See the morning activities in the Floating Market of Lok Baintan

 Floating Market of Lok Baintan

The activities of Lok Baintan Floating Market are always complete, although it is no different than the river market.
Kalimantan Island, blessed with beautiful rivers that flow through the city, has a unique character that other Indonesian islands do not have, including the floating market. In the past, there were floating markets in many parts of Kalimantan, such as Lok Baintan, but over time, their existence began to shrink. The local government has made efforts to preserve the existence of this floating market tradition.

This floating market in South Kalimantan Province is located not only in Muara Kuin, but also in Banjar Regency, the floating market of Lok Baintan. Due to its location in one of the puppies of the Martapura River called Lok Baintan, this floating market is better known as Lok Baintan Floating Market.

Commercial activities in the floating markets of Muara Kuin and Lok Baintan began to get full at dawn when Muara Kuin starts at dawn and Lok Baintan, which reaches the top of the city at 6-7. The goods traded in Lok Baintan, such as in Muara Kuin, are usually agricultural and plantations of the local community. Especially when the harvest time arrives, the number of traders in this floating market will generally exceed the number. In addition to the harvest time, the current Lok Baintan Floating Market activity will only be filled on market days, ie every Friday, every week. In addition to fruits and vegetables, traders often swap local cakes in these two floating markets. Not just special cakes, but also vendors selling a hearty breakfast with their main menus like Soto Banjar and Ketupat Kakaran. Commercial transactions in these two markets are not always in cash, but bartering is still valid in this floating market, as other traders often do.

In addition to Lok Baintan, merchants usually come from large villages near the Martapura, including the Paku Alam, Lenge, Sunga Saka Bunut, Tanifah, Madang and Lenge Rivers.

The best time to visit Lok Baintan is Friday, market day. It is not only full of local tourists, but also foreign tourists come to Lok Baintan. For visitors looking for commercial activities or shopping, they can also rent a Klotok (a typical Borneo motorboat). This will surely be a memorable, exciting experience as they take you along the river as you shop at the floating market.


Access to the place
There are two ways to get to the Lok Baintan Floating Market, namely:
1. The first alternative is on the other side of the river. Use of Klotok (motorboat) around the Martapura River. If you start your journey from the city of Banjarmasin, the capital of South Kalimantan province, in Klotok, the journey takes only 30 minutes. A simple boardwalk on the outskirts of Banjarmasin City takes you to a location where Sungai Sungai Gardu Pier is located on Veteran Jalan. The most appropriate departure time is at 05:00 WITA in the morning as the market activity develops between 05:00 and 05:30. We then take you along the river that divides the city of Banjarmasin in the direction of the upper reaches.

2. Throughout the continent, the use of a motorized, private or public vehicle on the Lok Baintan Floating Market is possible. If visitors want to use public transport, they can start their journey from Banjarmasin's main terminal in Jalan Ahmad Yani to the Tabuk River. The journey takes about 1 hour with different road conditions. In some places there are still roads with holes, but not too much to slow the speed of the vehicle.