98 Travel | Tarakan
Tarakan is also a jumping-off point and gateway to many beautiful places including the Sangalaki Archipelago , which attracts many domestic visitors .
Where to stay : Swiss-Belhotel Tarakan
This polished hotel , set on a bustling commercial street , is a 10-minute walk from the lush Hutan Konservasi mangrove , and three kilometres from both Juwata Airport and Tarakan ’ s city centre . Contemporary rooms and suites feature free Wi-Fi , flat-screen TVs and minibars , along with tea- and coffee-making facilities . Other amenities include an outdoor pool , a spa , a fitness room and a business centre , plus meeting rooms for up to 400 people . There ’ s also a relaxed poolside restaurant , as well as a lobby piano lounge . Overall it ’ s the best no-frills economy stay in Tarakan , with friendly and helpful staff who can help you arrange your daily excursions into and around the city . www . swiss-belhotel . com
Hotel cantik ini terletak di jalan utama dan hanya membutuhkan 10 menit untuk mencapai Hutan Konservasi Mangrove , berjarak 3 kilometer dari Bandara Juwata dan juga pusat kota Tarakan . Kamar dan suites Swis-Belhotel Tarakan ini bergaya kontemporer dengan fasilitas koneksi Wi-Fi gratis , TV layar datar , minibar , serta fasilitas pembuat teh dan kopi . Di hotel ini juga terdapat kolam renang outdoor , spa , pusat kebugaran dan business centre serta ruang pertemuan berkapasitas 400 orang . Ada pula restoran di pinggir kolam renang serta lounge dengan piano . Hotel ini memiliki staf yang ramah , yang juga dapat membantu Anda mengatur acara perjalanan berkeliling kota .
© David Metcalf
Tarakan is also a jumping-off point and gateway to many beautiful places including the Sangalaki Archipelago , which attracts many domestic visitors . The main island Derawan is just three hours by boat from Tarakan and from there you can visit the famous Kakaban Lake and swim with stingless jellyfish . Another magical experience is to visit Maratua Island , with its pristine white sandy beaches , and swim with manta rays .
To the west , it is just a one-hour flight to Malinau to access some of the most beautiful natural forests in the world . From here you can visit the many Dayak tribes living in the area , including the Punan , Kenyah , Kayan and Lun Deyeh .
During my visit I was fortunate enough to meet with Iranto Lambrie , the governor of North Kalimantan , and he looks to the future with great optimism , proud of the people of Tarakan , who effortlessly blend with their different ethnic and religious backgrounds and live together in a spirit of tolerance and harmony – a shining example of what was won through Indonesian independence .
Seventy per cent of the province of North Kalimantan is original forest with pristine forest and clean rivers .