A 24-kilometre spread of low hills just off the coast northeast of Tanjung Selor, Pulau Tarakan floats above extensive oil reserves: offshore rigs dot the horizon, while the west-coast town of TARAKAN is surrounded by smaller-scale "nodding donkey" pumps. It's a surprisingly brisk, busy place, just a stone's throw from Pulau Nunukan and the open border with Malaysia .

The Jalan Sudarso/Sudirman junction, 2km north of the port, marks the town centre. The airport is 2km north of town, Rp5000 by taxi. Wisma Murni Travel at the Hotel Wisata (tel 0551/21697) can book flights to Samarinda, Nunukan and Balikpapan. All marine traffic docks at the southern end of Jalan Sudarso: ferries from Berau (Rp25,000-40,000) and Nunukan (about Rp15,000) use the jetty about 1.5km south of the intersection. The port, 500m further down, is served by Pelni 's Kerinci, Tidar and Awu to Balikpapan, Nunukan, Sulawesi and Java . The Pelni office is here too. Bemos around town are plentiful and cost Rp300 a ride.

There are numerous places to stay , mostly east down Jalan Sudirman within 150m of the centre. Hotel Wisata, Jl Sudirman 46 (tel 0552/21347; $25-40), is a good standby; the adjacent Orchid, Jl Sudirman 171 (tel 0551/21664; $15-20), is cheap and grotty, with Tarakan's best-value rooms a little further along at the tidy Barito Timur, Jl Sudirman 129 (tel 0551/21181; $20-25). At the intersection on Jalan Sudarso, the Kartika is a fine Chinese restaurant , as are the Cahaya and Anneka, both along Jalan Sudirman. Good exchange rates and ATMs can be found at the BNI bank just south of the intersection and across from the police station on Jalan Sudarso.