Balikpapan: Humidity, Hustle, and the Smell of Durian

the moment i stepped off the plane in balikpapan, i swear the humidity slapped me like a wet towel. 25.72°c but feels like 26.67°c? nah, it felt like 35 with the sea breeze and the weight of the air. 89% humidity is no joke, my camera lens fogged up before i even got my backpack zipped. but hey, if you're into that tropical soup feeling, you'll love it here.

i heard from a local at the airport that the seafood is insane. "you haven't eaten until you've had grilled snapper by the bay," she said, winking like it was a secret. so i hopped in a grab and headed straight to pasar baru, where the smell of grilled fish mixed with durian and exhaust fumes. chaotic. perfect.

"don't trust the taxi drivers at the mall," a drunk guy told me at a roadside stall. "they'll charge you triple just for breathing."

turns out, he wasn't wrong. but the grilled snapper? worth every rupiah. flaky, smoky, with a side of sambal that made my eyes water in the best way.

if you get bored, samarinda and bontang are just a short drive away. samarinda's famous for its woven sarongs, and bontang's got that chill island vibe if you need a break from the city sweat.

i just checked and it's still humid as hell there right now, hope you like that kind of thing.

for more on balikpapan's food scene, check out TripAdvisor or Lonely Planet. and if you're into markets, this local guide is a lifesaver.

one last thing: bring extra shirts. you'll need them.