Tarakan: an island built on oil

Tarakan is a small island off the east coast of Borneo, and for most of its modern history it has been about oil. The Dutch drilled here in the early 1900s, built a refinery and a port, and turned the island into one of the most important oil centres in the region. The Japanese occupied it in 1942, and the Allies fought a bitter battle to retake it in 1945.

Today it is a city of about 300,000 people, connected to the mainland by a bridge and to the rest of Indonesia by air and sea. It is not a tourist island in the ordinary sense, but it has a mangrove reserve with proboscis monkeys, a decent beach, excellent seafood and a frontier feel that comes from being close to Malaysia.

Oil and the war

The oil fields made Tarakan strategically important, and the war left deep marks. The battle of Tarakan in 1945 was one of the last major Allied operations in Borneo, and the island was devastated. The refinery was rebuilt, the wells were reopened, and the city grew again around the industry.

You can still see the oil infrastructure: pumpjacks in the fields, pipelines along the roads, and the old refinery site near the port. It is not a heritage trail, but it explains the island. Tarakan is a company town that became a city, and the oil money is why it has an airport, a hospital and a university.

The mangrove reserve and the bekantan

The Kawasan Konservasi Mangrove dan Bekantan is a protected mangrove forest on the edge of the city, with a boardwalk through the trees and a resident population of proboscis monkeys. The males have the distinctive large nose and pot belly, and they are surprisingly calm around visitors.

The reserve is small but well run, and it is an easy introduction to Borneo's wildlife without a trip into the forest. Go in the morning or late afternoon, when the monkeys are active, and keep your distance. The boardwalk is flat and accessible, which makes it a good stop for families.

The mangroves are also a reminder of what the coast looked like before the city: a fringe of trees between the land and the sea, protecting the shore from storms and providing a nursery for fish. The reserve is a fragment, but an important one.

Pantai Amal and the food

Pantai Amal is the island's beach, a long strip of sand on the east coast with calm water, food stalls and a promenade. It is not the most beautiful beach in Indonesia, but it is pleasant, and it is where the city goes at weekends. The sunset is the best part.

The seafood is excellent and cheap: crab, prawns, fish and shellfish, cooked simply and served with rice and sambal. The night market near the port is the place to eat, with stalls grilling fish and satay until late. Tarakan is also known for its coffee shops, which are a legacy of the trading culture.

Getting there and moving on

Juwata airport connects Tarakan with Balikpapan, Jakarta, Surabaya and other cities in Kalimantan. Ferries run to Nunukan, on the border with Malaysia, and to the islands of North Kalimantan. The island is connected to the mainland by a bridge, and the road south leads eventually to the Mahakam and Balikpapan.

The city is compact and the traffic is manageable, though taxis are the easiest way to get around. Prices are higher than elsewhere in Kalimantan, a legacy of the oil money and the island's remoteness. Allow a day for the mangrove reserve, the beach and the market, and more if you are using it as a base for the border.

• Visit the mangrove reserve in the morning.
• Pantai Amal is best at sunset.
• Eat seafood at the night market near the port.
• Ferries run north to Nunukan and Malaysia.
• Expect higher prices than mainland Kalimantan.

Costs and practicalities

Tarakan is not cheap by Kalimantan standards. Hotels cost more than in Balikpapan or Samarinda, restaurant prices are higher, and the island's remoteness adds to the cost of everything. The upside is that the city is compact, the airport is close, and a day of sightseeing costs very little beyond food and transport.

The dry season, roughly March to October, is the most comfortable time. The wet season brings heavy rain and rough seas, which can cancel ferries to Nunukan and the islands. The haze season, August to October, occasionally disrupts flights, so check before you travel if you are connecting.

Bring cash, though ATMs are available in the city. English is not widely spoken outside the hotels, and the local Indonesian is fast. The border with Malaysia is close, so carry your passport if you are heading north, and check the visa rules before you cross.

Questions people actually ask

Can you see proboscis monkeys in Tarakan?

Yes, in the mangrove conservation area on the edge of the city, which has a boardwalk and a resident population of bekantan. Go in the morning or late afternoon, keep your distance and do not feed them. It is one of the easiest places in Borneo to see the species.

How do you get to Tarakan?

Juwata airport has flights from Balikpapan, Jakarta, Surabaya and other Kalimantan cities. Ferries connect the island with Nunukan and other ports in North Kalimantan, and a bridge links it to the mainland. It is also possible to drive south towards the Mahakam, though the distances are long.