Kalimantan
Kalimantan Highlights
West Kalimantan
Pontianak
Sungai Kapuas
Sukadana
Central Kalimantan
Tanjung Puting National Park
Kumai
Pangkalan Bun
Palangka Raya
South Kalimantan
Banjarmasin
Kandangan
Negara
Loksado
East Kalimantan
Balikpapan
Samarinda
Sungai Mahakam
The Muller Mountains
Kutai National Park
Berau
Merabu
Derawan Archipelago
North Kalimantan
Kalimantan
13.8 million
Why Go?
Skewered by the equator and roasting under a tropical sun, the steamy forests of Kalimantan serve up endless opportunities for epic rainforest exploration. The island has no volcanoes and is protected from tsunamis, which has allowed its ancient forests to grow towering trees that house some of the world's most memorable species. The noble orangutan shares the canopy with acrobatic gibbons, while prehistoric hornbills patrol the air above.
The indigenous people, collectively known as Dayak, have long lived in concert with this rich, challenging landscape. Their longhouses dot the banks of Kalimantan's many waterways, creating a sense of community unmatched elsewhere in a country already well-known for its hospitable people.
Kalimantan's natural resources have made it a prime target for exploitation; just three quarters of Borneo's lowland forests remain, and its once abundant wildlife and rich traditional cultures are rapidly disappearing. Visit this awesome wilderness as soon as you can, while you still can.
When to Go
ADec–Mar Abundant fruit, including rare types of durian, brings orangutans into view.
AJul–Sep Dry season makes travelling easier, but air may be hazy from fires.
AAug–Sep Clearest water for diving in Derawan.
Best Jungle River Journeys
A Sungai Bungan–Tanjung Lokan by motorised canoe
A Sungai Ohang–Tanjung Isuy to Mancong by ces
A Sungai Sekonyer through Tanjung Puting National Park by klotok
Best Places to Stay
Kalimantan Highlights
1 Completing the landmark Cross-Borneo Trek – if you can
2 Meeting the orangutans of Tanjung Puting National Park
3 Going native in the Kapuas Hulu region
4 Taking the slow boat up Sungai Mahakam
5 Living the (inexpensive) high life in Balikpapan
6 Delving into Kalimantan's near and distant past in Merabu
7 Exploring the Derawan Archipelago, both under water and above
8 Settling into village life in lovely Loksado
9 Witnessing the annual spectacle of Cap Goh Meh
History & Culture
Separated from Southeast Asia’s mainland 10,000 years ago by rising seas, Kalimantan was originally populated by the Dayak, who still define its public image. The culture of these diverse forest tribes once included headhunting, extensive tattooing, stretched earlobes, blowguns and longhouses – horizontal apartment buildings big enough to house an entire village. That culture has been slowly dismantled by the modern world, so that some elements, such as headhunting (thankfully), no longer exist, while others are slowly disappearing. Tribal identity persists, but many Dayak have either abandoned their traditional folk religion, Kaharingan, or combined it with Christianity (or Islam).
In addition to the Dayak, Kalimantan contains two other large ethnic groups: the Chinese and the Malay. The Chinese are the region's most successful merchants, having traded in Kalimantan since at least 300 BC. They're responsible for the bright red Confucian and Buddhist temples found in many port towns, and for a profusion of Chinese restaurants, some of Kalimantan's best dining. The Malays are predominantly Muslim, a religion that arrived with the Melaka empire in the 15th century. The most obvious signs of their presence are the grand mosques in major cities and towns, along with the call to prayer. Several palaces of Muslim sultanates, some still occupied by royal descendants, can be visited.
Since colonial times, Kalimantan has been a destination for transmigrasi, the government-sponsored relocation of people from more densely populated areas of the archipelago. This and an influx of jobseekers from throughout Indonesia has led to some conflict, most notably a year-long struggle between Dayak and Madurese people (from the island of Madura) in 2001, which killed 500 people, and a smaller conflict in 2010 between Dayak and Bugis in Tarakan.
Most of the struggle in Kalimantan, however, has taken place over its bountiful natural resources, and involved foreign powers. Oil, rubber, spices, timber, coal, diamonds and gold have all been pawns on the board, causing many years of intrigue, starting with British and Dutch colonial interests. During World War II oil and other resources made Borneo (the island which is home to Kalimantan) an early target for Japan, leading to a brutal occupation, in which some 21,000 people were murdered in West Kalimantan alone. In 1963 Indonesian President Sukarno led a failed attempt to take over all of Borneo by staging attacks on the Malaysian north.
Today the struggle for Kalimantan's resources is more insidious. As one watches the endless series of enormous coal barges proceed down rivers lined with tin-roofed shacks, there is the constant sense of an ongoing plunder from which the local people benefit little, as they are outmanoeuvred by a shadowy collection of foreign businesspeople and local government officials overseen from Jakarta. Meanwhile, as palm-oil plantations spread across the landscape, the great Bornean jungle recedes, never to return. Numerous conservation groups are struggling to halt the social and environmental damage, and to save some remarkable wildlife. Best to visit soon.
Wildlife
Kalimantan's flora and fauna are among the most diverse in the world. You can find more tree species in a single hectare of its rainforest than in all of the US and Canada combined. There are over 220 species of mammal and over 420 species of bird found on Borneo, many of them endemic to the island. The region is best known for its orangutans, Asia’s only great ape and a rare but thrilling sight outside of Kalimantan's many rescue and rehabilitation centres. River cruising commonly reveals proboscis monkeys (unique to Borneo), macaques, gibbons, crocodiles (including gharials), monitor lizards and pythons. Hornbills are commonly seen flying overhead, and are a spiritual symbol for many Dayak. Forests harbour the rare clouded leopard, sun bears, giant moths, tarantulas, and more bizarre species of ants and spiders than you could ever conjure out of your wildest imagination. For divers, the Derawan Archipelago is renowned for its turtles, manta rays and pelagics.
8Getting There & Away
The only entry points to Kalimantan that issue visas on arrival are Balikpapan's Sepinggan Airport, Pontianak's Supadio Airport and the Tebedu–Entikong land crossing between Kuching (Sarawak) and Pontianak. All other entry points require a visa issued in advance.
Air
Most major cities can be reached from Jakarta or Surabaya. Pontianak connects with Kuching (Malaysia), while Balikpapan has direct flights to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Singapore. There are no direct flights from Europe or the Americas to Kalimantan.
Boat
Major ferry ports in Kalimantan include Balikpapan, Samarinda, Banjarmasin and Pontianak. Pelni (www.pelni.co.id) and other carriers connect to Jakarta, Semarang and Surabaya on Java, as well as Makassar and Pare Pare on Sulawesi. There is an infrequent ferry between Tawau (Sabah) and Tarakan, with more regular speedboat service from Tawau to Nunukan.
Bus
Air-con buses link Pontianak with Kuching (230,000Rp, nine hours), as well as with other cities along Sarawak's central coast, and even Brunei (650,000Rp, 25 hours). Bus travel between Putussibau and Sarawak requires switching carriers at the border.
