Weather in Balikpapan

About Balikpapan

Balikpapan's oil industry foundations are giving way to eco-tourism development, with the nearby Kutai National Park sheltering orang-utans and proboscis monkeys. This industrial gateway demonstrates Borneo's transition from pure extraction toward conservation models.

Country

Indonesia

Best months to visit

Year-round

Currency

IDR

Language

Indonesian, English

Things to do in Balikpapan

Kutai National Park wildlife lodge stays Orang-utan research station visits Proboscis monkey spotting river tours Mangrove kayaking explorations Oil heritage industrial museum tours Local market and Dayak village cultural visits

Weather by month

Click any month for detailed weather information and travel tips.

January

29C

Warm and pleasant, with frequent heavy rain.

February

29C

Warm and pleasant, with frequent heavy rain.

March

29C

Warm and pleasant, with frequent heavy rain.

April

29C

Warm and pleasant, with frequent heavy rain.

May

29C

Warm and pleasant, with frequent heavy rain.

June

28C

Warm and pleasant, with frequent heavy rain.

July

28C

Warm and pleasant, with frequent heavy rain.

August

28C

Warm and pleasant, with frequent heavy rain.

September

28C

Warm and pleasant, with regular rainfall.

October

29C

Warm and pleasant, with frequent heavy rain.

November

29C

Warm and pleasant, with frequent heavy rain.

December

29C

Warm and pleasant, with frequent heavy rain.

Balikpapan is East Kalimantan's oil and gas capital, a modern, orderly city that serves mainly as a gateway — to Borneo's interior, to the Derawan Islands, and increasingly to Indonesia's new capital, Nusantara, being built nearby in the surrounding forest. It's not a destination most travellers linger in, but it offers a comfortable transit base, a mangrove conservation area where rare proboscis monkeys can be spotted close to the city, and decent seafood along its waterfront.

Best areas to stay in Balikpapan

Melawai

A central area with a beachfront promenade, food stalls, and shopping — one of the more lively parts of the city in the evenings.

Kemala Beach (Pantai Banua Patra)

A city beach popular with locals for sunset views and casual relaxation, close to several hotels.

Mangrove Conservation Center

A boardwalk through protected mangrove forest within the city limits, one of the few places to see wild proboscis monkeys so close to an urban centre.

Balikpapan Bay

The bay and port area, with views of the city's oil refinery infrastructure and boat trips toward the mangrove coastline.

Getting to Balikpapan

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Flights

Fly into Sepinggan International Airport (BPN), well connected via Jakarta, with onward domestic flights across Kalimantan.

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From London

~17-19 hours total journey time from London via Jakarta

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Getting around

Taxis and ride-hailing apps operate throughout the city; the Mangrove Conservation Center and beaches are a short drive from the centre.

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to visit Balikpapan?

The dry season (May to September) is generally more comfortable, though as a transit hub Balikpapan is visited year-round regardless of weather.

How do I get to Balikpapan?

Balikpapan's Sepinggan Airport (BPN) is one of Kalimantan's busiest, with frequent connections to Jakarta and other major Indonesian cities, and onward links to smaller airports across East Kalimantan.

What is there to do in Balikpapan?

Visit the Mangrove Conservation Center to spot proboscis monkeys and silvered langurs close to the city, relax at Melawai or Kemala beaches, and use the city as a base for trips to the Derawan Islands or Kalimantan's interior.

What food is Balikpapan known for?

As a melting-pot resource city, Balikpapan has a wide range of Indonesian regional cuisines plus strong seafood options along its waterfront food strips.

Is English widely spoken in Balikpapan?

Reasonably well in business hotels and among staff dealing with the international oil and gas workforce, though general English ability is moderate elsewhere.

Traveler reviews

★★★☆☆

Mostly used this as a stopover before flying onward into Kalimantan, but the mangrove boardwalk was a nice surprise — saw proboscis monkeys within twenty minutes of the city centre.

Rio H. · March 2024

★★★☆☆

A modern, easy city to spend a night in with good seafood at Melawai. Not a highlight of our Borneo trip but a comfortable, well-organised base.

Linda S. · June 2024

★★★★☆

Better than expected as a transit point — the mangrove centre was genuinely worthwhile and the bay views from Kemala Beach at sunset were lovely.

Daniel W. · September 2023