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Major city · Indonesia

SamarindaKota Samarinda

Use Samarinda as a 2-night Borneo stop for the Mahakam river and Dayak culture, not as a beach base; skip if you only have a week in Indonesia.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
IDR
Best months
Jun–Sep (drier)
avoid Nov–Apr (wettest; rain most afternoons)
Airport
AAP
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…
  • Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
  • Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
  • Indonesia ↗Buy the visa on arrival or e-visa only on the official Immigration portal; lookalike sites charge extra.
  • Indonesia ↗Complete the All Indonesia digital arrival and customs form before landing; it is free.
  • Indonesia ↗Foreign visitors to Bali pay a one-off tourist levy; keep the payment proof on your phone.
  • Indonesia ↗Riding a motorbike needs a valid licence that covers motorbikes (an international permit alongside your own) and a helmet; check your insurance covers it.

Samarinda is the capital of East Kalimantan, built along the Mahakam river about 60 km from the Makassar Strait. It is a working river city, not a resort: the reasons to come are the Mahakam boat trip, the Islamic Center mosque, the Pampang Dayak village and the food. Most travellers pass through on the way to Balikpapan, Nusantara or Derawan, and two nights covers the city well.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Samarinda, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or tea in a caféRp15,000–35,000 (≈ US$1–3)
  • Street or quick mealPlate of soto Banjar or noodlesRp25,000–45,000 (≈ US$2–3)
  • Taxi, about 5 kmGrab car, 5 kmRp25,000–45,000 (≈ US$2–3)
  • Metro or bus rideBus Balikpapan–SamarindaRp45,000–55,000 (≈ US$3–4)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekRp100,000–200,000 (≈ US$7–13)
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per personRp120,000 (≈ US$8)
  • Mid-range bedMid-range double room, a night, per roomRp550,000 (≈ US$35)
  • High-end bedMid-range double room, a night, per roomRp900,000 (≈ US$55)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget Rp350,000 (≈ US$25) · Mid Rp700,000 (≈ US$45) · High Rp1,500,000 (≈ US$95)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Mahakam river and its dolphins (pesut)Islamic Center MosquePampang Dayak cultural villageSarung Samarinda weaving and amplang fish crackers
Airports
AAP APT Pranoto (Sungai Siring) International Airport (About 30–40 min north of the centre by car; Damri bus route 2 runs to Sungai Kunjang, hourly 06:00–17:00, about 90 min)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Samarinda: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

32°C

24°C

17 rd

Feb

33°C

24°C

15 rd

Mar

33°C

25°C

18 rd

Apr

33°C

24°C

19 rd

May

32°C

24°C

17 rd

Jun

32°C

24°C

15 rd

Jul

32°C

24°C

14 rd

Aug

32°C

24°C

13 rd

Sep

33°C

24°C

11 rd

Oct

33°C

25°C

14 rd

Nov

33°C

24°C

18 rd

Dec

33°C

24°C

19 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

No useful public transport for visitors: use Grab or Gojek cars and bikes, or a metered taxi from the airport. Distances are short but traffic on Jalan Juanda and the bridges is slow at peak hours. Agree the fare or use the app before you get in.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Pampang Dayak cultural village

go

Door to door: About 1 h each way

Car or Grab from the centre, about 24 km

Cultural show on Sundays, about 14:00–16:00; go on a Sunday or skip.

Pela village (Mahakam dolphins)

overnight

Door to door: 2.5–3 h each way

Car west of the city, about 110 km

Too far for a comfortable return day; sleep near Kotabangun.

Balikpapango

Door to door: 2–2.5 h

Bus from the terminal, about 2 h

Rp45,000 non-AC, Rp55,000 with AC; the usual onward link.

Nusantara

caution

Door to door: 2–3 h

Car or bus toward the new capital site

Access and status change often; check before you go.

Derawan islands

overnight

Door to door: Half a day with transfers

Flight from AAP, about 1.5 h

Reef and island base; not a day trip.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Samarinda Ulu / Jalan Juanda

Central, walkable to malls and cafés; best first choice for two nights.

