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Unique Floating Market Cultural Festival of Banjarmasin

 

Showcasing the diverse wonders of South Kalimantan, the Floating Market Cultural Festival 2016 will be held from 16th to 20th September 2016 at Banjarmasin, the capital city of South Kalimantan Province. Centered at Siring Sungai Martapura along the river bank of the Martapura River on jalan Pierre Tendean Street in Banjarmasin, this will be the perfect moment to get to know the floating market, Martapura gemstones, mouthwatering fresh water culinary offerings, and all the splendor of the province.

 

The festival will feature a number of exciting activities including a Cultural Parade, Banjar Fashion Carnival, SinomanHadrah Festival,  Balogo Traditional Games, Banjar Villages Culinary Festival, Sasirangan traditional fabric Festival, and competitions for best Hotel and Restaurants Chefs, Decorated Traditional Jukung Boats, Photography , and more.

 

“For a full 5 days, the festival will showcase a range of exciting art and cultural attractions including a parade of decorated traditional Jukung boats (the kind used by traders at the floating market) at the Martapura River” said Assistant Deputy ofNiche Markets Development of the Ministry of Tourism, Raseno Arya.

 

Coinciding with the 490th anniversary of Banjarmasin, the event is also expected to boost arrivals of both domestic and international tourists to the province. Expressing the support of the Ministry of Tourism for the festival, Raseno Arya added: “Aside from being an annual event for the province, the event has also been included in the annual Calendar of Events of the Ministry of Tourism. Let’s support the festival and come visit South Kalimantan!”

 

The largest and most beguiling city of Kalimantan - the Indonesian territory on Borneo – Banjarmasin rests gingerly over a labyrinth of canals thus giving it its illustrious nickname as the city of a thousand rivers. This unique characteristic has have always played a significant role in the Banjarese (the indigenous ethnic group of Banjarmasin) way of life.To this very day, every morning there are floating markets where farmers and merchants ply their goods on boats to trade.This has always been a farmers’ market and it’s interesting to see the genuine river-based way of life.The most notable of these river markets is the Muara Kuin Floating Market and the Lok Baintan Floating Market.

 

Situated near the estuary of the Barito River, which flows through the city of Banjarmasin, it is at Pulau Kaget or Kaget Island is where you can find the peculiarly looking long-nosed primate Proboscis Monkey which has become the unique mascot of South Kalimantan. These are the monkey that made their appearance in the episode called “Flight 714” of the classic comic series Adventure of Tintin (released in 1968).

 

South Kalimantan is also famous for its glittering gemstones, especially those that radiate the most exquisite glow, namely: Diamonds. Sending out its beautiful sparkle around the world, these precious gems are unearthed from diamond fields in the province, but the most notable are found at the Cempaka Diamond Fields, by the town of Banjarbaru. While For those who fancy jewelry and accessories such as necklaces, bracelets, rings, brooches, and others made from pure diamond, gold, zircon, silver, various other gemstones, and even plastic or glass imitation, then the place to be is at Martapura, located some 45 kilometers east of Banjarmasin.

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