Trail Motor Attraction Becomes New Tourist Attraction In North Penajam Paser

Illustration - Tourists who love automotive crossing rivers in Sani-sani Village, Samaturu District, Kolaka, Southeast Sulawesi.(ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Penajam Paser Utara area, East Kalimantan, is not only known as part of the Capital City of the Archipelago (IKN), but is now starting to steal attention as an extreme tourist destination.

Through an event entitled "Peajam (Kejam) Reborn Tour", the local government introduced an adventure-based automotive sport that challenges the adrenaline of trail motor lovers from various parts of Indonesia.

This activity, which is packaged as a sports tourism event, offers the experience of crossing various types of extreme terrain, ranging from forests, hills, to rivers.

Head of the Tourism and Marketing Division of the North Penajam Paser Regency Culture and Tourism Office, Juzlizar Rakhman, explained that this activity was not just a sport, but part of a strategy to promote local tourism potential.

"'Kejam Reborn' combines the challenges of automotive sports with Penajam's wild attraction. This activity was developed seriously with the support of the local trail community and cross-agency coordination to ensure the safety and comfort of participants," he said, as quoted by ANTARA.

The routes taken by the participants included challenging off-road tracks, crossing forest, river, and hill areas in three different zones along approximately 18 kilometers. One of the main attractions is the route around the city forest area of 19.6 hectares which is still natural and rarely served.

Juzlizar is optimistic that this event will increase the number of tourist visits and have a direct impact on the hotel sector and the local economy. We involve around 500 riders, and if added to the following family members, it will certainly increase hotel occupancy and economic turnover," he explained.

Participants in this activity come from various regions, including Java and Sumatra. For them, Cruel Reborn is a space to channel extreme sports hobbies as well as enjoy the natural beauty of East Kalimantan. Not only that, this event is also expected to be able to encourage an increase in Regional Original Income (PAD) through the tourism sector and other supporting services.

The Cruel Reborn event itself is one of a series of the 3rd Penajam Paser North Penajam Fest event, which took place at the Penyambolan Square Park, right in front of the Regent's Office, on July 1'4, 2025.

Not only filled with automotive activities, this festival also features a variety of cultural arts and local performances. Starting from music concerts, traditional dance parades, to genre gymnastics to celebrate the event. The grand final of the selection of tourist ambassadors and the participation of hundreds of MSME actors contributed to enriching the festival which became the face of the promotion of culture and creative economy in North Penajam Paser Regency.