Palu Travel Diary: Central Sulawesi Museum & Local Encounters

Time Flies: Day 10 Already

Today is August 10th, and I honestly can't believe it's already been 10 days since this journey began. Time really does fly.

A morning view in Palu on day 10 of the journey

I'm currently in the city of Palu, and this is my third day here. Although, considering the time spent on the ferry to get here, it honestly feels more like day two.

I really wanted to dive deeper into the local culture and traditions today, so I decided to check out the Palu Museum. A local acquaintance I met yesterday kindly offered to show me around. You could really feel the love and pride they have for their hometown—it takes genuine affection for your roots to guide someone around like that.

Uncovering Local History (and Japanese Currency?)

The museum itself isn't huge, maybe two or three main halls. I paid the lady at the entrance 25,000 rupiah (about $1.60 USD) and headed inside.

The first section covered local wildlife and ancient daily artifacts. My impromptu guide took the time to explain everything piece by piece, which was awesome.

Ancient daily artifacts and local wildlife displays inside the Palu Museum

But the most impactful part of the museum for me was definitely the exhibit on the 2018 earthquake. The epicenter was less than 100 kilometers north of Palu.

The exhibit on the devastating 2018 Palu earthquake at the museum

The exhibit detailed the sheer scale of the devastation and the long road to recovery, displaying items recovered from the rubble. They even documented the famous floating mosque that was left stranded in the ocean after the tsunami. It was a very sobering and eye-opening experience.

Items recovered from the rubble of the 2018 earthquake, displayed at the Palu Museum

Interestingly, I also stumbled upon an exhibit featuring old Japanese currency. It looked like historical banknotes from the Japanese occupation era. I had never seen anything like it back home, so that definitely caught my attention!

Old Japanese banknotes from the occupation era on display at the Palu Museum

A closer look at the historical Japanese occupation-era currency exhibit

More historical Japanese banknotes displayed in the museum's currency exhibit

The full currency exhibit case at the Palu Museum

Embracing a Slow Pace

We also checked out a section showcasing the traditional clothing and fabrics of Central Sulawesi. But to be completely honest, I was feeling a bit under the weather today.

I really wanted to ask a million questions and learn more, but I just didn't have the energy. I ended up just filming some footage to document it and kept moving.

After the museum, we swung by the traditional Kaili architectural site I visited yesterday. There were some tourists from the US and Australia hanging out there, and we spent some time chatting and exchanging travel stories.

Chatting with fellow travelers at the traditional Kaili architectural site in Palu

Even though I wasn't feeling 100%, the lack of energy forced me to slow down. It ended up being a perfectly chill, laid-back day—exactly what I needed.

Tomorrow, the journey continues as I head to Manado. I need to be at the bus terminal by 10 AM to start the next leg of this adventure. For now, it's time to rest up and get ready for tomorrow!