Things to do in Sampit
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Sampit
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Wetter season, with December the wettest month: heavy afternoon rain, slower roads south and a fuller, faster Mentaya.
Relatively drier season, with September the driest month and the best road and Ujung Pandaran beach conditions usually June to September.
Kalimantan haze risk from land and peat fires is typically worst July to October and can delay flights at small airports.
What's on
- Festival Budaya Habaring Hurung around 7 January, regency anniversary week
Cultural festival for the East Kotawaringin anniversary, including traditional jukung boat races on the Mentaya at Mentaya Seberang.
- Simah Laut 10 Syawal, Islamic calendar, Gregorian date moves yearly
Sea offering ritual at Pantai Ujung Pandaran, preceded by a beach clean up, to cast away disaster and welcome prosperity.
Best things to do in Sampit
Tugu Ikan Jelawat
Sampit's symbol, a leaping jelawat fish on the Mentaya riverfront where locals sit, fish and watch the boats at dusk.
Mentaya River
The working river that built Sampit, best watched at sunset for timber traffic, ferries and life on the far bank.
Pusat Perbelanjaan Mentaya
Sampit's main market hall on the river, busiest in the morning for Mentaya fish, produce and everyday town trade.
Museum Kayu Sampit
A small timber museum that explains the wood industry that built Sampit, paired with the city park across the road.
Terowongan Nur Mentaya
A tunnel of arched lights over 3 km of Jalan Tjilik Riwut, with evening food stalls and locals hanging out after dark.
Taman Kota Sampit
The shady city park opposite Museum Kayu, used for jogging and exercise by day and food stalls in the evening.
Masjid Agung Wahyu Al-Hadi
Sampit's grand mosque and Islamic Centre, the town's most imposing building, visited modestly outside prayer times.
Bundaran Balanga
A giant Dayak balanga vessel roundabout tied to the peace monument, a short stop whose meaning outweighs its scale.
Where to stay in Sampit
Jalan Jenderal Sudirman corridor
fullest service stay and the riverfront
Home to Aquarius Boutique Hotel Sampit, a short drive from the Jelawat monument and the Mentaya riverfront.
Mentawa Baru Hulu
budget base and eating
Jalan MT Haryono holds Midtown Xpress Sampit and Phoenix Resto, with the easiest run to the airport road.
Best restaurants in Sampit
Phoenix Resto
Sampit's best known family restaurant for Indonesian, Chinese and seafood cooking, and the safest main meal in town.
Rumah Makan Batu Mandi
A well reviewed ikan bakar house for grilled river fish with rice and sambal at local prices.
Warung Makan Blambangan
A busy local warung for cheap everyday Indonesian plates, eaten where Sampit workers and families eat.
Resto Pinggir Sungai Sampit
Grilled fish on the Mentaya riverfront into the evening, where the river setting matters more than the menu.
Outdoor things to do in Sampit
Susur Sungai Mentaya Sampit
A simple afternoon river cruise on the Mentaya for boat traffic, river households and sunset light, booked on the day.
Pantai Ujung Pandaran
A local Java Sea fishing beach 80 to 85 km south, worth the hired car for sunset, boats and salted fish, not swimming.
Best hotels in Sampit
Aquarius Boutique Hotel Sampit
Sampit's fullest service hotel, with a pool, gym, sauna and restaurant, and the most reliable stay in town.
Grand Hotel Sampit
A central mid range alternative among Sampit's most booked hotels, useful when Aquarius is full or priced up.
Midtown Xpress Sampit
A clean, central budget transit hotel on Jalan MT Haryono, the sensible cheap base for a Sampit stopover.
Is Sampit expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | IDR 250,000 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | IDR 600,000 a person |
| Splurge | IDR 1,200,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Pantai Ujung Pandaran: a few days ahead
- Aquarius Boutique Hotel Sampit: a few days ahead
- Book Aquarius Boutique Hotel Sampit ahead in Festival Habaring Hurung week in January and on busy government travel dates.
- Arrange a hired car for Pantai Ujung Pandaran at least a day ahead, as there is no reliable public transport day trip.
Is Sampit safe?
- Never swim in the Mentaya River: crocodiles are present and were seen on the river during a January 2026 boat race.
- Use mosquito protection year round for dengue, and keep dry season flights flexible for Kalimantan haze delays.
Sampit travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Do not plan Tanjung Puting as a Sampit day trip, and do not mistake Sampit for Palangkaraya, a different city 250 km away.
- Do not expect a luxury tier, a swimming beach or a dinner cruise: Sampit has none of those, despite riverside and coastal settings.
- Do not leave Museum Kayu Sampit to a weekend afternoon without checking, as listings show weekday daytime hours.
Getting around Sampit: public transport and more
- H. Asan Airport (SMQ) is about 6 km from the centre, with direct flights to Jakarta, Surabaya and Semarang on thin schedules.
- Palangkaraya is about 250 km and roughly 5 hours by DAMRI bus, and Pangkalan Bun about 235 km and 4 to 5 hours by bus or car.
- For Tanjung Puting, ride to Pangkalan Bun, continue to Kumai and board a klotok there, overnighting rather than returning same day.
- In town use hotel cars, ojek and ride hailing where available, and agree Ujung Pandaran car prices in advance.
Who Sampit suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | OK |
| Couples | OK |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Sampit your trip
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