Balikpapan, Indonesia
Balikpapan is a town of 695,287 people in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, founded in February 10, 1897.
Why visit Balikpapan
Townapedia lists 9 museums and landmarks, 20 parks and trails, 149 places to eat, 84 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Kalimantan Institute of Technology, Museum Kodam VI/MLW, Kredawala Art Gallery and Bekapai Park.
Weather in Balikpapan
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Balikpapan
Balikpapan is a seaport city in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Located on the east coast of the island of Borneo, the city is the financial center of Kalimantan. With a population of 688,318 according to the 2020 census, and an official estimate of 757,418 as at mid 2023 (comprising 387,112 males and 370,206 females), Balikpapan is the second most populous city in East Kalimantan, after Samarinda.
From the Wikipedia article Balikpapan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Balikpapan on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do3
Kalimantan Institute of Technology
School · 13.5 km
Higher education institution in Balikpapan, Indonesia
Museums and landmarks9
Museum Kodam VI/MLW
Museum · 3.9 km
Jalan Letnan Jenderal Suprapto, Kota Balikpapan
Mo-Fr 09:00-15:00
Kredawala Art Gallery
Museum · 4.1 km
Jalan Jenderal Sudirman, Balikpapan
We-Mo 10:00-20:00
Dahor Heritage Balikpapan
Museum · 3.6 km
1 Jalan Dahor 1, Balikpapan
Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds20
8 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes149
hidangan Padang Panjang
Restaurant · Asian, Regional · 2.2 km
Restoran
22 Jend Sudirman, Balikpapan
Mo-Su 09:00-22:00
Warkop Djangkar
Cafe · 2.9 km
Jalan Mayor Jenderal D.I. Panjaitan
Mo-Su 10:00-00:00
Kepiting Maknyus
Restaurant · Seafood · 3.8 km
No 88 Jalan Pupuk Timur IV, Balikpapan
Shelly Cake& Bakery
Cafe · Cake, Pizza, Roti Lapissandwich · 3.8 km
129 Jalan Inpres 2, Balikpapan
137 more on the map.
History
Before the oil boom of the early 1900s, Balikpapan was an isolated Bugis fishing village. Balikpapan's toponym (balik = "behind" and papan = "plank") is from a folk story in which a local king threw his newborn daughter into the sea to protect her from his enemies. The baby was tied beneath some planks that were discovered by a fisherman. An alternative story is that, at the time of the Kutai sultanate, Sultan Muhammad Idris sent 1000 planks to aid the Paser Kingdom to build a new palace. The planks were shipped from Kutai to Paser along the Borneo shoreline by roping all the planks together. 10 out of the 1000 planks that were originally shipped resurfaced in a place currently called Balikpapan.
From the History section of Balikpapan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay84
Bugenville Asri
Motel and hotel · 3.0 km
No 63 Jalan Siaga Asri Gang Bugenville RT 26, Balikpapan
The Point Hotel Balikpapan
Motel and hotel · 3.2 km
Rt 24 no 63 Jalan M.T. Haryono, Balikpapan
Churches and places of worship120
Shopping31
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries116
SDN 003
School · 4.1 km
JI. Letjen Suprapto No.44, Baru Tengah, Kec. Balikpapan Bar., Kota Balikpapan, Kalimantan Timur 76132, Indonesia
Healthcare34
Map of Balikpapan
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan International Airport (BPN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 km away.
- Nusantara 35 km north, about 35 min by car
- Loa Janan 82 km north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Muarajawa 88 km northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Panorama Teluk Balikpapan, Ezagren ( bicara / talk ), Attribution
- Klandasan, Balikpapan, Mazta2012, CC BY 3.0
- Hotel Novotel Balikpapan, Alex Kaltim, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pertamina Patra Niaga Refinery Unit Balikpapan Worker - 2, Annidafattiya, CC BY 4.0
- Kilang Pertamina Patra Niaga Unit Balikpapan Worker - 1, Annidafattiya, CC BY 4.0
- Pertamina Patra Niaga Refinery Unit Balikpapan - 1, Annidafattiya, CC BY 4.0
- Balikpapan-Aerial-1 (3474391803), M. Rachman Taufik from Tangerang, Indonesia, CC BY 2.0
- Melawai Balikpapan Borneo coast of Borneo - panoramio, Bloesafir Pamanjagau, CC BY 3.0
- Pertamina Patra Niaga Refinery Unit Balikpapan Green Truck, Annidafattiya, CC BY 4.0
- Pertamina Patra Niaga Refinery Unit Balikpapan Worker - 3, Annidafattiya, CC BY 4.0
- Kota Balikpapan - panoramio, Muchamad Muchimin, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Air Mancur Taman Bekapai Balikpapan, Taken by Ngakan Kebo Maesa (www.pbase.com/kebo), Public domain
- Bi-Q FM, Ayo890, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sarangan - panoramio (1), arrght, CC BY 3.0
- Jelita Zahra Wibisono 2, Ekasona, CC BY 4.0
- Jelita Zahra, Nov 2025, Ekasona, CC BY 4.0
- Pasar Kelandasan, by Bloesafir - panoramio, Bloesafir Pamanjagau, CC BY 3.0
- Jelita Wibisono, Ekasona, CC BY 4.0
- Magda Yuan, Ekasona, CC BY 4.0
- Jihaan Aziizah, Ekasona, CC BY 4.0
- Jihaan N. Aziizah, Ekasona, CC BY 4.0
- Markoni atas - panoramio, herazky, CC BY 3.0
- Melawai Beach - panoramio, Bloesafir Pamanjagau, CC BY 3.0
- Es teler, Nola yudistira, CC BY-SA 4.0
- A dramatic sunset, Hildafiany, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Senja melawai - panoramio, herazky, CC BY 3.0
- Pasang siang - panoramio, herazky, CC BY 3.0
- Cerah.. panas.. - panoramio, herazky, CC BY 3.0
- By Bloesafir - panoramio, Bloesafir Pamanjagau, CC BY 3.0
- Pelita Air Service ATR 42-500; @BPN 2014 (14837250993), PK-REN from Jakarta, Indonesia, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Pelita Air Service ATR 42-500; @BPN 2014 (14815024684), PK-REN from Jakarta, Indonesia, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Friday Night Live Season Satu, Griidiii, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Friday Night Live Season Dua, Griidiii, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tanker - panoramio, herazky, CC BY 3.0
- Kuburan muslimin (Pupuk Kaltim) - panoramio, Bloesafir Pamanjagau, CC BY 3.0
- Sebuah pemandangan, Atikahochaa, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bloesafir - panoramio (1), Bloesafir Pamanjagau, CC BY 3.0
- Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737-81Q; @BPN 2014 (14623385710), PK-REN from Jakarta, Indonesia, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737-81Q; @BPN 2014 (14787102316), PK-REN from Jakarta, Indonesia, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Lion Air Boeing 737-9GP-ER (14623443207), PK-REN from Jakarta, Indonesia, CC BY-SA 2.0
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