Samarinda

Introducing Samarinda

The mighty Sungai Mahakam skirts Samarinda like a giant muddy flood. Here the river is a highway in its own right, peppered with houseboats and fishing vessels, boats lugging timber and tugs pulling demonic loads of coal. Along the banks, the city follows the water via a green esplanade, with two spectacular mosques dominating the view. Although it’s another important trading port, Samarinda has retained far more of its Indonesian character than Balikpapan, and visitors will get a dose of East Kalimantan culture in between the business blocks. Meandering through the stalls of the lively Citra Niaga market will fill the nostrils, ears and eyes with all the heady activity of Southeast Asia. Samarinda city maps and regional maps can be found in the Gramedia bookshop in the Mesra Indah shopping centre.

Last updated: Mar 24, 2009