8Getting Around
Kalimantan is both immense and undeveloped. River travel is as common as road travel, and transport options can form a complex picture. To assess the ever-changing transportation options it is often easiest to visit a local travel agent.
AAir Regional flights aboard ATR turboprops are an efficient means of getting from one hub to another, while smaller Cessnas may be your only option for some remote locations.
ARiver A variety of craft ply the rivers, including the kapal biasa (large two-storey ferry), the klotok (smaller boat with covered passenger cabins), speedboats, and motorised canoes, including the ces (the local longtail). Bring your earplugs.
ARoad Highways between major cities are improving daily, and range from excellent to pockmarked. Buses are fairly ubiquitous, except in East and North Kalimantan. Most major routes offer air-con for a bit extra. A Kijang (4WD minivan) can often be chartered between cities. Intra-city travel usually involves a minibus known as an angkot or opelet (or, frustratingly, taksi in Banjarmasin) that charges a flat fee per trip. To really go native, take an ojek (motorcycle taxi).
TRANSPORT SAFETY
Road washouts, river rapids, dilapidated buses, flash floods, weaving scooters, speeding Kijang, overweight canoes, questionable airlines, and a general lack of both maintenance and safety equipment require an extra dose of diligence when travelling in Kalimantan.
Insist on life jackets on boats. Don't be afraid to remind your driver they aren't filming Fast & Furious Borneo. And remember, repeatedly saying tidak apa apa (no worries) doesn't make the very real dangers magically disappear.
West Kalimantan
Pontianak
%0561 / Pop 570,000
Sprawling south of the equator, Pontianak is the concrete cultural mixing bowl and transportation hub of West Kalimantan (known locally as Kalbar, short for Kalimantan Barat. Head inland to visit Dayak longhouses in the Kapuas Hulu, south to serene Sukadana and Gunung Palung National Park, or north to the culturally rich city of Singkawang. A handful of cultural sights and an improving hotel market make the city itself a perfectly tolerable place to layover.
Pontianak
1Sights
5Eating
3Entertainment
7Shopping
Transport
1Sights
Museum Provinsi Kalimantan BaratMUSEUM
(West Kalimantan Provincial Museum; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Ahmad Yani; admission 1000Rp; h8am-2.30pm Tue-Thu, 8-11am & 1-2.30pm Fri, 8am-2pm Sat & Sun)
A well-maintained collection of artefacts provides an informative English-language overview of local Dayak, Malay and Chinese cultures. Helpful staff offer further insights. Take a red or pink opelet south along Jl Yani.
Istana KadriahMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; admission by donation; h7am-noon)S
For an outing that will show you a bit of town, visit the leaking palace of Pontianak's first sultan on the east bank of the Kapuas. Nearby, the wooden Mesjid Abdurrahman ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) stands where a cannonball reportedly landed after the sultan fired it at a pontianak (the ghost of a woman who died during childbirth). Explore the surrounding village on stilts for a glimpse into the city's past. Get there by canoe taxi (2000Rp regular, 10,000Rp charter) from the foot of Jl Mahakam.
Vihara Bodhisatva Karaniya MettaBUDDHIST TEMPLE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Sultan Muhammad)F
West Kalimantan’s oldest Buddhist temple (1673) is a sensory feast.
Tugu KhatulistiwaMONUMENT
(Equator Monument; GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Khatulistiwa; h7.30am-4.30pm)
If you want to stand on two hemispheres, you can formally do so here – though continental drift has moved the monument 117m south of the actual equator. The gift shop nearby has a colourful collection of T-shirts, sarongs and equator lamps. Cross the river by ferry and take an opelet 3km northwest on Jl Khatulistiwa.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
THE CROSS-BORNEO TREK: A WORLD-CLASS ADVENTURE
Borneo offers one of the world's greatest adventure travel routes. East and West Kalimantan are divided by the Muller mountain range, which also serves as the headwaters for Indonesia's two longest rivers (sungai). Sungai Kapuas snakes 1143km to the west coast near Pontianak, while Sungai Mahakam flows 930km to the east coast, by Samarinda. Thus, by travelling up one, hiking over the Muller Range, and travelling down the other, it is possible to cross the world's third-largest island. Be forewarned, however: this journey holds significant hazards, from deadly rapids to remote and brutal hiking where the smallest misstep could have life-changing consequences. This should not be your first rainforest trek.
Like all good epics, this one comes in a trilogy.
Sungai Mahakam One of Kalimantan's last great river journeys, travelling the Mahakam can easily fill several days in a succession of boats, making side trips into lakes and marshes, spotting wildlife, and visiting small river towns. The trek itself begins (or ends) at Tiong Ohang, up two boat-crushing sets of rapids from Long Bagun.
The Muller Mountains You do this jungle trek for the same reason you climb Mt Everest: because it's there. Noted for its river fording, hordes of leeches, and treacherous slopes, the route requires the knowledge of a professional guiding company. If you walk a taxing eight hours a day, you can make it across in five days, but seven is more comfortable and safer. Plan for 10.
Sungai Kapuas The hulu (headwater) region of the Kapuas is home to many of Kalimantan's best and most accessible longhouses. However public-boat travel below Putussibau is nonexistent, meaning most trekkers fly or bus between Pontianak and Putussibau.
Debate rages as to which direction is preferable. The consensus seems to be that east-to-west is logistically simpler, while west-to-east is physically less brutal. Either way, success is a noteworthy achievement you'll remember for the rest of your life.
zFestivals & Events
Gawai Dayak FestivalCULTURAL
(hMay/Jun)
The Dayak harvest festival takes place in Pontianak at the end of May, but many villages hold their own sometime between April and June. These generally loud, chaotic and festive week-long affairs have plenty of dancing and food.
TTours
Canopy IndonesiaECOTOUR
(%0811 574 2228, 0812 5809 2228; info.canopyindonesia@gmail.com)S
Energetic husband-and-wife team Deny and Venie are passionate about sustainable tourism through community engagement. They reinvest much of the proceeds from their signature Danau Sentarum National Park trips into developing new ecotourism programs throughout West Kalimantan.
Times Tours & TravelCULTURAL TOUR
(%0819 560 1920; timestravell@yahoo.com; Jl Komyos Sudarso Blok H no 6)
Specialising in cultural tours around Pontianak and KalBar since 1995, English-speaking owner Iwan is super-responsive and efficient. Call before visiting.
4Sleeping
Green Leaf InnHOTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0561-769622; Jl Gajah Mada 65; s/d 110,000/216,000Rp; a)
Large superior rooms have new paint and clean tile floors, while the 'personal' rooms barely have space for a bed. All have cold water and contortionist showers. Breakfast for one is included, but not windows.
Mess HijasHOTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0561-744068; Jl Hijas 106; s/d 100,000/150,000Rp; a)
These stalwart budget digs manage to remain relevant and relatively clean. Floors three and four compensate for the hike by offering hot-water showers for no extra cost. The front gate is locked at midnight, whether you are home or not.
