Known as an industrial city, Balikpapan is located on Borneo Island’s eastern coast. Balikpapan is the gateway to the East Kalimantan province. Often overlooked, this city actually has a lot to offer for everyone.
For those of you who are looking for a ‘Back to Nature’ holiday, Balikpapan is the right destination to go to. Its natural scenery is spectacular. You can find lots of majestic mountains, untouched forests, and pristine beaches. Do you want to get some inspiration of where to go? Check out our hand-picked list of attractions in this article.
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7 Popular Tourist Attractions in Balikpapan
Travel is not as simple as buying tickets to your dream destination. It also requires planning. You don’t want to waste your time wandering around without knowing where to go, right? Read our lists and hopefully, you can get some inspiration before you go!
1. Witness the Beauty of Lamaru Mirror Lake
The first tourist spot in Balikpapan you should consider visiting is Lamaru Mirror Lake. This lake has crystal clear water. Come here and take countless good pictures with your loved ones. Lamaru is only 30 minutes away from Balikpapan’s city center.
When you visit this lake, you probably will hear the sound of gunshots because the lake is situated just behind a shooting range. Don’t forget to take some selfies when you’re there!
Entrance fee: starts from 3,500 IDR/person*
Address: Lamaru, Kec. Balikpapan Tim., Balikpapan City, East Kalimantan 76118
Opening hours: 24 hours
2. Relax at the Kemala Beach
Beach is always a good place to relax during a holiday. When you visit Balikpapan, stop by Kemala Beach. The best time to visit this beach is in the evening because you can witness the beautiful sunset while hearing the sound of the ocean breeze.
Around the beach, there are several food stalls that sell fresh seafood. You gotta try it!
Entrance fee: starts from 2,000 IDR to 10,000 IDR/person*
Address: Balikpapan, East Kalimantan
Opening hours: 08.00 to 22.00 WITA
3. Observe the Local Way of Life at The Floating Village of Margasari
Who would have thought that an area that was previously a slum now has become a beautiful tourist attraction? This village, located at Margasari sub-district, was revitalized by the government a few years ago.
You can enjoy the atmosphere of a unique village floating on the sea. You can see the local kids playing soccer around the area. This quiet and unique place has won 1st place of the Urban Management Innovation Award in 2013. Cool, isn’t it?
Entrance fee: free
Address: Jl. Sepaku No.Kelurahan, Baru Tengah, Kec. Balikpapan Bar., Kalimantan Timur 76123
4. See the Sunset on Melawai Beach
Another beautiful beach you can consider visiting in Balikpapan: Melawai Beach. This beach is located close to Kamala Beach, around Jalan Sudirman. You can see a huge rock in the middle of the beach. The local community calls the rock Tukung Island or Pig Island.
When the sun goes down, don’t forget to take photos of the scenery here. The rock and its surrounding environment create a magnificent view. So, are you ready to visit tourist attractions in Balikpapan?
Entrance fee: starts from 3,000 IDR to 5,000 IDR/person*
Address: Jl. Semayang Port, Prapatan, Balikpapan City, Balikpapan City, East Kalimantan 76111
Opening hours: 24 hours
5. Visit the Banua Patra Beach Surrounded by Rocks
Once you visit this tourist spot in Balikpapan, you will find many rocks on the beach. Not surprisingly, the local community calls this tourist attraction Batu Beach. The natural rocks here are useful as a deterrent to abrasion by seawater.
This is a hidden paradise in Balikpapan; not many tourist have known this place. Some residents come to swim and see the sunset.
Entrance fee: starts from 15,000 IDR/ person*
Address: Perapatan, Balikpapan City, Prapatan, Balikpapan, Balikpapan City, East Kalimantan
Opening hours: 24 hours
6. Go for the Extreme Tourism at Teritip Crocodile Farm
Do you want to visit the unusual tourist attractions in Balikpapan? You can visit the crocodile farm located at Jalan Mulawarman No. 66, Teritip Village, Balikpapan.
This crocodile farm has been around for 15 years. It has attracted a lot of interest from domestic and foreign tourists. With an area of about 5 hectares, visitors can see 1400 crocodiles of various kinds. Besides crocodiles, around the farm area, you can also see the Lampung Elephants.
Entrance fee: starts from 15,000 IDR / person *
Address: Teritip, Kec. Balikpapan Tim., Balikpapan City, East Kalimantan 76118
Opening hours: 09.00 to 17.00 WITA
7. Enjoy Your Time at Balikpapan Botanical Garden
If you are staying around the city and want to try to find green space, you can come here. Located on Jl. Soekarno-Hatta, KM 15, Kelurahan Karang Joang, Balikpapan. It’s fun and most importantly, it’s free to enter!
You can find lots of interesting things to explore here. Various collections of medicinal plants to herbarium collections. Want to see beautiful orchids? There are orchid houses with more than 200 types of orchids.
Entrance fee: free
Address: Jalan Soekarno Hatta Km. 15, Karang Joang, Kec. North Balikpapan, Balikpapan City, East Kalimantan 76127
Opening hours: 08.30 to 14.30 WITA
Come to Balikpapan, Appreciate the Nature!
Take a moment to step back and appreciate the nature by visiting tourist attractions in Balikpapan. Come to Balikpapan and see charming natural attractions. Don’t forget to visit tourist attractions that we’ve described above. Book a flight to Balikpapan with tiket.com, you can get tiket FREE Protection for your trip!
*All prices are valid at the time of writing
