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Voykit pocket guide · Indonesia
Samarinda
Kota 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.
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.
- Country
- Indonesia
- Local name
- Kota Samarinda
- Best months
- Jun–Sep (drier)
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (wettest; rain most afternoons)
- Stay
- 2 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 Rp350,000–600,000 excl. bed · Mid Rp600,000–1,200,000 excl. bed · High Rp1,200,000+ 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 emergency 112 · Police 110 · Ambulance 118 or 119
- 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 or tea in a café | Rp15,000–35,000 |
| Plate of soto Banjar or noodles | Rp25,000–45,000 |
| Amplang fish crackers, small pack | Rp15,000–40,000 |
| Bottle of water (600 ml) | Rp5,000–10,000 |
| Grab car, 5 kmGrab car, 3.1 mi | Rp25,000–45,000 |
| Bus Balikpapan–Samarinda | Rp45,000–55,000 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | Rp100,000–200,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- 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 minAbout 30–40 min north of the centre by car; Damri bus route 2 runs to Sungai Kunjang, hourly 6:00 AM–5:00 PM, about 90 min
Typical fares
- AAP airport → centre, Damri bus route 2
- about Rp50,000, about 90 min
- AAP airport → centre, Grab or taxi
- about Rp150,000–250,000, 30–40 min
- Bus Samarinda → Balikpapan
- Rp45,000–55,000, about 2 h
Get 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 and do
Known for
- Mahakam river and its dolphins (pesut)
- Islamic Center Mosque
- Pampang Dayak cultural village
- Sarung Samarinda weaving and amplang fish crackers
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Pampang Dayak cultural village | Car or Grab from the centre, about 24 kmCar or Grab from the centre, about 15 mi | About 1 h each way |
| Pela village (Mahakam dolphins) | Car west of the city, about 110 kmCar west of the city, about 68 mi | 2.5–3 h each way |
| Balikpapan | Bus from the terminal, about 2 h | 2–2.5 h |
| Nusantara | Car or bus toward the new capital site | 2–3 h |
| Derawan islands | Flight from AAP, about 1.5 h | Half a day with transfers |
Sleep
- 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.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Permisi / Maafper-mee-see / ma-af |
| Thank you | Terima kasihte-ree-ma ka-see |
| How much is it? | Berapa harganya?be-ra-pa har-ga-nya |
| Can I pay by card? | Bisa bayar pakai kartu?bee-sa ba-yar pa-kai kar-too |
| Where is the toilet? | Di mana toilet?dee ma-na toy-let |
| I don't want it, thank you | Tidak, terima kasihtee-dak, te-ree-ma ka-see |
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
- 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.
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.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Samarinda yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Mahakam river and its dolphins (pesut)
- Islamic Center Mosque
- Pampang Dayak cultural village
- Sarung Samarinda weaving and amplang fish crackers
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- APT Pranoto International Airport: aptpairport.id/
- Damri (airport bus): damri.co.id/
- Wikivoyage: Samarinda, revision 5197616 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5197616
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
SamarindaKota Samarinda
Ke alamat ini, ya
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- General emergency112
- Police110
- Ambulance118 or 119
No embassies in Samarinda; the US consulate-general and most foreign missions for East Kalimantan are in Surabaya or Jakarta — check before you travel.
Tipping is not expected; round up or leave Rp10,000–20,000 for drivers and guides.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/samarinda). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.