Hosanna InnHOTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0561-735052; Jl Pahlawan 224/2; s/d incl breakfast 135,000/195,000Rp; aW)
The public spaces are pleasantly decorated and the staff are friendly, making this a good option for those taking an early DAMRI bus (next door). However, the cramped and tired budget rooms share impossibly tiny bathrooms. Room 205 has windows and access to a balcony.
PontianakHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0561-761118; Jl Gajah Mada 21; r incl breakfast 668,000-748,000Rp; aWs)
This oasis of old-school luxury and sophisticated decor is a steal at regularly discounted rates (listed here). Superiors are spacious, while the executive rooms add a bath and sofa. The RiverX entertainment complex will perk you up at night, and the substantial breakfast buffet will fuel you throughout the day.
Have a drink or two at the wine bar before shopping at the regional handicrafts shop with surprisingly reasonable prices.
Gardenia Resort & SpaHOTEL$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0561-672 6446; www.gardeniaresortandspa.com; Jl Ahmad Yani II; ste 750,000Rp; aWs)
The closest thing to a resort in Pontianak, the Gardenia is near the airport, making it a great option for those uninterested in the city itself. Spacious private villas connected by boardwalks to the spa and an al fresco restaurant – all built with Balinese notions – provide welcome respite from the chaos of urban Kalimantan.
The terrace suites with private balcony are the best value, while the premier rooms are worn, and lack a balcony. The attached water-park pool is shared with screaming local children during the day.
Kartika HotelHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0561-734401; Jl Rahadi Usman 2; riverside incl breakfast 477,600Rp; aW)
Its location on the river sets this hotel apart. Catch a breeze on the balcony as you plot upstream expeditions like an explorer of yesteryear. If the riverside rooms are full, however, give the place a miss. The open-deck Panorama Restaurant serves cold beer 24 hours.
5Eating
At night Jl Gajah Mada becomes crowded with cafe culture, while seafood tents take over the Jl Diponegoro–Agus Salim median.
oChai Kue Siam A-HinDUMPLING$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Siam; 10 dumplings from 20,000Rp; h10am-10pm)
Pork or veggies, steamed or fried – whichever you desire, you'll be waiting your turn among the mob of locals jockeying for a table or take away.
Mie Tiau PoloINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Pattimura; mains 25,000Rp; h10am-9pm)
Not to be confused with Apollo to the left, whose sign proudly states: 'Since 1968. Never moved.' Polo's sign retorts simply: 'Moved from next door.' The dispute is as legendary as the noodles they serve. Draw your own conclusions about which is the best…or oldest.
Ce Pien ChekVEGETARIAN$
(CPC; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0821 5101 8969; Jl Siam 87; mains 15,000Rp; h8.30am-9.30pm; v)
Piles of vegetables and fake meat served up with a small, but endearing, touch of self-righteousness.
Rumah Makan BetangDAYAK$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Letjend Sutoyo 4A; h10am-11pm; W)
Located behind the replica betang (longhouse) this small warung (food stall) cooks up traditional Dayak fare including babi kecap, a dish made from sautéed pork and pig fat. Wash it down with a glass of tuak pulut, a traditional sweet wine made from sticky rice.
Abang KepitingSEAFOOD$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Hijas; fish per oz 20,000Rp; h5-10pm)
Buckets of iced fish out front are begging to be steamed, fried or grilled to your liking. Treat yourself to an experience and dive into a pile of smoked crabs: a full-body, all-evening affair. Come early as the place fills quickly.
3Entertainment
Café TisyaLIVE MUSIC
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Budi Karya; h7pm-2am)
Have a few Bintang, enjoy some (loud) live music, and meet the locals, from university students to sailors on shore leave.
7Shopping
For general souvenirs, visit the craft shops lining Jl Pattimura.
oBorneo Art ShopANTIQUES
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0813 7499 6145; Jl Nusa Indah I B24; h9am-5pm)
Come here to enter a world of exotic curios from around Borneo including arts, antiques and etcetera. Lots of etcetera.
8Information
Aria TourTRAVEL AGENCY
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0561-577868; Jl Tanjungpura 36, near Hotel Garuda; a)
Good for airline tickets and SJS buses to Kuching.
Haji La Tunrung StarEXCHANGE
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0561-743385; Jl Diponegoro 163)
Exchange chain dealing in multiple currencies.
Klinik Kharitas BhaktiHOSPITAL
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0561-766975, 0561-734373; Jl Siam 153; h7-12.30am)
Emergency open 24 hours.
Main Post OfficePOST OFFICE
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0561-730641; Jl Sultan Abdur Rahman 49; h7.30am-9.30pm Mon-Sat, 8am-2pm Sun)
WORTH A TRIP
SINGKAWANG, HOME OF KALBAR'S BIGGEST PARTY
Reminiscent of Shanghai 1950, Singkawang's vibrant energy is unique in Kalimantan. The largely Chinese city has some classic shop houses, ancient ceramic kilns, an impressive night market (Pasar Malam Hongkong), and nearly 1000 Chinese temples. The city swells beyond its streets during the Cap Goh Meh celebration on the 15th day of the lunar new year, when dragons and lions dance among Chinese and Dayak tatungs (holy men possessed by spirits who perform acts of self-mutilation and animal sacrifice). A luar biasa (extraordinary) spectacle.
The best rooms in town are those at the top of Villa Bukit Mas (%0562 333 5666; Singkawang; s/d 560,000/600,000Rp), a sophisticated hillside hotel with wooden floors, private porches and a refined seclusion. The restaurant has grand open-air seating ringed by plumeria trees, and specialises in shabu-shabu (66,000Rp for two) and cold Bintang beer.
The extensive beaches near Singkawang offer everything from deserted paradise to garish 'resorts' with carnival atmospheres. Catch the public boat (25,000Rp, 1 hour, departs 8am) from the police station at Batu Payung to Penata Island for some truly off-the-beaten-path exploration.
DAMRI buses (100,000Rp, three hours) and shared taxis leave for Singkawang regularly from Pontianak's airport and Kota Baru.
8Getting There & Away
Air
MASwingsAIRLINE
(%0856 5454 5016; Airport)
Sriwijaya AirAIRLINE
(Nam Air; %0561-706 2400; Airport)
TriganaAIRLINE
(%0561-725513; Airport)
Xpress AirAIRLINE
(%0823 5791 9555, 0561-717 0456; Airport)
Boat
Ships bound for Java leave from the main harbour on Jl Pak Kasih, north of the Kartika Hotel.
The Poly 2 Express (%0561-35864; economy 260,000Rp) jet boat to Ketapang leaves from Sheng Hie Harbour ( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Barito) daily. At time of research, the Bahari Express (%0561-760 820) was dry-docked for the foreseeable future.
Speedboats ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %8.30am boat 0857 5484 3414, 9.15am boat 0813 5213 4440) to Sukadana (five hours) leave from behind the Kapuas Indah Building.
There are no scheduled passenger boats upriver to Putussibau. However, if both your time and bahasa are abundant, negotiate a ride on a combination houseboat, freighter and general store, that can take several days to a month to make the epic 900km journey. Priceless.
