Melawai Beach

Melawai Beach is a main beach along Sudirman street, Balikpapan, East Kalimantan. It is a favorite tourist destination in the city center for local community in Balikpapan and is vicinity, and for domestic and foreign tourists. This beach is situated between Semayang Port and Banua Patra Beach. This area is also a center for foods and drinks at nights.

Getting There

East Kalimantan is a unique province. Its capital city is Samarinda but its entry point is at Balikpapan. Its main airport is Sepinggan at Marsma Iswahyudi street. Melawai Beach is situated at Sudirman street. It is not difficult to find Sudirman street as it is a main road to various regions in Balikpapan. Public transportations nos 5 and 6 pass Melawai Beach.

Getting Around

Walking along Melawai Beach provides a special excitement, especially during daytime and low tide. We will feel the excitement of touching sands. When you visit the beach at nights, you can find various types of foods and drinks along the beach.

To Do

Melawai Beach is an attractive site as it is situated at the city center and is close to Semayang Port in Balikpapan. Beside enjoying the beach, visitors could also see loading and unloading activities at the port, watching ships moving in and out, and enjoying various types of foods and drinks at the beach. During low tide, visitors could walk to Babi island, which is situated in the middle of Melawai Beach.

You could enjoy the excitement of the area until late at night. In the afternoon, dozens of sellers offer their merchandises. Under the lights and sounds of waves, visitors could enjoy various types of traditional cakes while sitting on the beach. From a distance, lights from ships and waves provide another beauty which you should not miss.

To Stay

You will find many hotels of various categories at Sudirman street in Balikpapan.

To Eat

Visitors can enjoy various types of foods and drinks at Melawai Beach, particularly at nights. Sellers sell pecel lele (fried catfish with peanut sauce), pecel ayam (fried chicken with peanut sauce), chicken satay, bakso, fried noodles, fried rice etc. There are also sellers selling bandrek (hot ginger drink), wedang jahe (ginger drink), wedang ronde (ginger drink served with peanuts and rice flour balls), and many juices. Several traders also sell local specialties such as gapit banana.

To Buy

Melawai Beach is famous as a center for snacks in Balikpapan at nights. No special handicraft that you could buy in this area, except for snacks.

Tips

If you like to enjoy the beauty of a beach, please visit Melawai Beach in the afternoon because only a few people do so in the afternoon. But if you like to find a crowd, then you could come before night. The later is merrier.