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Voykit pocket guide · Indonesia
Bontang
Spend a half‑day in Bontang to see the Tanjung Limau fishing village and Kutai National Park; otherwise skip.
Bontang is a small industrial city on East Kalimantan’s coast, best visited for its fishing village and nearby rainforest park. One morning is enough unless you plan a longer nature trek.
- Country
- Indonesia
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (wet season)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- IDR
- Money
- Rupiah (Rp) in small notes for warungs, parking, offerings and drivers; large cards are common in tourist restaurants but not everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rp150,000–250,000 excl. bed · Mid Rp250,000–400,000 excl. bed · High Rp400,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telkomsel, XL and Indosat sell tourist SIMs at airports; foreign phones must be IMEI-registered if staying over 90 days — check.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Ambulance 118 · General emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European round pins.
- Tipping
- Warung: Nothing.; Restaurants: Often 10% service + tax on the bill; nothing more needed.; Drivers and guides: Rp50,000–100,000 a day.; Spa: Rp20,000–50,000.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; refill stations common in Bali.
- Toilets
- Western in hotels and cafés; squat toilets with a water scoop elsewhere; paper in the bin.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Fresh fish at Tanjung Limau market | Rp15,000–30,000 per kilo |
| Noodle or rice meal at a warung | Rp15,000–35,000 |
| Bottled water, 600 ml | Rp4,000–8,000 |
| Ojek ride across town | Rp15,000–30,000 |
| Kutai National Park entry | Rp10,000–15,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BPN · Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan Airport, Balikpapan
- About 2–3 h by road to Bontang; no scheduled flights to Bontang itself — check.
Typical fares
- Samarinda → Bontang bus
- about Rp30,000 per person, 2–3 h (check)
- Car with driver, one day
- about Rp700,000 (check)
- Ojek across town
- Rp15,000–30,000 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No useful local public transport: use a rented car with driver or ojek (motorbike taxi) for the Tanjung Limau fish market and the road toward Kutai National Park. Buses run between Samarinda and Bontang; a car from Balikpapan takes about 2–3 h on the coastal road.
See and do
Known for
- Tanjung Limau fishing village
- Kutai National Park
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Samarinda | Bus or rented car on the coastal road | About 2–3 h |
| Kutai National Park | Rented car toward Sangkulirang, then local guide | About 1–2 h from Bontang |
| Derawan | Road or flight to Berau, then boat | Most of a day |
| Balikpapan | Bus or rented car on the coastal road | About 2–3 h |
Sleep
- Bontang town centre
- Small local hotels and guesthouses near the port and market; book ahead, English is limited.
- Balikpapan
- The nearest city with a full range of hotels and the closest airport; workable as a base for a Bontang day trip.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Maafma-ahf |
| Thank you | Terima kasihtuh-ree-mah kah-see |
| How much is it? | Berapa harganya?buh-rah-pah har-gah-nyah |
| Where is the fish market? | Di mana pasar ikan?dee mah-nah pah-sar ee-kan |
| I need a car with a driver | Saya perlu mobil dengan sopirsah-yah pur-loo mo-bil duh-ngan so-peer |
| Is it far? | Apakah jauh?ah-pah-kah jow |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Light handshake then hand to chest; smile; avoid: Firm grips
- Left hand: Give and receive with the right; avoid: Passing anything with the left
- Temples: Sarong and sash; step around offerings; avoid: Standing higher than priests
- Keeping calm: Patience; indirect requests; avoid: Anger in public
- Pointing: Thumb; avoid: Index finger
Scams and watch-outs
- Roads can be busy with industrial traffic; drive cautiously.
Bontang is a working industrial and port city, not a tourist town: expect heavy truck traffic on the coastal road, few English speakers and no nightlife strip. Petty theft is rare; the real risks are road accidents and heat. Carry cash, since card acceptance is limited outside hotels.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bontang yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tanjung Limau fishing village
- Kutai National Park
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Bontang, revision 5337501 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5337501
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Bontang
Ke alamat ini, tolong
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Bontang; the US has a consulate in Surabaya and most countries keep embassies in Jakarta — check before you travel.
Cash is king outside hotels; carry small notes.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/bontang). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.