Bus
AInternational Pontianak seems determined to make international bus travel as inconvenient as possible. Malaysia and Brunei arrivals and departures take place at the massively overbuilt Ambawang Terminal, 9km east of the city. The taxi cartel has fixed the rates into town at 150,000Rp and prevents public transport from serving the terminal. Buy international tickets from ATS ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0561-706 8670; Jl Pahlawan 58), DAMRI ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0561-744859, SMS 0812 5420 6001; Jl Pahlawan 226), or one of several companies along Jl Sisingamangaraja.
ADomestic On the bright side, improved roads and newer fleets make bus travel within Kalimantan faster and leagues more comfortable than in the past. Regional buses still depart from within the city, with Bis Sentosa ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0856 502 1219; Jl Kopten Marsan B5) serving Putussibau, and DAMRI Pangkalan Bun. Few minibuses depart from Batu Layang terminal these days, instead picking up passengers for Sambas and Singkawang on their way past the Siantan ferry terminal.
Car
A car with driver costs 450,000Rp per day within the city. Private charters to Singkawang and points north start at 700,000Rp per day.
TRANSPORT FROM PONTIANAK
AIR
| Destination | Company | Fare (Rp) | Duration | Frequency |
| Balikpapan | Kalstar | 1,160,000 | 2hr | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun |
| Bandung | Kalstar, Xpress | 1,000,000 | 1¼hr | 1 daily |
| Batam | Lion | 717,000 | 1¼hr | 1 daily |
| Denpasar | Kalstar | 1,161,000 | 3hr | Tue, Thu, Sat |
| Jakarta | Garuda, Lion, Sriwijaya | 560,000 | 1½hr | 18 daily |
| Ketapang | Kalstar, Trigana | 440,000 | 40min | 5 daily |
| Kuala Lumpur | AirAsia | 399,000 | 2hr | Sun, Mon, Wed, Fri |
| Kuching | MASwings, Xpress | 850,000 | 45min | 1-2 daily |
| Palangka Raya | Garuda | 1,113,000 | 1¾hr | 1 daily |
| Pangkalan Bun | Kalstar, Trigana | 854,000 | 1½hr | 2 daily |
| Putussibau | Garuda, Kalstar | 556,000 | 1hr | 2 daily |
| Semarang | Kalstar | 1,020,000 | 2hr | 2 daily |
| Sintang | Kalstar | 700,000 | 45min | 2 daily |
| Surabaya | Kalstar | 923,000 | 1¼hr | 2 daily |
| Yogyakarta | Nam, Xpress | 1,000,000 | 1½hr | 1-2 daily |
BOAT
| Destination | Company | Fare (Rp) | Duration (hr) | Frequency |
| Jakarta | Pelni | 288,000 | 36 | weekly |
| Ketapang (jet boat) | Bahari Express, Poly 2 Express | 260,000 | 8 | daily |
| Natuna Islands | Pelni | 184,000 | 28 | weekly |
| Semarang | Pelni, Dharma Lautan Utama | 280,000 | 40 | weekly |
| Sukadana (long boat) | multiple operators | 240,000 | 5 | daily |
| Surabaya | Pelni | 334,000 | 44 | weekly |
BUS
| Destination | Company | Fare (Rp) | Duration (hr) | Frequency |
| Brunei | ATS, DAMRI, SJS | 650,000 | 26 | daily |
| Kuching | ATS, Bintang Jaya, Bus Asia, DAMRI, EVA | 230,000 | 9 | daily |
| Pangkalan Bun | DAMRI | 350,000 | 20 | daily |
| Putussibau | Bis Sentosa | 200,000-300,000 | 12 | daily |
| Sambas | DAMRI, local minibus | 45,000-90,0000 | 5 | daily |
| Singkawang | DAMRI, local minibus | 35,000-100,000 | 3 | daily |
| Sintang | ATS, DAMRI | 160,000-200,000 | 6 | daily |
8Getting Around
Airport taxis cost 110,000Rp to town (17km). Alternately, take a DAMRI bus to the Kota Baru neighbourhood (35,000Rp, every two hours), then an opelet (3000Rp) downtown from there.
Opelet (3000Rp) routes converge around Jl Sisingamangaraja.
Becak (bicycle rickshaws) are available, but are a dying breed.
Taxis are unmetered and scarce.
Sungai Kapuas
Indonesia’s longest river, Sungai Kapuas, begins in the foothills of the Muller range and snakes 1143km west to the sea. Along the way it passes by some of Kalimantan's oldest, friendliest, and most vibrant longhouse communities, the photographer's paradise of Danau Sentarum, and – waaay off in the distance – Bukit Raya, the tallest peak in Kalimantan. Unlike the Mahakam, there is no kapal biasa service, making river travel impractical, but improving roads between Pontianak and Putussibau make bus trips manageable.
Sintang
%0565
Sintang sits at the confluence of Sungai Kapuas and Sungai Melawi, where the sentinel peak of Bukit Kelam looms between you and the Kapuas Hulu. A phenomenal weaving gallery (%0565-21098; koperasijmm@ymail.com; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri, to noon Sat) in a replica longhouse and a well-meaning museum (Jl Sintang-Putussibau Km14; h8am-3pm Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm Sat-Sun) make it a good choice for breaking up your bus journey between Pontianak and Putussibau.
Start here for trips to Bukit Baka–Bukit Raya National Park and the seven-day expedition to climb Kalimantan's tallest mountain. Register (mandatory) at the park office (%0565-23521; bukitbakabukitraya.org; Jl Wahidin Sudirohusodo 75 , next to police compound), where they'll explain transport options.
The best lodging near town is the inconveniently located Bagoes Guesthouse (%0565-23733; Jl Dharma Putra 16; r 215,000-389,000Rp), southeast of the five-way intersection (simpang lima).
8Getting There & Away
AAir Kalstar flies twice daily to Pontianak (700,000Rp, 40 minutes), and Aviastar connects to Ketapang (410,000Rp, Tuesday and Saturday).
ABus Services run daily to/from Pontianak (160,000Rp, 10 hours) from Terminal Sungai Durian, and Putussibau-bound buses pass the Jl Deponegoro/Jl Bhayangkara roundabout. For trips to Danau Sentarum, go straight to the park office in Semitau on a minibus from Pasar Inpres (200,000Rp, five hours). Or take a Putussibau-bound bus to Simpang Pala Kota (100,000Rp, 3½ hours) and wait for any vehicle to Semitau.
8Getting Around
White angkot (5000Rp) connect Terminal Pasar Inpres on the east bank and Terminal Sungai Durian on the west bank, passing most major landmarks.
Putussibau
%0567
This lively river town is the last stop for airlines and long-distance buses, as well as the last chance for an ATM, before launching into the wilderness.
1Sights & Activities
You can't swing a mandau (Dayak machete) around Putussibau without hitting a betang (the local word for longhouse). Some of these traditional Dayak dwellings house 30 families or more. Stand at one end of the communal front porch, and the other end disappears into converging lines interrupted occasionally by sleeping dogs or playing children. Betang range from historic and ornate affairs elevated on ironwood pillars, to almost nondescript row houses resembling company barracks.
