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Voykit pocket guide · Indonesia
Nusantara
Visit only if you secure a tourist slot (300/day) and have a day: 4‑6 h total, including registration and a short electric‑bus tour.
Nusantara is Indonesia's future political capital, still under construction. Visitor access is limited to 300 people per day (09:00‑17:00) and requires registration via the IKNOW app. Most sights are in a construction zone; a half‑day visit covers registration, a brief electric‑bus tour, and a quick look at the central park and ceremony plaza.
- Country
- Indonesia
- Best months
- May–Oct (dry season in Kalimantan)
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (rainy season, road access harder)
- Stay
- 1 night
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 Rp 50,000–80,000 excl. bed · Mid Rp 80,000–150,000 excl. bed · High Rp 150,000+ 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
- General 112 · Police 110 · Fire 113 · Ambulance 118
- 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 |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a local café | Rp 15,000–25,000 |
| Bottle of water (500 ml) | Rp 5,000–8,000 |
| Taxi (first 2 km (1.2 mi))Taxi (first 1.2 mi (2 km)) | Rp 30,000–45,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BPN · Balikpapan International Airport
- Nearest major airport, ~23 km (14 mi) by roadNearest major airport, ~14 mi (23 km) by road
- AAP · Samarinda Airport
- Smaller, ~70 km (43 mi) awaySmaller, ~43 mi (70 km) away
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Road: 3‑hour drive from Balikpapan or Samarinda; electric‑bus tours operate within the visitor quota hours. No public tram yet; personal vehicle recommended for approach.
See and do
Known for
- Central Government Core Area (KIPP)
- Kusuma Bangsa Park
- Plaza Seremoni
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Balikpapan | Drive 23 km (14 mi) via Balsam highway, about 45 minDrive 14 mi (23 km) via Balsam highway, about 45 min | ≈1 h round‑trip |
| Samarinda | Drive ~70 km (43 mi), about 2 hDrive ~43 mi (70 km), about 2 h | ≈4 h round‑trip |
Sleep
- Hotel Qubika IKN
- First hotel, container‑based, 206 rooms
- Swissôtel Nusantara
- First international brand, 191 rooms, from Rp 1,800,000 per night
Language
Indonesian is easy to start: Latin script, no tones, simple grammar. Nearly everyone speaks it alongside a regional language (Javanese, Sundanese, Balinese and hundreds more). English is common in Bali tourism.
- 'Terima kasih' (thank you), 'berapa?' (how much?), 'tidak pedas' (not spicy).
- WhatsApp for every business.
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
- Tourist quota of 300 per day; must register via the IKNOW app (Indonesian only, region‑locked).
- Much of the city is a construction zone and off‑limits to visitors.
- Roads can be affected by heavy rain in the wet season.
Low crime in the visitor zone, but construction sites are unsafe; stay on guided tours and follow local instructions.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Nusantara yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Central Government Core Area (KIPP)
- Kusuma Bangsa Park
- Plaza Seremoni
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Official IKN website: ikn.go.id/
- Wikivoyage: Nusantara, revision 5233985 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5233985
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/nusantara). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.