The old harbour at Paotere, a few kilometres north of the city centre, is where the wooden pinisi schooners dock between voyages across the archipelago. These traditional Bugis vessels — hand-built from timber, rigged for sail but usually powered by engine these days — have been the backbone of inter-island trade for centuries. Come in the morning when boats are loading and unloading, crew are going about their work, and the whole harbour feels like a working port rather than a museum exhibit. The smell of timber and salt water, the creak of rigging, and the scale of the hulls up close make this one of the more memorable stops in the city.