Many, but not all, betang welcome casual visitors, with overnight stays often possible. Ask permission before entering or taking photographs. Expect to be introduced to the headman or cultural liaison, who will invariably insist you join them for a cup of overly sweet coffee or tea, the modern equivalent of a welcoming ceremony. Homestays, where available, may simply be a mat on the community room floor and acbite of whatever is cooking. You stay here for the experience, not the luxury.
Betang Buana TengahLONGHOUSE
(homestay 35,000Rp)
Built in 1864, this betang is home to Tamambaloh Apalin Dayak. Debate over whether it is the oldest longhouse in the region (if not Kalimantan) abruptly ended in 2014, when neighbouring contender Betang Uluk Palin tragically burned to the ground.The floor looms 4.5m above the earth, supported by the original weathered ironwood columns. Take the Badau bus 50km northwest of Putussibau, then an ojek 4km southwest on a gravel road.
Betang SadapLONGHOUSE
(homestay 120,000Rp, meals 20,000Rp)
Not the oldest, nor the most picturesque, but perhaps the most welcoming longhouse community. An ecotourism effort spearheaded by Januar, an Iban Matthew Broderick lookalike, will have you angling for prize-winning semah fish or splashing up the cascading rainforest creeks of their community forest. Why pay millions of rupiah for a boat trip to Betung Kerihun when you can have it all here?
Melapi 1LONGHOUSE
The Taman Dayak longhouses of Melapi 1 to 5 stretch along the Kapuas upriver of Putussibau. As per usual, the sequels don't quite live up to the original. To find Melapi 1, borrow bicycles or a motorbike and head 10km southeast of town on Jl Lintas Timur. Turn left at the church and hail a canoe taxi across the river. A homestay may be negotiable.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
KALIMANTAN'S FINAL FRONTIER: BETUNG KERIHUN NATIONAL PARK
If you're the type to spend hours poring over satellite images to find the darkest green patches up the furthest reaches of jungle rivers, ripe for exploration, then you've noticed the northeast corner of KalBar. Four major watersheds draining the border with Malaysia are protected as Betung Kerihun National Park (%0567-21935; betungkerihun.dephut.go.id; Jl P Tendean, Putussibau), an expanse of mountains and old-growth forests where trekkers and boaters can spend lifetimes exploring. Facilities are few and river travel expensive; this is raw adventure of a kind increasingly hard to find in Kalimantan.
TTours
KompakhADVENTURE TOUR
(%0852 4545 0852; www.kompakh.or.id; Jl Kenanga Komp Ruko Pemda 3D)
The folks at this WWF-supported ecotourism initiative know everything about Kapuas Hulu, and offer tours ranging from Danau Sentarum National Park to longhouse visits to river cruising to jungle treks, including the Cross-Borneo Trek.
4Sleeping
Rindu KapuasHOTEL$
(%0567-21010; Jl Merdeka 11; r 165,000-198,000Rp; a)
Nice rooms, each with air-con and TV, arrayed around the central living area of a large single-level house. From the traditional market, head south toward the river and turn west on Jl Merdeka (which continues under Jl A Yani at the river bridge.)
Aman Sentosa HotelMOTEL$
(%0567-21691; Jl Diponegoro 14; r 110,000-352,000Rp; aW)
A variety of clean concrete rooms ring a central parking courtyard. They don't serve breakfast, but do have wi-fi in the lobby and motorbikes for rent (75,000Rp).
5Eating & Drinking
Pondok MerantiINDONESIAN$
(%0567-21454; Jl Yos Sudarso; mains 15,000Rp; h10am-10pm)
A big, blue, open warehouse full of polished wooden tables where a limited menu of Indonesian staples, drinks and juice is served. Try the 'extra jos susu' for an afternoon jolt of tachycardia.
Cafe AmandaCAFE
(Alun Park; mains 20,000Rp; h3pm-midnight)
This al fresco cafe occupies the riverside park near the bridge, making it a uniquely popular place to hang out.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
DANAU SENTARUM NATIONAL PARK
To avoid accusations of hyperbole, we'll let the numbers describe Danau Sentarum National Park: 4m to 6m of rainfall each year causes water levels to fluctuate by up to 12m – higher than a three-story building. As the water recedes, the lake's 240 fish species are funnelled into narrowing channels, where they must contend with 800km of gill net, 20,000 traps, and 500,000 hooks placed by fishers occupying 20 villages, who haul out as much as 13,000 tons of fish a year. Meanwhile, 237 bird and 143 mammal species inhabit the 1320 sq km of peat swamp, lowland forest and seasonal grasslands so compelling you'll be thankful for packing that extra memory card for your camera.
Enter the park's network of lakes, creeks and channels from Lanjak in the north near Putussibau, or Semitau in the south near Sintang. Be sure to register with the park office at either town (150,000Rp per person per day). Boats run 400,000Rp to 700,000Rp per day, and guides cost 150,000Rp per day. Highlights include staying at Pelaik (120,000Rp per room) – the isolated longhouse tucked away in the forest at the end of a hidden lake; fishing at nearby Meliau (300,000Rp); watching the sunrise from Tekenang hill; and hunting for honey with the villagers at Semangit. Arrange a tour through Canopy Indonesia in Pontianak, or Kompakh in Putussibau. Getting here takes some time, so plan to stay a while.
8Information
Rafly CyberINTERNET
(Jl Yos Sudarso 127; internet access per hour 4000Rp; h7am-10pm)
RS DiponegoroHOSPITAL
(%0567-21052; Jl Yos Sudarso 42)
Local hospital.
8Getting There & Away
AAir Kalstar (%0821 5202 2213; Jl Lintas Selatan 42B) and Garuda (%0567-21870; Jl KS Tubun 7A) offer once daily flights to Pontianak (546,000Rp, one hour). Taxis from the airport (3½km) cost 50,000Rp, an ojek 25,000Rp.
ABus Services leave from Sentosa (%0567-22628; Jl Rahadi Usman) and Perintis (%0567-21237; Jl Yos Sudarso 71) offices for Sintang (140,000Rp, nine hours, 6am) and Pontianak (200,000Rp, 12 hours, six daily 10am to 1.30pm). For Badau and Lanjak (120,000Rp, four hours, 10.30am) head to the bus terminal north of the market.
ABoat The pier is on Sungai Kapuas east of the bridge.
8Getting Around
The only way to get around Putussibau is to hire a motorbike (75,000Rp per day), as angkot have gone way.
Tanjung Lokan & Sungai Bungan
Cross-Borneo treks start or end at the village of Tanjung Lokan, a small group of huts located on Sungai Bungan, a rapid-filled tributary of the Kapuas. There is a basic lodge (50,000Rp) and a few guides for hire, but English is hard to come by.
The expense, challenge, and risk of travelling through this section of churning river is not to be underestimated, or underappreciated. Expect to walk around some sections. The cost of the seven-hour downriver trip to Putussibau has been officially set at 1,000,000Rp per seat and up to 4,000,000Rp per per boat. Upstream takes twice as long due to the current, and costs twice as much.
