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Balikpapan

Indonesia Travel Guide

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Aerial of an empty beach in Balikpapan.

©Sergiy Borakovskyy/EyeEm/Getty Images

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Overview

Although not as populous as the capital Samarinda, Balikpapan is Kalimantan's only truly cosmopolitan metropolis thanks to a long history of oil money. It's still seen largely as a stepping stone to Samarinda, Derawan or Banjarmasin, but a night in Balikpapan's club scene will give you a whole new perspective on Borneo.

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