Tarakan is an island that is located on the North Kalimantan of Indonesia. It is the largest island there. The island is also located across the border from Sabah, Malaysia. The meaning of the word 'Tarakan’ comes from the Tidung language. It means a meeting place and to eat. This means Tarakan was a place for traders to go to sleep, eat and trade off their products. Previously the city had great importance during the colonial era because it was a major producing region. This island is also famous for being the habitat of the proboscis monkey which can only be found here in Borneo. Besides the proboscis monkey, there are also many unique marine and bird species that can be found here which attracts many tourists to come to Tarakan.

Airports in Tarakan

Juwata International Airport (TRK)

Juwata International Airport is the airport that serves the Tarakan area in North Kalimantan and is located on the coast of Borneo. The airport was built during the Dutch colonial period. It was used as a military base for Dutch warplanes. Originally the airport was the Allied objective during the Battle of Tarakan which happened in the year 1945. There are plans to make the airport as the transit hub for those that come from neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Brunei and Philippines who want to travel to other cities in Indonesia. Juwata International has several airlines that operate here. They are Batik Air, Sriwijaya Air, Wings Air and a few others and they have destinations such as Tawau, Samarinda, Surabaya and several other domestic destinations. For tourists who wish to come to Tarakan from Manilla, they will need to take a flight to Tawau, Malaysia and take a smaller domestic flight to Tarakan. There is no direct flight from Manila to Tarakan. There is also a cargo airline that operates here. It will cost around PHP 7000 per way to get to Tarakan.

How to Get Cheap Flights to Tarakan?

Traveloka is a travel search engine that makes it easy for travellers to find the cheapest flights Tarakan. All you need to do is key in the information in the search box, and the application will recommend the best trip according to your budget. It compares flight prices across some trusted airlines to help you to get the best possible deal. Use Traveloka’s price alert feature to be notified of flights in your desired price range to get the best flight price to Tarakan.

When is the Best Time to Fly to Tarakan?

As a whole, the weather of Tarakan does not change much. The temperature is warm all year long. However, the month of April to June would be the warmest month throughout the year. So for those who want to enjoy the warmth, it is best to visit the city during those months however it may be slightly to warm for some.

Otherwise, the best time to visit the city would be in January. In this month, the temperature is not too warm and there will be a slight rainfall on some days. However, due to the beautiful weather, there might be a spike in the number of tourists. So the accommodations and attractions may be at a higher rate compared to other months.

What are the Top 3 Things to Do in Tarakan?

Tarakan is one of the many cities in North Kalimantan of Indonesia. Many attractions can be found in Tarakan.

Tanah Kuning Beach – Tanah Kuning Beach is 90 minutes away from Tengkayu Port in Tarakan. This beach is gorgeous as it has a stretch of white sand and clear blue water. The coastline is 2 kilometers long and with a width of 75 meters. The beach is also clean and the waves are small, making it a suitable beach for families.

Karungan Waterfall – Karungan Waterfall is located nearby Amal Beach. It is only 30 minutes drive to get to this waterfall. Many people visit this waterfall on weekends. Around it, there are many trees such as mango, rambutan and cloves tree. There is no admission fee to come to this waterfall too.

Conservation Area of Mangrove and Bekantan – This conservation area is located nearby the city of Tarakan. Because the mangrove has been taken care of for a while, the environment is shady, comfortable, cool with many birds. If tourists are lucky, they may be able to see Bekantan, which is a type of monkey that can only be found in Kalimantan. There are also other types of animals that can be found here.