Banjarmasin (City of a Thousands Rivers)

One of the province in Kalimantan is South Kalimantan, that the capital city is Banjarmasin, one of big city in Kalimantan Banjarmasin is addresses as city of water or city of a thousands rivers, many canals and waterways there, like in Venice. The rivers is like a hearth of the city, most of native people in Banjarmasin are use rivers for their daily activities, such as for transportation and for trading using a boat that called "Klotok" And also people built houses on the riverside or even on the rivers or it called "Lanting".

How to get There?

We can go to Banjarmasin by Airplane or by Passenger Boat. If you want to get here by plane from Jakarta (Soekarno Hatta Airport), Jogjakarta (Adi Sucipto Airport), or Surabaya (Juanda Airport), just take a destination to Syamsuddin Noor Banjarmasin Airport and when you arrive then you take a Taxi go to Banjarmasin City, it take 45 Minute from Airport.
Another way to get to Banjarmasin is by Boat. You can go from Jakarta (Tanjung Priok Port), Semarang (Tanjung Mas Port) or Surabaya Port (Tanjung Perak Port), and go directly to "Trisakti Port" in Banjarmasin.

Attraction

There are many of interested places to visit in Banjarmasin, one of the most famous tourist destination is "Floating Markets" or "Pasar Terapung". It is the traditional market which present the local wisdom of economic fields of societies. It also represents banjarnese cultures which are inherent with the life of people along the river flows. Floating market is located on Kuin river at the north of Banjarmasin. It starts in the morning around 5 am to 7 am central Indonesian time. In this market,the seller and the buyer stay on their boat to make transaction. The goods sold such as banjarese food, vegetables, fruits and handicraft.

Another interested place is "Pulau Kembang". This small island is inhabited by the primate species (monkey). This species have been existed naturally in that island. This island located on the eastside of Banjarmasin. It takes about 15 minutes to reach the island by boat from Banjarmasin City. However, the monkeys are quite aggressive and will try to steal it from you so be extra careful.

One of landmark of Banjarmasin is Sabilal Muhtadin. It is a famous Mosque for Muslim in Banjarmasin or surrounding area to take a Pray or another religious activity. It is located at Jl. Jenderal Sudirman, and faced to Martapura River.

From banjarmasin to direction marabahan, there's a long bridge connected two areas that divided by barito river. looks like san fransisco bridge at the night!

In Banjarmasin, you can taste banjarnese cuisine such as Soto Banjar, Sate, Nasi Kuning, Lontong Sayur. In Ramadhan month (fasting month for Muslim), in many places around Banjarmasin will have Pasar Wadai / Cake Market fair that sell traditional food. this market usually open from 5 pm till 8 pm.

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