Batiwakkal Museum in Tanjung Redeb Sub-District, East Kalimantan Province

Derawan Archipelago should be everyone’s next vacation destination. Apart from island hopping, many types of fun activities can be done there. Visiting a famous museum like Batiwakkal is not an exception. Such historical tourist spot is located in Manunggal Street, Tanjung Redeb Sub-district. It is easy to reach the location as the museum is situated in the capital of Berau District. The reason is many transportation services and accommodations are available there. The museum represents the history of Gunung Tabur Kingdom and it stores lots of replicas of items used during the reign of such kingdom. For tourists, it is a good location for both learning history and conducting a family vacation.

The Nuance
The size of the museum is not quite big, but it features beautiful ornaments. Outside, there is a path with stunning bushes and flowers. Not to mention it comes with garden lamps. When it comes to the architecture of the museum, it looks majestic and beautiful. The color of the wall is predominantly yellow, which represents luckiness and prosperity. There are also other interesting items in the yard like a flag pole, signboard, and plants. Overall, the museum looks unique and beautiful so all visitors are able to notice it easily.

Exploring Batiwakkal Museum
Here is the fact. No fee is included in order to enter the museum. There is only a charity box, so the administrator of the museum can use the money to maintain the site. The question is what people can enjoy inside the museum. Despite the small size and modest appearance, Batiwakkal Museum has lots of valuable items. It displays Gunung Tabur’s reminiscences. These include money samples and ceramics. Not to mention the building stores replicas of royal attributes like beds, king’s throne, etc. Apart from those stunning items, the guests would find some local kids sometimes. Those children come to the museum to attend a dancing class, managed by the administrator.

One item that attracts most of the guests’ attention is Sulimbar. It is an empress’ resting bed, used before and after giving birth. The bed has a sloping design, which helped the empress to deliver the baby in an efficient manner. Near to Sulimbar, the guests may find a yellow babi swing! Next, there is Walagandi or Walasugi, which is a royal aisle. The number of tassels represents the background of the wedding couple, actually.

There is also a kitchen, displaying numerous types of traditional utensils like forks, spoons, glasses, stove, and many others. All of those items have a historical value, for sure. What’s next? The guests can explore a room where royal dresses are stored. Apart from this room, they can find many collections like ceramics, jars, photos, etc. Those are worth photo shoots, as well. It is because the guests are allowed to carry a camera when entering the museum.

Nearby Attractions

• Segah River
• Sambaliung Palace
• Sanggam Park

How to Get There
For outsiders, it takes a flight to Balikpapan City. Once they reach Sultan Aji Muhammad Airport, they can use any local transportation service to reach Berau District. To be exact, their destination is Tanjung Redeb. From there, it takes about 20 minutes to reach Manunggal Street, where the museum resides.

Where to Stay

• Cantika Swara Hotel
• Grand Parama Hotel
• Neotel Hotel