Samarinda Kota / Pasar Pagi

Riverside and market district; closest to the Mahakam boat pier.

Samarinda Seberang

Across the river; quieter, near Baqa weaving village.

Near the airport (Sungai Siring)

Only for a very early flight; 30–40 min from town.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
Rp350,000–600,000 (≈ US$25–40) excl. bed
Mid
Rp600,000–1,200,000 (≈ US$40–75) excl. bed
High
Rp1,200,000 (≈ US$75)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range double room1 × 2 nights × Rp550,000Rp1,100,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × Rp700,000Rp2,800,000
Grab or Gojek across town, one trip1 × Rp40,000Rp40,000
Mahakam river boat trip, weekend departure2 × Rp70,000Rp140,000
eSIM, about a week of data2 × Rp150,000Rp300,000
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeRp438,000
Trip total≈ Rp1,205,000 per person per day, bed includedRp4,818,000≈ US$300

2026 estimate in rupiah; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or tea in a caféRp15,000–35,000 (≈ US$1–3)
Plate of soto Banjar or noodlesRp25,000–45,000 (≈ US$2–3)
Amplang fish crackers, small packRp15,000–40,000 (≈ US$1–3)
Bottle of water (600 ml)Rp5,000–10,000 (≈ under US$1)
Grab car, 5 kmRp25,000–45,000 (≈ US$2–3)
Bus Balikpapan–SamarindaRp45,000–55,000 (≈ US$3–4)
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekRp100,000–200,000 (≈ US$7–13)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Samarinda is generally safe for visitors; the real issues are traffic, heavy rain and unlicensed airport taxis. Petty theft is rare but keep phones out of sight in markets at night.
  • Cross-city trips can take 30–45 min in traffic; add buffer for flights.
  • Use app-based or licensed taxis only; unlicensed cars at the airport overcharge.
  • The Mahakam boat trip runs weekends only, one departure, about 17:00–20:00.
  • Rain is heavy Nov–Apr; river levels and road conditions can change plans.
  • Bring cash: smaller warungs and markets may not take cards.

Emergency numbers

General emergency
112
Police
110
Ambulance
118 or 119
Fire
113

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

SamarindaKota Samarinda

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Ke alamat ini, yaTo this address, please

Emergency

  • General emergency112
  • Police110
  • Ambulance118 or 119

Embassy

No embassies in Samarinda; the US consulate-general and most foreign missions for East Kalimantan are in Surabaya or Jakarta — check before you travel.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • AAP airport → centre, Damri bus route 2: about Rp50,000 (≈ US$4), about 90 min
  • AAP airport → centre, Grab or taxi: about Rp150,000–250,000 (≈ US$10–16), 30–40 min
  • Bus Samarinda → Balikpapan: Rp45,000–55,000 (≈ US$3–4), about 2 h

Say or show

  • Permisi / Maaf — Excuse me / Sorry (per-mee-see / ma-af)
  • Terima kasih — Thank you (te-ree-ma ka-see)
  • Berapa harganya? — How much is it? (be-ra-pa har-ga-nya)
  • Bisa bayar pakai kartu? — Can I pay by card? (bee-sa ba-yar pa-kai kar-too)
  • Di mana toilet? — Where is the toilet? (dee ma-na toy-let)
  • Tidak, terima kasih — I don't want it, thank you (tee-dak, te-ree-ma ka-see)

Tipping is not expected; round up or leave Rp10,000–20,000 for drivers and guides.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Samarinda. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep (drier) · avoid Nov–Apr (wettest; rain most afternoons) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for AAP: Damri route 2 times, Grab pickup point, taxi fallback.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Pasar Pagi and the riverfront, Islamic Center and Jalan Slamet Riyadi, Samarinda Ulu malls.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs for the Islamic Center, Pampang and the Mahakam boat pier.
  4. Weekend-only and rain fixtures so the Mahakam trip can go green or amber.

Meanwhile

Back to Indonesia

Sources