Tanjung Redeb

Tanjung Redeb is the capital city of Berau District. Its total area is 23.76 km² and it has 55,000 inhabitants. While Berau itself is 34,127 km² in total area and has 164,501 inhabitants.

Since Tanjung Redeb is a very small city, to Indonesian standard, sometimes people just say ‘Berau’ to refer Tanjung Redeb.

Tanjung means ‘cape’ or ‘peninsula’. Tanjung Redeb is a cape where at the tip of it, two rivers meet into one which goes toward the sea. The two rivers are called ‘Segah’ and ‘Kelai’; while the united one is called Berau River.Although it's not clear on this picture, but this is the tip of the cape where the two rivers meet.

Tanjung Redeb is a growing city due to coal mining companies that increase in number. Immigrants like me are increasing lately, so it is difficult to notice any local dialect. In fact, most of the food vendors are Javanese; which makes me have to practice my poor Javanese language skill.

Although the city is growing but the city planning is still messy. Garbage is everywhere which make the city looks slum. The good thing is, the air is still unpolluted.

Also, although the city still has much available lands, but people and houses are concentrated in certain area. They live densely in a rumah panggung on a peat land. The houses are somehow pretty, made on wood and have flowers around, but as I mentioned before, it surrounded by garbage.