10 Typical Balikpapan Souvenirs, From Traditional Cuisine to Unique Souvenirs
Explore a variety of mouth-watering Balikpapan souvenirs, from traditional culinary delights to unique souvenirs, perfect to take home as a memento of your trip.
Balikpapan, a city known as one of the main gateways to East Kalimantan, not only offers natural charm and interesting tourist attractions, but also a variety of delicious souvenirs.
In exploring the beauty of this city, travelers often look for souvenirs that can describe the uniqueness of the area they visit. From processed food products to souvenirs, Balikpapan has many interesting choices.
Among the many choices, culinary is the sector that is most in demand by tourists. Let’s explore 10 typical Balikpapan souvenirs that you must try and bring home.
1. Monitor
Mantau is a traditional food that is similar to bread without filling, has a shape resembling a bakpao.
This dish is usually served with black pepper beef, creating a mouth-watering combination of flavors. Mantau has a savory and slightly sweet taste, making it a perfect dish for various occasions.
In Balikpapan, you can find mantau in various shops such as “Pondok Mantau” and “Mantau Blue Sky,” as well as in souvenir centers and outlets at the airport. With various flavors, mantau is a highly recommended souvenir for tourists.
2. Cow Ilat Cake
Ilat Sapi Cake is a typical Balikpapan snack made from a mixture of flour and brown sugar, and sprinkled with sesame seeds on top. Even though the name contains the word “beef,” there is no beef in this cake.
Its shape that resembles a cow’s tongue makes it easy to recognize. This cake has a soft texture and a sweet taste, making it a popular choice in various souvenir centers in Balikpapan. Kue Ilat Sapi is a unique example of local cuisine that is worth trying.
3. Potato Chips
Bingka Potato is a typical Balikpapan food made from potatoes as the basic ingredient. This dish has a soft and chewy texture, thanks to a mixture of butter, eggs, milk, coconut milk, and sugar.
The characteristic of bingka potatoes is its shape which resembles a flower crown, although there are also round ones.
You can choose from a variety of flavors, including original, chocolate, cheese, banana, vanilla, pandan, and brown sugar. Potato Bingka is not only delicious but also attractive to serve.
4. Panglima Durian Bread
For durian lovers, Panglima Durian Bread is the perfect souvenir choice. This bread has a filling of durian meat that is rich in flavor, and its puffy shape makes it look appetizing.
There are original flavor variants and a mixture of cheese, which will enrich your culinary experience. You can find Panglima Durian Bread at the official store located at Jalan Jenderal Sudirman No. 9, Gunung Bahagia, or at various souvenir shops, including at the airport.
This is just one of the many delicious Typical Balikpapan Food options that showcase the rich and unique flavors of the region, offering an unforgettable culinary adventure.
5. Jenebora Roll Cake
Bolu Gulung Jenebora is inspired by the name of the Jenebora sub-district located across Balikpapan Bay. This sponge cake is known to be soft and sweet, available in various interesting flavors, such as green dragon, green tea, rainbow, pineapple, durian, and pandan.
This sponge cake can be a suitable souvenir choice to take home and enjoy with family or friends. To get it, you can visit the “Gulung Jenebora” outlets spread across Balikpapan.
6. Snake Fruit Cake
Salak Cake is a unique dish, made from snake fruit which is usually not sold on the market. The sour taste of snake fruit is processed into a savory and delicious cake that is worth trying.
Salak Cake is sold at prices starting from IDR 60,000 at the SalaKilo shop owned by Riswah Yuni, which is located in Batu Ampar, Balikpapan. You can also buy it at SAMS Sepinggan Airport or online through their official website.
7. Bakpia, a specialty of Balikpapan
Balikpapan’s signature bakpia is larger in size compared to bakpia from Yogyakarta. The skin of this bakpia has a savory and slightly salty taste, with a sweet taste that appears when you bite into the inside.
Available in various flavors, such as green beans, cheese, and chocolate, you can find this bakpia at souvenir shops located on Jalan Ahmad Yani, Central Balikpapan, with prices starting from tens of thousands of rupiah.
8. Dodol
Balikpapan’s signature dodol is made from sticky rice, sugar, and coconut milk mixed with animal fat. The process of making this dodol is still very traditional, using firewood, resulting in a drier texture compared to other dodol.
This dodol can be found at various souvenir shops, including Pasar Inpres Kebun Sayur, with prices starting from IDR 20,000. This snack is perfect to take home as a souvenir.
9. Sticky Rice Tape
Tape Ketan, also known as tapai lakatan gambut, has a unique texture that is neither soft nor sticky. This food is generally green in color typical of glutinous rice, and for a darker green color, additional food coloring can be added.
Several Tape Ketan UMKM in Balikpapan, such as Tape Ketan Mama and MAMAJI, sell tape ketan at prices ranging from IDR 20,000 to IDR 60,000. This is an interesting and flavorful souvenir.
10. Crab Floss
Balikpapan is famous for its seafood, and crab is one of the popular processed ingredients. Crab floss is a typical Balikpapan snack made from shredded crab meat which is finer than beef.
This snack is usually enjoyed as an accompaniment to white rice, providing a savory and crunchy taste. The biggest crab floss brand in Balikpapan is Bontings, which has a shop on Jalan Cakalang, East Balikpapan.
This crab floss is a must-try souvenir to add to your culinary experience. With a variety of tempting souvenirs, Balikpapan is an attractive destination for tourists who want to bring home memories from their trip.
From traditional cuisine to modern snacks, each product offers a unique taste and reflects the rich culture of this region.
If you are planning a trip to Balikpapan, be sure to sample and bring home some of the signature souvenirs mentioned above, including delicious Typical East Kalimantan Food, so you can share the wonderful culinary experience with your family and friends back home.