Indonesia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget

Travel Reference

In-Depth Information

TENGGARONG

On from Samarinda, the Mahakam River

is broad and slow, with sawmills and

villages peppering the banks.

TENGGARONG is 45km and three hours

upstream by ferry - or just an hour by

road. his small, neat and very

prosperous country town was, until 1959,

the seat of the Kutai Sultanate, whose

territory encompassed the entire

Mahakam basin and adjacent coastline.

It's a good place to stay if you want to

escape big cities and a convenient

location to start trips up the river.

he former palace, just opposite the

ferry dock on Jalan Diponegoro, is now

the Museum Negeri Mulawarman

(Sat-hurs 9am-4pm, Fri 9-11am;

Rp5000), which includes statuary from

Mahakam's Hindu period (pre-fifteenth

century), with replicas of fourth-century

conical stone yupa , Indonesia's oldest

written records. Dayak pieces include

Benuaq weaving, Kenyah beadwork and

Bahau hudoq masks.

The best of these is DeGigant Tours, Jl Martadinata 21

( T 0541 777 8648, W borneotourgigant.com). You can

also hire a local guide for a cheaper rate if you'd rather

use less pricey public boats up the Mahakam, as opposed

to the more comfortable houseboats provided by tour

companies. Guides tend to congregate around Hidayah 1,

Hidayah 2 and Aida hotels.

ACCOMMODATION

As you're only likely to stop here for a night or two

before heading up the Sungai Mahakam, you're better

off staying near the centre, within easy reach of all

Samarinda's services.

Aida Jl KHM Temenggung T 0541 742572. Next to the

pasar pagi , this spot, which is decent enough, has clean

rooms with cable TV and attached bathrooms, though

many rooms are dark; some ha ve a/c (Rp22 5,000). It's

popular, so arrive early in the day. Rp180,000

Gelora Jl Niaga Selatan 62 T 0541 742024, E hotel

_gelora@telkom.net. Overlooking a busy market just east

of the mosque, this is one of the cheapest spots in town.

Rooms are a bit worn, though some have a/c (Rp185,000)

and all have inside mandi. The re's wi-fi an d breakfast

(included) in the downstairs café. Rp121,000

Hayani Jl Pirus 31 T 0541 742653. A more upmarket

choice opposite Pirus Hotel , with good-sized, spotless

rooms that have showers, a/c, TVs and wi-fi access. Staff

are friendly and there's a simple breakfast buffet.

Rp275,000

4

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

By ferry Boats arrive at the pier on the southern end of

Jl Sudirman. Be there at 6am for the daily boats heading

upstream.

Destinations Kota Bangun (5hr); Long Bagun (36hr); Long

Iram (30hr); Melak (21hr); Muara Muntai (10hr).

By bus Terminal Timbau is 5km south of town beyond the

huge road bridge, linked by blue taksis (Rp5000). Until

5pm, there are regular buses to Samarinda (1hr; Rp10,000)

and Kota Bangun (2hr; Rp20,000); for Balikpapan, ask to

be dropped at the junction with the main Balikpapan road

in Loa Janan (1hr), just before Samarinda: there you can

easily flag down a bus to Balikpapan (2hr 30min).

EATING

There's a bounty of cheap warung around Jl Awang Long

and the Mesra Indah store.

Daisaku Bumi Senyiur Hotel , Jl Diponegoro 17-19. Smart

Japanese restaurant offering good sushi, teppanyaki

dishes and even some Korean options, washed down

with large bottles of sake. Mains from Rp30,000. Daily

10am-10pm.

Lezat Baru Chinese Restaurant Jl Mulawarman 56,

near the Ramayana shopping mall. A popular place

serving simple rice dishes - fans of Samarinda's famous

giant river prawn ( udang galah ) won't go hungry. Take

red taksi B from pasar pagi. Mains from Rp30,000. Daily

10am-3pm, 6am-9pm.

INFORMATION AND TOURS

Tourist o ce The tourist information centre is at the back of

the marketplace on Jl Dioponegoro (Sun-Fri 9am-4pm).

Guides Rio ( T 0821 5684 9766) at the Hotel Anda Dua

speaks excellent English and is a good contact for finding a

local guide.