Balikpapan Travel Risk — Moderate Risk (43/100)
Is Balikpapan safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Balikpapan scores 43/100 on our travel risk index (Moderate). The US State Department rates Indonesia Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution, updated 7 Jul 2026); the UK has no advice against travel; Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories). No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. CDC travel health notice: Level 2, Zika in Indonesia (7 Aug 2026). No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Political instability (score 20)
Environmental quality (score 65)
October 3, 2026
Balikpapan, Indonesia has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 43 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is environmental quality at 65/100; the lowest-rated category is political instability at 20/100; last updated October 3, 2026. For official nationwide security advisories, entry requirements, and health notices, see the Indonesia travel risk page. Real-time conditions below include live weather, official advisory levels, GDACS disaster alerts, and current news.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is Balikpapan to visit in 2026?
Balikpapan currently sits at 43/100 on our composite travel-risk index, which puts it in the moderate-risk tier. Most travelers will be fine with normal precautions, but a few categories below score high enough that planning matters. The highest-rated risk category for Balikpapan is environmental quality (65/100), and the lowest is political instability (20/100). This page was last updated on October 3, 2026; the baseline category scores reflect analytical indicators, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
Driven by: security (52/100) and health and medical access (45/100).
A score of 43 is higher than the scores of 56% of the 241 countries we cover.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 15, 2026
Balikpapan, Indonesia currently maintains a moderate baseline risk assessment with a US State Department advisory level of 2. Travelers should also be aware of an active green forest fire notification in the region and a Level 1 global dengue health notice from the CDC.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 10:05 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Environmental quality (score 65/100): Check air-quality forecasts. If sensitive, pack a mask and adjust outdoor activity. Hydration is critical in heat.
- Natural disasters (score 60/100): Check seasonal hazard (hurricane, monsoon, earthquake) for your dates. Identify hotel evacuation routes on arrival.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Day vs Night Safety in Balikpapan
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Daytime conditions are generally secure along major corridors and commercial districts. Keep bags zipped and avoid displaying high-value items openly.
Risk levels elevate noticeably after dark outside main central zones. Avoid walking alone through unlit parks, alleys, or quiet transit stations; favor pre-booked door-to-door transport.
Safety by Traveler Type in Balikpapan
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Families with children
Health/disaster risk is elevated. Confirm medical-evacuation cover, identify hospitals near your accommodation, and check seasonal hazard (storm/heat/quake) before you book.
No group-specific warning is triggered in Balikpapan for solo travelers (Crime 45/100 · Transport 40/100), women traveling solo (Crime 45/100), older travelers (Health 30/100 · Transport 40/100), business travelers (Digital 35/100 · Money 45/100 · Transport 40/100) and lgbtq+ travelers (Advisory 45/100 · Political 20/100): these scores sit in the low-to-moderate range, so standard precautions apply. Local laws affecting LGBTQ+ travelers and gender-specific incident rates are not captured in our scores; check your government's travel guidance.
Score layers
Safety categories
Source: Grounded open data research & citations
Quick facts
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | medium |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | October 3, 2026 |
Live conditions in Balikpapan
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Official travel advisory
Level 2 · Exercise Increased Caution
Indonesia - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
-
Green forest fire notification in Indonesia GREEN · ~488 km away · 2026-10-14
On 04/10/2026, a forest fire started in Indonesia, until 14/10/2026.
-
Green forest fire notification in Indonesia GREEN · ~251 km away · 2026-10-14
On 03/10/2026, a forest fire started in Indonesia, until 14/10/2026.
-
Green forest fire notification in Indonesia GREEN · ~434 km away · 2026-10-14
On 01/10/2026, a forest fire started in Indonesia, until 13/10/2026.
-
Green forest fire notification in Indonesia GREEN · ~499 km away · 2026-10-13
On 05/10/2026, a forest fire started in Indonesia, until 15/10/2026.
-
Green forest fire notification in Indonesia GREEN · country-wide · 2026-10-13
On 03/10/2026, a forest fire started in Indonesia, until 13/10/2026.
“~N km away” = event centroid within ~500 km of this location; “country-wide” = a national/regional alert that may not be near this specific city. Source: GDACS · fetched 2026-10-16 10:05:00 UTC
Natural hazard calendar & history
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Most flood events within 100 km of Balikpapan happened in May (1 of 1 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
CDC Traveler Health Notices for Indonesia
- Level 2 - Zika in Indonesia (Level 2, 7 Aug 2026)
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Public Domain).
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Indonesia travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Indonesia entry requirements.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 2 - Zika in Indonesia ALERT · 2026-08-07
Cases of Zika are being reported in returning travelers from Bali, Indonesia. All travelers to Bali should take steps to prevent mosquito bites and sexual transmission of Zika virus during and after travel.
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-16 07:26:45 UTC
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Balikpapan
The most weather-stable two-month window for Balikpapan is July–August, when typical daily temperatures run from about 25°C to 28°C and monthly rain averages 130 mm.
Seasonal planning flags include heavy rain season in December–April; cyclone season in November–April; monsoon in November–May. These are climate patterns, not forecasts.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Oct 5, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Emergency numbers (Indonesia)
| Police | 110 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 118 |
| Fire | 113 |
| General | 112 |
Medical access
| Hospital access | low |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | low |
| Emergency response | low |
| English-speaking care | unknown |
| Evacuation complexity | low |
The search results did not provide specific information about hospitals, emergency services, English‑speaking medical staff, or pharmacy availability in Balikpapan. In the absence of data, a cautious low rating is applied.
Common scam patterns
- ATM coercion. Criminals sometimes force people to withdraw cash from ATMs, a scam noted for Indonesia overall. Victims may be threatened or physically restrained while the thief takes the money. Tip: Use ATMs inside banks or reputable hotels and avoid withdrawing large amounts alone at night.
- pickpocketing. Pickpocketing and purse snatching are reported throughout Indonesia, especially in crowded tourist areas. Travelers' belongings are at risk in busy streets and public transport. Tip: Keep bags zipped, use anti-theft backpacks, and stay aware of your surroundings.
- merchant overcharging. Some merchants do not always honor advertised prices, leading to tourists being overcharged for goods or services. This practice is mentioned as a common tourist scam in Indonesia. Tip: Ask for a printed receipt and compare prices before paying, especially in markets and street stalls.
Area notes
- tourist areas. Petty crime such as pickpocketing and merchant scams are most frequently reported in tourist‑focused zones.
Run a personalized assessment for Balikpapan
Get a tailored briefing in ~15 seconds, with live weather, advisories, and recent news.
Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3, 2026 | 46 → 43 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | 41 → 46 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Jun 14, 2026 | 0 → 0 | unknown | Data update Grounded open data research & citations |
Every editorial change to Balikpapan's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
Been to Balikpapan? Share your experience
+ Share your first-hand experience in Balikpapan
Transparency & Sources
We document the baseline sources, coverage scope, and data inputs for this destination below.
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Balikpapan
- Travel Risk Calculator score (method v2): Security, crime and scams, health, natural hazards and current alerts for Balikpapan, from US, UK and Canadian advisories, INFORM, World Bank, UCDP, CDC, GDACS, USGS and OpenStreetMap
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
Baseline scope
- Category scores represent an analytical baseline, updated from official feeds and public records.
Coverage notes
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
Methodology · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
Popular travel-safety searches right now
Cities our visitors look up most frequently — useful for trip planning, comparison, or just curiosity.
PAGE LAST UPDATED:
Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.