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TENGGARONG |
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On from Samarinda, the river is broad and slow, with sawmills and
villages peppering the banks. TENGGARONG is 45km and three hours
upstream - or just an hour by road. This small country town was, until
1959, the seat of the Kutai Sultanate, whose territory encompassed the
entire Mahakam basin and adjacent coastline. The former palace, just up
from the docks, is now Museum Negeri Mulawarman (Tues-Thurs, Sat & Sun
8am-4pm, Fri 8-11am & 1.30-4pm; Rp300) on Jalan Diponegoro, and includes
statuary from Mahakam's Hindu period (pre-fifteenth century), and
replicas of fourth-century conical stone yupa which are Indonesia's
oldest written records. Dayak pieces include Benuaq weaving, Kenyah
beadwork and Bahau hudoq masks.
Tenggarong is a far more relaxed - and cheaper - place to stay than
Samarinda. The docks are at the downstream end of town on Jalan Sudirman,
which runs 250m north along the river, over a small canal, and on as
Jalan Diponegoro past Seni Tepian Pandan marketplace and the museum.
Minibuses to Samarinda orbit the roundabout near the docks, and the
tourist information centre is at the back of the marketplace.
Accommodation includes the clean and welcoming Penginapan Anda II, near
the canal at Jalan Sudirman 63 (tel 0541/61409; $5-10), and the more
luxurious Timbau Indah, 250m south of the docks towards Samarinda at Jl
Muksin 15 (tel 0541/61367; $10-15). Overlooking the river about 50m
beyond the museum, Rumah Makan Tepian Pandan has great Chinese and
Indonesian food .
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