Echo Mahakam Night Tourism, Singi Sungai Nil And Mekong

JAKARTA - The East Kalimantan Provincial Government is promoting the concept of night tours along the Mahakam River, Samarinda, as a strategic step to develop the tourism sector and drive the wheels of the local community's economy.

This idea targets the potential for river crossing tourism, which is packaged with an artistic touch at night, providing a different experience for tourists.

The Governor of East Kalimantan, Rudy Mas'ud, said that the potential of the Mahakam River is very large to be maximized as a leading tourist destination, especially at night. He emphasized the need to rearrange night activities in these waters to be safer and more attractive.

"The Mahakam River has extraordinary tourism values, but it must be freed from barge and pontoon traffic at night so that it can be used as a water entertainment and recreation center," said Rudy while in Samarinda, Sunday.

The concept of night tours in question includes river crossings, light performances, floating culinary delights, and cultural attractions that will become a new attraction in the provincial capital. With the right management, this sector is believed to be able to increase the number of tourist visits as well as expand the business opportunities of the surrounding community.

According to Rudy, if the traffic of coal-carrying vessels at night can be stopped, then the Mahakam River can be transformed, such as iconic rivers in Southeast Asia, even imitating the success of river tourism in cities such as Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, to Bangkok.

We can make the Mahakam River similar to the Nile in Cairo which is very stunning at night. The lights, tourist boats, and the atmosphere of the night will be a strength in itself," he added.

However, Rudy emphasized that the main requirement for the development of night tourism is to stop the activity of the coal pontoon that crosses the Mahakam Bridge at night. Apart from the safety of visitors, this is also to maintain the comfort and aesthetics of tourist areas.

"Imagine tourists enjoying the view, then the news of the bridge pillar being hit by a barge. This will certainly tarnish the image of our tourism," he said.

Furthermore, he encouraged better water traffic arrangement in the Mahakam River. In addition to supporting tourism, these efforts can also contribute to flood control through river normalization or dredging.

The Mahakam River itself has been known as the main route for transportation and logistics in East Kalimantan. Not only for coal transportation, this river is also an important route for the distribution of basic necessities to remote areas. In the past, log wood from the forests in East Kalimantan also crossed this river in large quantities.

With the direction of new development that further prioritizes the sustainability and optimization of local potential, night tours on the Mahakam River are expected to become a new face of Samarinda tourism and significantly increase the coffers of regional income.