Balikpapan
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Balikpapan is a seaport city on the eastern coast of the island of Borneo, Indonesia, in the East Kalimantan province, a resource-rich region well known for its timber, mining, and petroleum export products. Two harbors, Semayang and Kariangau (a ferry harbor), and the Sepinggan International Airport are the main transportation ports to the city.
The ‘gateway’ to East-Borneo and one of the ‘gateway’ to Borneo tropical forest
The city of Balikpapan is located approximately between 1’ – 1,5’ S and 116,5’ – 117’ E. Consisting of 5 (Five) districts, Balikpapan city is bordered with Samarinda City, Kutai Kartanegara Region, Makasar Strait, and Penajam Paser Region. The area occupied approximately 503.306 Km2. Although the Indigenous is the native tribes but the life of heterogeneity has been the city lifestyle.
It is not an excessive to call Balikpapan city as “the Oil City”. Beside the existence of several oil refineries, the anniversary of the city, 10th February, has been taken from the date of the first oil drilling in Balikpapan “The Mathilda” oil drill.
The Wain River Protected Forest (HLSW) is a primary forest located in the North-West of the city center. Beside its purpose as a one of research center for Borneo’s tropical plants and animals, the forest also has been one of main tourist attraction for special interest tourist. Another main tourist attraction are: the “Manggar Segara Sari Beach”, “The Margomulyo Mangrove” and “the Environmental of Education and Recreation Center” – Sun Bear “Enclosure”. The Sun-Bear Enclosure has been designed especially to imitate the real habitat.
Balikpapan city can be access relatively easy. The International Airport of Sepinggan is “the bridge” which connected Balikpapan city directly with major cities within Indonesia and abroad.
History of Balikpapan
Prior to the oil boom of the early 1900s, Balikpapan was an isolated Bugis fishing village. Balikpapan's name (lit. balik is behind and papan is a plank) comes from a folk story where a local king threw his newborn daughter into the sea to protect her from his enemies. The baby was tied beneath some planks, which were discovered by a fisherman.
In 1897, a small refinery company began the first oil drilling. Construction of roads, wharves, warehouses, offices, barracks, and bungalows started when a Dutch oil company arrived in the area. On January 24, 1942, Balikpapan became a war theatre between the Japanese army and the Allied Forces, resulting in heavy damage to the oil refinery and other facilities. Several campaigns followed until the 1945 Battle of Balikpapan, which concluded the Allied Forces' Borneo campaign, after which they took control of the Borneo island.
Extensive wartime damage curtailed almost all oil production in the area until major repairs were performed by the Royal Dutch Shell company. Shell continued operating in the area until Indonesian state-owned Pertamina took it over in 1965. Lacking technology, skilled manpower, and capital to explore the petroleum region, Pertamina sublet petroleum concession contracts to multinational companies in the 1970s.
With the only oil refinery site in the region, Balikpapan emerged as a revitalized center of petroleum production. Pertamina opened its regional headquarters in the city, followed by branch offices established by international oil companies. Hundreds of laborers from other parts of Indonesia, along with skilled expatriates who served as managers and engineers, flocked into the city.
Transportation
Balikpapan has the largest airport on the Indonesian side of Borneo, the Sepinggan International Airport. It is also the busiest airport in Kalimantan and permits large aircraft. Only Brunei International Airport is larger.
Airlines currently using the airport are Lion Air, Merpati Nusantara Airlines, Batavia Air, Trigana Air, Kartika Airlines, and Sriwijaya Air (domestic routes), and Garuda Indonesia, AirAsia, and Silk Air (international routes).
The airport is one of the nine principal locations in Indonesia used by Muslims on their pilgrimage to Mecca, the "Hajj". From 1996 to 1997, the airport served over 4,500 East Kalimantan pilgrims, and from 1997 to 1998, it served pilgrims from East Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, and North Sulawesi.
Taking the ferry is an alternative for traveling to other coastal areas in East Kalimantan, such as Penajam.