Sukadana
%0534 / Pop 22,000
Sukadana is a most welcome surprise, all the more so because few people seem to know about it. Half the fun is just getting here, commonly via a scenic five-hour speedboat ride from Pontianak through tributaries, estuaries, and the mangrove wonderland near Batu Ampar. The region is full of forested hills and attractive islands dotted with isolated fishing villages begging for exploration. Finally you reach wide Melano Bay on the South China Sea and skirt the coastline, passing Batu Daya, a vertical wall of rock soaring in the distance as you approach the mountains of Gunung Palung National Park.
Sukadana is hidden in a fold of coastline betrayed by its major landmark, the Mahkota Kayong, a completely out of place hotel built over the water. South of town, an attractive beach, surrounded by rolling rainforested hills where gibbons usher in the dawn with melodic duets, helps make this an excellent getaway.
Tourism is in its infancy, but USAID-advised ecotourism initiatives in the nearby village of Sedahan, and an increasing focus on the Karimata Islands, are putting this undiscovered coastal mountain town solidly on the radar.
GUNUNG PALUNG: A PARK THAT'S HARD TO LOVE
Gunung Palung's mountain landscape, wildlife diversity and accessibility should make it the premier rainforest trekking location in Kalimantan. With a large population of wild orangutans, hundreds of acrobatic gibbons, sun bears, clouded leopards, and old-growth trees so large four people can't reach around them, the park is one of the last great pockets of primary rainforest on the island. Unfortunately, a history of mismanagement coupled with a monopoly on tourism by the park-employee-owned company Nasalis Tour and Travel (%0534-772 2701; www.nasalistour.com; Jl Gajah Mada 34, Ketapang) has long made visiting this unspoiled gem financially challenging. But there may be hope.
Now operating under a new administrator, Gunung Palung has made laudable progress toward both curbing illegal logging, and opening the tourism market to local communities and outside companies. After a nearly four-year struggle, the village of Sedahan has regained permission to take visitors to the Swiss Family Robinson camp at Lubuk Baji in the foothills behind their home, and Canopy Indonesia is poised to begin offering the trip as well. Unfortunately, official park zoning makes the primary forests at Cabang Panti research camp explicitly off-limits to tourism (though somehow Nasalis still advertises trips there via a Gunung Palung summit trek – for a price.)
1Sights
Pulau Datok BeachBEACH
( GOOGLE MAP )
A well-kept town beach, encircled by rainforested hills and looking out on some alluring islands. Dining options come and go as randomly as the Sunda Shelf tides, but you can usually find a few warung serving fresh coconut, assorted juices or satay. During low tide, join a pick-up game of football on the mudflats and meet the locals.
Sedahan VillageVILLAGE
( GOOGLE MAP ; %Pak Naza, village head 0896 3411 1189, Rachel, an English-speaker 0852 5255 5678)
Known for its high-quality rice, this verdant farming village at the foot of Gunung Palung has a unique attitude and aesthetic due to the Balinese transmigrants, whose culture blends with the local flavour. A nascent ecotourism initiative, including a community homestay (single 150,000Rp, double 200,000Rp), has opened new opportunities. Local guides can arrange trips to Lubuk Baji in Gunung Palung National Park.
ASRI TO THE RESCUE
ASRIVOLUNTEERING
(Alam Sehat Lestari; GOOGLE MAP ; %0853 4963 3000; www.alamsehatlestari.org; Jl Sungai Mengkuang)
ASRI applies a unique lever against the logging in Gunung Palung. This conservation organisation runs a medical clinic where communities who opt to conserve the forest receive discounts on affordable health and dental care. Patients are offered payment plans and allowed to barter using compost, handicrafts and seedlings for the reforestation sites. Interested in helping out? Six-week volunteer opportunities are available for medical and dental professionals, conservationists, engineers and other skilled tradespeople.
4Sleeping & Eating
Sukadana has one very interesting hotel and several budget losmen. For meals, the Mahkota and Anugrah hotels have decent options, and warung can be found near the dock.
Penginapan FamilyGUESTHOUSE$
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Tanjungpura; r with fan 50,000Rp, s/d with air-con 175,000/190,000Rp; a)
Among the nicest people you could ever rent a room from, this family is eager to accommodate even when they're not sure what you want. Larger VIP rooms are quieter, set back from the road. Economy rooms are a bit dreary. Bicycle/motorbike/auto rental available (30,000/75,000/300,000Rp).
Mahkota Kayong HotelHOTEL$$
(%0534-772 2777; www.mahkotakayonghotel.com; Jl Irama Laut; r/ste 400,000/800,000Rp; aW)
Built on piles over the water, this grand anomaly dwarfs anything in town. It is usually empty outside of occasional government conventions, which seems to make some staff forget why they are here. Sea-facing rooms get blazingly hot until the sun sets with predictably stunning displays.
It's worth visiting at low-tide to watch the bizarre skin-breathing mudskippers scurry beneath the building.
7Shopping
Gallery DekranasdaHANDICRAFTS
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0858 2001 6977; Jl Tanjungpura; 9am-noon & 2-4pm)
Locally sourced handicrafts and wares, some made with unexpected refinement. And T-shirts. Find it 500m east from the durian monument.
8Getting There & Around
There is no public transport within town. Most commerce is found between the dock and the durian monument. For the beach and points around, rent a bike from Penginapan Family or you could try hitching.
Speedboats (%Bersoul 0812 5613 3570, Synergy 0823 5737 0151; 175,000Rp; hdeparts 9am) to Pontianak depart Sukadana harbour twice each morning; the trip takes five hours. Sukadana can also be reached by Ketapang via bus (25,000Rp, 1½ hours, up to four daily) or taxi (%Eki, no English 0853 4524 3869); Ketapang has an airport that connects to Pontianak and Pangkalan Bun (for Tanjung Puting).
Central Kalimantan
Tanjung Puting National Park
Tanjung Puting is the most popular tourist destination in Kalimantan, and for good reasons. A near guarantee you'll see free-roaming orangutans, combined with a storybook journey up a winding jungle river, accessed by direct flights to Surabaya and Jakarta, give this adventure world-class appeal.
Tanjung Puting was initially set aside as a wildlife preserve by the Dutch in 1939. It gained park status and its international reputation largely thanks to Dr Biruté Galdikas, one of Leakey's Angels – the trio of female primatologists, including Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall, trained by Louis Leakey. Working from Camp Leakey since 1971, Galdikas has made such seminal discoveries as the great ape's eight-year birth cycle, which makes the species highly vulnerable to extinction. Her controversial hands-on approach to orangutan care may have lost her some supporters in the academic and conservation communities, but there is no denying the impact she has had on our understanding and appreciation of these amazing creatures and the threats they face.
The park is best seen from a klotok, a two-storey romantic live-aboard boat that travels up Sungai Sekonyer to Camp Leakey. During the day you lounge on deck surveying the jungle with binoculars in one hand and a drink in the other as the boat chugs along its narrowing channel. Watch for the quick flash of the colorful kingfisher, and scan the shallows for the toothy false gharail as your cook serves up fantastic meals. In the evening, you can spot proboscis monkeys bedding down in the treetops with the river at their backs for protection. These curious golden-haired, round-bellied, bulbous-nosed primates are found only on Borneo and are sometimes called monyet belanda (Dutch monkey – for some reason…) At night, you tie up on the river, set mattresses and mosquito nets on deck, and enjoy the finest sleep, while the hum of the rainforest purifies your ears.
