Banjarmasin: Culture, River Cuisine and Sasirangan

Banjarmasin reveals itself through its museums, the history of the Banjar people and daily life along the river. At the Wasaka Museum, collections on the Indonesian National Revolution, a mosque from the time of the Banjar Sultanate and the making of the distinctive Sasirangan batik fabric offer different perspectives on the city. Soto Banjar and other dishes round out the riverside experience. When planning your trip, you can bring culture, craftsmanship and food together.

History and Craftsmanship in Banjarmasin

The Wasaka Museum preserves collections about the people of South Kalimantan’s struggle during the Indonesian National Revolution. These include weapons, historical documents and objects left behind by fighters. The different types of objects offer concrete ways to engage with this historical subject: you can focus on the documents or on the objects associated with the struggle. This makes the museum a good starting point for exploring the region’s history.

Masjid Sultan Suriansyah is considered the oldest mosque in South Kalimantan. It was built during the Banjar Sultanate, around the 16th century. This approximate timeframe places the building in a different historical period from the National Revolution, which is a focus of the Wasaka Museum. Visiting both sites lets you encounter two distinct chapters in the history of South Kalimantan.

Kampung Sasirangan offers another glimpse of city life. It is a center for making the batik fabric characteristic of Banjarmasin. Here, the focus is not a historical collection but a craft: Sasirangan connects the city with a distinctive fabric and its production. The Kayuh Baimbai Museum is also part of the city’s museum history. In early 2024, it officially opened to the public as the first museum in the city of Banjarmasin.

River Cuisine and Regional Specialties

At the Banua Anyar Culinary Center, visitors can enjoy Soto Banjar and other dishes by the river, with a river breeze and views of passing kelotok boats. Food and the riverside setting come together here to create a distinctive experience, offering a different focus from museums and historic buildings. If you like to get to know a place through its local dishes, Soto Banjar offers a direct culinary connection to Banjarmasin.

Bingka Banjar is also part of the culinary tradition of the wider travel region. This traditional cake is made with flour, eggs, coconut milk and sugar, and comes in a variety of flavors. This regional specialty should not be confused with the particular dining spot in Banjarmasin; rather, it broadens the culinary picture beyond the city. Its ingredients and different variations make Bingka Banjar a different topic from the savory dishes served by the river.

City Visits and an Excursion to the Surrounding Area

Pasar Terapung Lok Baintan is located in Kabupaten Banjar, outside Banjarmasin, and is often a day trip for visitors to the city. This sets it apart geographically from the museums, mosque, Kampung Sasirangan and Banua Anyar Culinary Center mentioned here, all of which are in Banjarmasin. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus on the places named in the city or include Lok Baintan as an additional excursion into the surrounding area.

These differences can also help you choose where to look for a vacation rental. If the market in Lok Baintan is also of interest, plan for an additional regional focus. That way, you can choose your base according to the experiences that matter to you, rather than treating city visits and an excursion destination as the same travel experience.

Discover more destinations: Palembang, Padang, Jakarta, Batuampar, Magelang, Makassar, Surabaya, Semarang.

See the overview of the wider destination: Indonesia.