Manggar Segara Sari Beach

There is another beach that you can go to if you are visiting Balikpapan in East Borneo, Indonesia, called Pantai Manggar (pantai means beach in English). Before there were other beaches such as Lamaru and de Dalmas Beach, Manggar was the most developed and well managed beach in Balikpapan. The place used to be clean, nice, full with visitors who would like to enjoy the water, or just relaxing with family, eating at the food vendors offshore.

Even today people still go to Manggar, but the numbers of visitors are certainly declined big time in recent years as the other beaches I mentioned are more better managed and cleaner than what Manggar looks like today.

At this beach, a few vendors are renting big used tires for kids to float with while they are in the water. The last time we went to Manggar beach back in 2004, it was Daisy’s (my niece) first time ever swimming day. She was so scared and even though we rented one of the smaller tire for her, she wouldn’t go near the water unless all of us go with her ON tires as well. So it was really funny :-)

In most of parts of Indonesia, people hardly go to beaches using swimsuit; unless you go to tourists’ city such as Bali, I suggest you forget your swim suit if you want to swim in Balikpapan’ beaches; but of course it is different story if you are at a public swimming pool, you do need to put on your swimsuit!

If you go to Manggar beach and wanting to try the food there, get Bakso, it’s similar to Vietnamese Pho Bo (beef noodle soup), and it is yummy. They usually also offers Es Kelapa Muda which is coconut on ice with sweet syrup, yum

Categories: Balikpapan , Beach