Klotok call at several stations where rangers stack piles of bananas and buckets of milk to feed the resident population of ex-captive and semiwild orangutans. There are no fences or cages, but you'll be kept at a distance by ropes: a boundary ignored by the animals themselves who often wander nonchalantly through the shutter-snapping crowd on their way to lunch. While some orangutans appear deceptively tame, do not attempt to touch or feed them, and do not get between a mother and child. Orangutans are several times more powerful than you, and may bite if provoked.
Visitation has increased rapidly in recent years. There are now over 60 klotok running nearly nonstop during the busy dry season (June through September), with no plans by the park to limit the impact. Toilets flush directly into the creek, a questionable practice anywhere, but even more concerning given the high traffic. Some klotok are now outfitted with freshwater tanks, which they fill in town for showers and dish washing – a wise addition.
Despite the visitor numbers, the trip is still a fine introduction to the rainforest, and one of the most memorable experiences you'll have on the island. The park's 200 varieties of wild orchid bloom mainly from January to March, although the abundance of March fruit may lure orangutans away from feeding platforms. At any time, bring rain protection and insect repellent.
1Sights & Activities
Sungai Sekonyer is opposite the port town of Kumai, where you meet your klotok. It is largely muddy due to upstream mining operations, although it eventually forks into a naturally tea-coloured tributary, typical of peat swamp waterways. The upriver journey contains several noteworthy stops; you won't necessarily see everything, nor in this order.
Tanjung Harapan Orangutan feeding station with decaying interpretation centre; feedings at 3pm daily.
Sekonyer Village A small village that arose around Tanjung Harapan, but has since been relocated across the river. There's a small souvenir shop and lodgings.
Pasalat A reforestation camp where Pak Ledan single-handedly plants 180 saplings a month and maintains the medicinal plant garden. Be careful on the 800m forest boardwalk badly in need of donations for repairs.
Pondok Tanggui Feeding station; feedings at 9am daily.
Pondok Ambung Popular for spotting tarantulas and glowing mushrooms on night hikes.
Camp Leakey Feedings occur at 2pm daily at station with visitor information.
The ideal journey length is three days and two nights, giving you ample time to see everything. If you only have one day, you should take a speedboat from Kumai. A klotok can reach Camp Leakey in 4½ hours, making a return trip possible in one day if you leave at 6am, but this is not recommended.
During the dry season, an overnight trek from Pondok Tanggui to Pasalat (1,500,000Rp all inclusive, 22km) is a unique chance to see nocturnal wildlife. Talk to Pak Bana at Flora Homestay in Sekonyer village.
ORANGUTANS 101
Four great ape species belong to the Hominidae family: orangutans, chimpanzees, gorillas and humans. Although our auburn-haired cousins branched off from the family tree long ago, spend any time observing these orang hutan (Bahasa Indonesia for forest person, a name likely bestowed by the Dutch) and you'll notice similarities between us that are as striking as the differences.
The bond between a mother and her young is among the strongest in the animal kingdom. For the first two years infants are entirely dependant and carried everywhere. For up to seven years mothers continue to teach them how to thrive in the rainforest, including how to climb through the canopy and build a nest at night, the medicinal qualities of plants, what foods are poisonous, which critters they should avoid, and how to locate reliable feeding trees.
The territorial males are entirely absent from child rearing, living mostly solitary lives punctuated by sometimes violent battles for alpha status. Once a young male secures a territory, he rapidly undergoes physical changes, growing impressive cheek pads and throat pouches. He advertises his dominion by issuing booming long calls that echo through the forest for kilometres. The call both induces stress in younger males – suppressing their sexual development – and attracts females ready for breeding. It is one of dozens of vocalisations orangutans use to interact with each other and their surroundings.
Both species of orangutan, Sumatran and Bornean, are endangered. Much of their habitat is being converted to oil palm plantations. Mothers are frequently shot, their infants sold as pets. If these animals are lucky enough to be rescued, rehabilitation is long and difficult, and finding suitable places to release them is becoming nearly impossible. Currently, all of the orangutan rescue and rehabilitation centres in Indonesia are operating at or above capacity.
For more information on orangutan conservation efforts and volunteer opportunities in Kalimantan, check out the following:
Friends of the National Parks Foundation (www.fnpf.org) Funds forest restoration at Pasalat.
Orangutan Foundation International (www.orangutan.org) Founded by Biruté Galdikas; runs the park's feeding stations.
Orangutan Foundation UK (www.orangutan.org.uk) UK organisation focused on saving orangutan habitats.
Orangutan Land Trust (www.forests4orangutans.org) Influences policy and supports a wide range of organisations dedicated to the long-term survival of orangutans.
TTours
You have the choice of hiring both a klotok and a guide yourself, or having a tour operator do it for you. The former is moderately cheaper, the latter leagues easier. Beware: some companies advertise under multiple websites (which never list who's behind them), and others are just resellers who double the price.
Organised Tours
oJenie SubaruADVENTURE TOUR
(%0857 6422 0991; jeniesubaru@gmail.com)S
It is a shame the passionate and charismatic Jenie does few trips these days, instead (admirably) devoting much of his time to training the next batch of local guides in sustainable tourism. Proceeds from his trips go toward buying land along the park's border to protect orangutan habitat.
Orangutan House Boat ToursADVENTURE TOUR
(%0857 5134 9756; www.orangutanhouseboattour.com)
Local resident Fardi may be young, but he's hard-working and passionate about both his homeland and orangutans.
Borneo Orangutan Adventure TourADVENTURE TOUR
(%0852 4930 9250; www.orangutantravel.com)
Run by the excellent Ahmad Yani, the first official guide in the area.
Orangutan Green ToursADVENTURE TOUR
(Harry Yacht Service; %0812 508 6105; www.orangutangreentours.com)
Excellent at logistics for large groups, long-time guiding pioneer Herry Roustaman is also your point of contact if you're coming to Kumai aboard a yacht.
DIY Tours
Guides are now mandated for all visitors to Tanjung Puting. Fortunately, with nearly 90 guides registered with the park, they are relatively easy to come by. Unfortunately, they are not all created equal. To acquire a licence, a guide must speak basic English, undergo survival training and demonstrate basic wildlife knowledge. For some that is as far as it goes. If you are arranging a trip yourself on the ground, take the time to meet as many guides as you can (they'll find you) before choosing one.
The cost of hiring a klotok varies with its size. They range from small (two to four passengers, 450,000Rp to 550,000Rp per day) to large (eight to 10 passengers, 650,000Rp to 1,000,000Rp per day), including captain, mate and fuel. Cooks are an additional 100,000Rp per day, with food on top of that. When you factor in a guide (150,000Rp to 250,000Rp per day), permits (150,000Rp per person per day) and boat parking fees (100,000Rp per boat per day) the total cost for a three-day, two-night guided trip for two people easily tops 4,000,000Rp, even if you painstakingly haggle every step of the way.
