The Charm of Balikpapan City

Balikpapan city is also called oil city because most of the regional income derived from oil. Many oil sources and oil refineries have made foreign mining companies conducting their mining business in this city. Balikpapan is one of the city in East Kalimantan, this city is also become the first city in visiting East Kalimantan, so it is like the gate towards East Kalimantan because the international airport in East Kalimantan has been here in this city. This small city has been enough the beauty of panoramic view to be visited and seen, it will be interesting to spend weekend time or holiday with family to enjoy the togetherness moment. The down town is near the sea, so it is really easy to find and see the beach in Balikpapan. 

Klandasan is the name of famous area in Balikpapan, the location is in down town. Along the road of this area is Jend. Sudirman Street, this region is located on the sea front. There are many shops as the center of shopping, Balikpapan Trade Center as the big mall is also here in this area, so the visitors can do their shopping activities and can see the landscape of the sea too. 

 















 Klandasan is not far from the international airport Sepinggan, you can go to Klandasan by taxi or Angkot (city transportation). There are some interesting places in Klandasan that you can visit when you come to this city as follows:

Monumen Perjuangan Rakyat (Monpera)

Pantai Kemala (Kemala Beach)

Melawai Beach

Taman Bekapai (Bekapai's Park)

Taman Bekapai (Bekapai’s park) is located in front of PLN office at Jend. Sudirman street. In the middle of this park, there is a statue or monument with water fountain. This place has been the favourite place to go for taking rest after working or for tourists if they feel tired after travelling around Balikpapan. This park is opened for public so anyone can come to here, there is the internet connection too as the facilities for society to search information easily. This park can be visited anytime, but the best time to come to this park is in the evening because of lighting lamps will make the fountain is wonderful to see. Many traders sell the varieties of food around this park , so if you feel hungry when you are sitting in this park, it is not difficult to find the traders of food.

Culinary of Balikpapan

Visiting Balikpapan city is not complete at all for you as an adventurer if you haven't tasted culinary of Balikpapan. Here below the culinary of Balikpapan that I recommend for you to taste it:

Soto Banjar

If you want to eat something fresh, savory with soups you can go to Gunung Sari area and you can try to taste Soto Banjar. The appearance of this food will make you are eager to eat it, soto banjar is served with bean sprouts, noodles, and sliced chicken, it is also completed with potatoes ball and fried chips. The color of soup is clear yellow will give a different flavor soup, then every you scoop the warm soups you will not stop eating until the bowl of soto is clean from everything inside. 

Mantau

The other typical food from Balikpapan is Mantau, it is like a kind of Bakpao cake. This mantau cake usually eaten together with black pepper beef or you can it directly, the flavor is sweet. There are two kinds of mantau, fried mantau and steam mantau, the size of mantau has the diameter of 10 cm and for the price between Rp. 2.500- Rp 3.000,-/ each of mantau. Come to depot simpang 4 in Pandan Sari Street then you can see many people buy this cake and you will get the best taste of mantau there because the cake is made by the great chef. 

(The source of images: kotabalikpapan.wordpress.com , indonesiaindonesia.com , commons.wikimedia.org , balikpapan.legrandeurhotels.com , http://privetoegang.wordpress.com/2012/07/23/kemala-beach-welcome-to-bali-kpapan/ , portalbalikpapan.com , http://ekojuli.wordpress.com/2009/02/19/mari-berkunjung-ke-balikpapan , pipitta.com/2010/02/hello-balikpapan-part-2/ , balikpapan-info.blogspot.com)