Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting Around
Taxis from the city centre cost 50,000Rp to Sepinggan Airport (30 minutes) and 15,000Rp
to Batu Ampar bus terminal. Balikpapan Plaza is a focal point for
angkot
(3000Rp) and
ojek
s (from 10,000Rp).
Samarinda
0541 / POP 726,000
Samarinda! The very name oozes exoticism, like some capital in the
Arabian Nights
. And
happily, you will find some of that here in this sprawling riverfront city. The enormous
mosque of the new Islamic Centre stands like a sentinel at the gates of the mighty Ma-
hakam River, a most impressive sight, giving the city a welcome dash of Istanbul. But like
many fairy-tale settings, there is also a jarring profusion of highs and lows, from a few
quality hotels to the thousands of rusting tin-roofed shacks spread over the surrounding
hills. Unlike Balikpapan, anything goes here, for better or worse, so take a taxi after 9pm.
MOSQUE ATTIRE
You don't need to be Muslim or Confucian to admire the architecture of Samarinda's great buildings. Visitors are
welcome. But when it comes to mosques, both men and women should wear plain, loose-fitting clothing, and re-
move hats and sunglasses upon entrance. Men can wear short-sleeve shirts, but women should be covered to the
wrists and wear a headscarf. Men and women occupy different rooms in a mosque, so if you are in mixed company
you will be separated during your visit; sometimes there are also separate entrances.
