...

Flames.

Coming straight out of the bubbling water.

Now my brain completely gave up trying to understand what was happening.

Fire.

Water.

Bubbles.

None of the water felt hot.

The boatman encouraged us to touch it.

Very cautiously...

We placed our hands in the bubbling water.

Completely normal.

Not hot at all.

How?

We still have no idea.

For the next hour we became curious little scientists, wandering around the beach, rubbing sticks against the sand and discovering little flames popping up almost everywhere.

The entire shoreline seemed alive.

If we placed dry leaves over the flames, they continued burning for quite some time.

One of the boatmen laughed and said,

"If we'd brought fish, we could cook dinner right here."

Honestly...

He wasn't joking.

Why Doesn't Anyone Know About This Place?

Curious, I asked Wati why so few tourists visited.

She explained that many years ago a petroleum company wanted to extract the underground gas.

The local community opposed the project.

Thankfully.

Otherwise this magical place might not exist today.

She also shared another beautiful local belief.

Fishermen often stop here to prepare food before heading back out to sea.

And on stormy nights, the natural flames along the shoreline are believed to guide fishermen safely back towards land.

Whether science explains it or not...

Some stories are simply better when you hear them from the people who live there.

As I stood watching tiny flames dance across the beach, I couldn't help wondering...

Would this place still look the same twenty years from now?

I certainly hope so.

Racing the Rain Again

Dark clouds had started gathering over the sea.

Far away we could already see heavy rain falling.

Thankfully...

Not on us.

Yet.

We climbed back onto the boat and quietly enjoyed the ride home.

The sea remained calm while lightning flashed in the distance.

As Ampana slowly came back into view and its lights began glowing along the shoreline, I couldn't stop thinking about what we'd just witnessed.

This wasn't something you find in guidebooks.

This was one of those travel experiences that stays with you forever.

One Last Dinner in Ampana

Back on the mainland, it was still too early to return to the homestay.

So we wandered through the streets looking for dinner.

Eventually we found a small local restaurant.

The people at the next table had ordered fried chicken that looked too good to ignore.

So...

One final chicken meal before island life began tomorrow.

Then I noticed an innocent-looking orange paste sitting on the table.

Without asking any questions...

I took a generous spoonful.

Big mistake.

Very big mistake.

Within seconds my eyes filled with tears.

My mouth was on fire.

Apparently I'd just discovered one of Indonesia's spiciest sambals.

In complete panic, I ordered two glasses of orange juice.

Emergency services successfully arrived.

Lesson learned.

Never underestimate a chilli paste that looks harmless.

Mix a tiny amount with your rice first.

Otherwise...

Be prepared to cry.

As if nature wanted to join the drama, heavy rain suddenly started pouring outside the restaurant.

Even the clouds seemed emotional.

One Last Ride Home

After waiting for the rain to ease slightly, we found one of Ampana's local tuk-tuks.

Unlike the ones back home, these were built on motorcycles, giving passengers a surprisingly open view of the road.

The driver was excited to meet travellers from India.

By the end of the ride we'd exchanged WhatsApp numbers, taken photographs together and promised to stay in touch.

Another unexpected friendship.

Another reason we'll always remember Ampana.

Back at Triple R Homestay, we thanked Dadang once again for his incredible hospitality.

If you're ever staying in Ampana...

I genuinely recommend this place.

Not just because of the comfortable rooms.

But because of the people.

With our bags packed and alarms set for the morning, we switched off the lights.

Tomorrow we would leave the mainland behind.

The Togean Islands were finally waiting for us.

And from everything we'd heard...

Paradise was about to begin.