Salabose Mosque in Majene Regency, West Sulawesi Province

Even though Majene Regency is dominated by beaches, it has other interesting tourist allures to explore including an ancient building like Salabose Mosque. The locals call it Masjid Purbakala Salabose, actually. The location is in Labuang Village at Banggae Timur Sub-District. Due to the historical value and unique architecture, the mosque has been alluring tourists over time! These people come to the mosque to take photos of the building and learn the history of it, without a doubt. Still, like other mosques, this one is meant to accommodate Moslems for praying.

The Nuance
Masjid Purbakala Salabose is the oldest mosque in Majene Regency. In fact, it has been there for hundreds of years ago. Despite the age, the building looks sturdy and neat. Thanks to good management of Indonesia government. What about the nuance? Well, tourists must know that the mosque is located on Salabose Hill (as the name suggests). No wonder, it feels refreshing and soothing up there. The location is within a local settlement, too. Thus, the accessibility is considered easy despite the secluded location. In terms of size, it is small and has a dominant green color. Not to mention the mosque is surrounded by various trees, too.

Exploring Salabose Mosque
The first allure in Salabose Mosque is definitely the history. It is said the mosque was built in the 16th century. It was built on an area of about 1 hectare by the famous Islam missionary called Syeh Abdul Mannan. This explains why the mosque becomes the symbol of the influence of Islam in Mandar society. For further information regarding the history, in this case, tourists can talk to villagers or local guide.

After learning history about the mosque, visitors can simply explore the building and appreciate the architecture. It is also recommended to take photos of the building, including interior and exterior parts of the mosque. However, in order to enter it comfortably, it is recommended to come aside from praying times. Otherwise, prayers won’t let tourists enter the mosque except for praying. So, what is inside? The most famous item is none other than the oldest handwritten Holy Quran. Another noticeable object is the tomb of Syeh Abdul Mannan.

It is true that Salabose Mosque has been there for hundreds of years. Some renovations have been made, but the building retains some of its original materials. These include the walls and dome. No wonder, these objects are considered the most precious as compared to others. Tourists should not miss the chance to take photos of it, therefore. Later, before going back to the hotel, it is recommended to explore Salabose Hill and enjoy sightseeing or photography.

Nearby Attractions

• Taman Kota Majene
• Majene Port
• Dato Beach

How to Get There
It takes some checkpoints in order to reach Salabose Mosque. In fact, outsiders would take a much longer time in order to get there. Here is an example. Those coming from Jakarta City should take an airplane at Soekarno – Hatta International Airport and head to the first checkpoint, which is Mamuju Regency. For the information, a flight to Tampa Padang Airport may take around 4 hours and 45 minutes or more.

Once reaching Mamuju, they can take a local transportation service and head to Majene Regency directly. The best route to take is Poros Majene – Mamuju Street and the distance is 85.1 km. This trip, therefore, would take around 4 hours and 45 minutes. From Majene, the next destination would be Banggae Timur Sub-District where the mosque is located. This time, the trip may take about 2 hours and 19 minutes, as the distance is 97.8 km. As for the best route, tourists can take the same road as before.

Where to Stay

• Abrar Hotel
• Bogor Leppe Hotel
• Sulawesi Hotel