TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Traveling down the 920 kilometers Mahakam River in East Kalimantan will be able to highlight three cultures to tourists, namely coastal culture, hinterland culture, and keraton culture. Not to forget the panoramic beauty throughout the riverside of East Kalimantan.

In order to translate that into reality, East Kalimantan’s Provincial Government suggested to launching a river tour utilizing a cruise ship. “Because this river has a comparative superiority that other Indonesian rivers do not have,” said the Head of Department of Tourism and Culture of East Kalimantan Province, Timur Syafruddin Pernyata, on Thursday, February 17, 2017.

According to Syafruddin, the coastal culture is located in Samarinda, the Keraton culture can be witnessed in Kutai Kartanegara, and the hinterland culture can be seen in West Kutai up to Mahakam Ulu District.

There are a number of things that needs to be fixed if the plan does come to fruition, such as constructing its facilities and infrastructure, mainly its harbor. “It can be constructed by East Kalimantan’s Government through their agency,” Syafruddin said.

Meanwhile, Samarinda administration can contribute to developing the local people that live throughout the cruise tour, such as switching the positions of their bathrooms to the rear of their houses and switch their kitchen to the front porch of their houses. “It can then add a sense of beauty to the houses that are located at Mahakam’s riverside,” Syafruddin said.

“We really hope that Mahakam River can really become East Kalimantan’s tourism icon in the future,” he said.

ANTARA