Samarinda

East Kalimantan's capital on the Mahakam River, with the great Islamic Center Mosque and Dayak longhouses at Pampang, and boat trips upriver to Tenggarong, the old Kutai sultanate capital.

Samarinda is the capital of Indonesia's East Kalimantan Province, straddling the lower Mahakam River in eastern Borneo about 50 km from the river mouth. A river port that grew on the coal and timber trade, it's also the gateway to inland Kalimantan. The city sees few tourists, and its sights are compact: on the north bank of the Mahakam stands the Islamic Center Mosque, one of the largest mosques in Southeast Asia, whose 99 m minaret you can climb for views over the whole city; the riverfront has food stalls and sightseeing boats in the evening; the old town on the south bank preserves an ironwood mosque and a Bugis handweaving village. About 25 km north of town, Pampang village stages Dayak dances in its longhouse every Sunday afternoon – the most popular cultural experience. About 40 km west is Tenggarong, former capital of the Kutai Sultanate, where the Mulawarman Museum in the old palace and Kumala Island in the river make a good half-day trip; the Erau Festival in late September features royal ceremonies. The climate is hot and humid, relatively dry from May–Sep and wetter from Nov–Mar. Reach the city via Balikpapan airport and about 2 hours by toll road, or fly directly into Samarinda's APT Pranoto Airport. Plan to stay 2 days; to see Irrawaddy dolphins and inland Dayak villages, allow a separate 3–5-day boat trip up the Mahakam.

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