The ‘gateway’ to East-Borneo and one of the ‘gateway’ to Borneo tropical forest
The city of Balikpapan is located approximately between 1’ – 1,5’ S and 116,5’ – 117’ E. Consisting of 5 (Five) districts, Balikpapan city is bordered with Samarinda City, Kutai Kartanegara Region, Makasar Strait, and Penajam Paser Region. The area occupied approximately 503.306 Km2. Although the Indigenous is the native tribes but the life of heterogeneity has been the city lifestyle.
It is not an excessive to call Balikpapan city as “the Oil City”. Beside the existence of several oil refineries, the anniversary of the city, 10th February, has been taken from the date of the first oil drilling in Balikpapan “The Mathilda” oil drill.
Located in Borneo Island, one of the islands which known to the world for its tropical forest, has made Balikpapan formed as an oil city which has strong concern to the environment. This character expressed in the development rules of Balikpapan which only allowed 48% of its area to be developed. The other 52% of the area is purposed for: Green area, Conservation, Preservation, and Protected forest.
The Wain River Protected Forest (HLSW) is a primary forest located in the North-West of the city center. Beside its purpose as a one of research center for Borneo’s tropical plants and animals, the forest also has been one of main tourist attraction for special interest tourist. Another main tourist attraction are: the “Manggar Segara Sari Beach”, “The Margomulyo Mangrove” and “the Environmental of Education and Recreation Center” – Sun Bear “Enclosure”. The Sun-Bear Enclosure has been designed especially to imitate the real habitat.
Balikpapan city can be access relatively easy. The International Airport of Sepinggan is “the bridge” which connected Balikpapan city directly with major cities within Indonesia and abroad.
History of Balikpapan
Prior to the oil boom of the early 1900s, Balikpapan was an isolated Bugis fishing village. Balikpapan's name (lit. balik is behind and papan is a plank) comes from a folk story where a local king threw his newborn daughter into the sea to protect her from his enemies. The baby was tied beneath some planks, which were discovered by a fisherman.
In 1897, a small refinery company began the first oil drilling. Construction of roads, wharves, warehouses, offices, barracks, and bungalows started when a Dutch oil company arrived in the area. On January 24, 1942, Balikpapan became a war theatre between the Japanese army and the Allied Forces, resulting in heavy damage to the oil refinery and other facilities. Several campaigns followed until the 1945 Battle of Balikpapan, which concluded the Allied Forces' Borneo campaign, after which they took control of the Borneo island.
Extensive wartime damage curtailed almost all oil production in the area until major repairs were performed by the Royal Dutch Shell company. Shell continued operating in the area until Indonesian state-owned Pertamina took it over in 1965. Lacking technology, skilled manpower, and capital to explore the petroleum region, Pertamina sublet petroleum concession contracts to multinational companies in the 1970s.
With the only oil refinery site in the region, Balikpapan emerged as a revitalized center of petroleum production. Pertamina opened its regional headquarters in the city, followed by branch offices established by international oil companies. Hundreds of laborers from other parts of Indonesia, along with skilled expatriates who served as managers and engineers, flocked into the city.
Transportation
Balikpapan has the largest airport on the Indonesian side of Borneo, the Sepinggan International Airport. It is also the busiest airport in Kalimantan and permits large aircraft. Only Brunei International Airport is larger.
Airlines currently using the airport are Lion Air, Merpati Nusantara Airlines, Batavia Air, Trigana Air, Kartika Airlines, and Sriwijaya Air (domestic routes), and Garuda Indonesia, AirAsia, and Silk Air (international routes).
The airport is one of the nine principal locations in Indonesia used by Muslims on their pilgrimage to Mecca, the "Hajj". From 1996 to 1997, the airport served over 4,500 East Kalimantan pilgrims, and from 1997 to 1998, it served pilgrims from East Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, and North Sulawesi.
In addition to the airport, Balikpapan also has a seaport called Semayang. It serves commercial boats to many destinations in Indonesia, such as Surabaya, Makassar, Jakarta, Pare Pare, and Manado. In the 1990s, transportation using ships was very popular. Today, due to more affordable and efficient airplane travel, more people choose to fly.
Taking the ferry is an alternative for traveling to other coastal areas in East Kalimantan, such as Penajam.
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