Considering these prices, the hassle, transport to and from the airport, and all the other moving parts, the additional cost you may pay going through a reasonably priced company suddenly feels more affordable.
4Sleeping
If you're looking to stay outside the park (typically before or after your cruise), try Kumai or Pangkalan Bun; the latter offers the only upscale accommodation in the area.
oFlora HomestayHOMESTAY$$
(%0812 516 4727; r 500,000Rp, set meals 75,000Rp)
Located directly on the river at the end of Sekonyer village, these rough-hewn wood cabins provide everything you need for a truly immersive Borneo experience. Pak Bana is eager to please, even offering to boil up water if you require a hot shower. Tours to a feeding station, canoe trips and jungle trekking are all available.
Rimba LodgeHOTEL$$$
(%0361-747 4205; www.rimbaecolodge.com; s incl breakfast US$100-140, d incl breakfast US$110-150; a)
Toeing a delicate line between resort and forest hut, Rimba achieves success in design and comfort, but falls short in maintenance and staff attentiveness. Although it is located near Sekonyer, access to the village is via a sketchy balance-beam path hidden behind the maintenance shed. The recent addition of solar panels lends more credence to the eco-claims.
8Getting There & Around
Tanjung Puting is typically reached via a flight to nearby Pangkalan Bun, then taxi to Kumai (150,000Rp, 20 minutes).
Independent travellers must register at Pangkalan Bun police station upon arrival. Bring photocopies of your passport and visa (airport taxi drivers know the steps). This can also be organised by your guide.
Speedboats from Kumai cost 700,000Rp per day, and take about two hours to reach Camp Leakey, but this is pure transport, not wildlife-spotting.
For the cheapest route to Sekonyer village, take a ferry from Kumai across the bay (5000Rp), then an ojek (25,000Rp, 30 minutes) to the village.
Canoes are a quiet alternative for exploring the river's shallow tributaries, and can be rented at Sekonyer village store for 50,000Rp per day.
Kumai
%0532 / Pop 25,000
The port of departure for Tanjung Puting National Park, Kumai is also known for its bird's-nest business, which fills the town with screeching warehouses. A handful of guesthouses and warungs line the main street, Jl HM Idris. Backpackers sometimes meet here to share the price of a klotok. There is an ATM downriver near the port, and the national park dock is upriver on the edge of town.
4Sleeping & Eating
Permata HijauGUESTHOUSE$
(%0532-61325; Jl HM Idris, near Bank BNI; r with fan/air-con 100,000/175,000Rp; a)
These budget rooms are clean, though you might find the electrical wiring a touch shocking. Located in the middle of the busy dockside nightlife, where food stalls and high jinks abound.
Mentari HotelHOTEL$
(Jl Gerliya 98; r with cold mandi/hot shower 150,000/200,000Rp; a)
Basic concrete boxes, although they do have windows and air-con. It's 600m away from the river.
Majid HotelHOTEL$$
(%0532-61740; Jl HM Idris; r incl breakfast 250,000Rp)
The first place in town built with Western tourists in mind has all the right amenities. Owner Majid also has several klotok and can help solo travellers find shared boats. Upriver near the park dock.
oAcil LailaINDONESIAN$
(Jl Gerilya 5; mains 15,000Rp; h7.30am-10pm)
Don't let the oodles of offal waiting to be skewered throw you off: this place does a mean grilled chicken and a divine nasi bakar (seasoned rice wrapped in a banana leaf and charred to perfection).
8Getting There & Away
Get to Kumai from Pangkalan Bun via the morning minibus (20,000Rp, 20 minutes), an ojek (50,000Rp), or Kijang (100,000Rp).
Taxis from Pangkalan Bun airport to Kumai cost 150,000Rp, maximum three people.
Ferries run by Pelni (%0532-24420; Jl HM Idris; hon days when boats arrive 8-11am & 2-4pm) and Dharma Lautan Utama (%0532-61520; Jl Bahari 561) connect Kumai with Semarang (200,000Rp, 28 hours) once or twice weekly, and Surabaya (220,000Rp, 26 hours) almost daily.
Anggun Jaya Travel (%0532-61096, 0812 5366 2967; Jl Gerilya) sells boat, plane and Yessoe bus tickets.
Pangkalan Bun
%0532 / Pop 200,000
Pangkalan Bun is largely a transit city, but with a few hidden surprises. Unlike many Kalimantan towns, the residents here have embraced the river instead of turning their backs on it, making a stroll up the boardwalk a colourful and engaging experience. If you want something better than backpacker digs before or after visiting Tanjung Puting, you'll only find it here.
1Sights & Activities
Wander downriver along the Sungai Arut boardwalk to experience life before concrete and asphalt. Brightly painted ces (long-tail canoes) are parked between equally festive floating outhouses and fish farms. In the afternoon, children swim or fly kites while women pound spices. If you tire from walking, wave to almost any boat to take you back (negotiable, roughly 50,000Rp per hour)
Istana KuningPALACE
(Yellow Palace; GOOGLE MAP ; donations accepted; h8am-1pm Mon-Fri, to 11am Sat, closed Sun)
The mostly empty hilltop palace overlooking Pangkalan Bun Park celebrates three architectural traditions of the sultans' assorted wives: Chinese, Dayak and Malay. Built in 1806 (and rebuilt in 1990 after a deranged woman burned it to the ground) it is not yellow, but was traditionally draped in yellow fabric.
Nearby, rambling Istana Pangeran Mangkubumi ( GOOGLE MAP ; hopen by luck, or by appointment), built to house the sultan's seven daughters, fights against gravity among well-kept gardens.
4Sleeping & Eating
Hotel TiaraHOTEL$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0532-22717; Jl P Antasari 16; r fan/air-con 120,000/170,000Rp; a)
With its high-ceilinged, well-maintained, convenient and cheap rooms, Hotel Tiara is a great backpacker stay. A new addition next door promises to provide even more options.
oYayorin HomestayHOMESTAY$$
(Yayasan Orangutan Indonesia; GOOGLE MAP ; %0532-29057; info@yayorin.com; Jl Bhayangkara Km1; r incl breakfast 300,000Rp)S
Woven rattan walls. Solar-powered lights. Verdant woodland setting. These peaceful cottages are a fundraising effort by Yayorin, a local NGO working to preserve Kalimantan's forests through education and community engagement. About 7km south of town; take Jl HM Rafi'i at the paratrooper roundabout.
Arsela HotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0532-28808; www.arselahotel.com; Jl Iskandar 15; r superior/deluxe incl breakfast 435,000/495,000Rp; aW)
This architecturally compelling building with attached cafe sat empty for years before being lovingly brought back to life as a comfortable boutique hotel with lots of class. Set back from the road, the upstairs rooms have wood accents, rattan furniture, and a luxurious rain shower in the well-trimmed bathroom.
Downstairs rooms are comfy, clean basic affairs which lack the charm of their siblings. Enjoy a simple nasi goreng breakfast on the back lawn.
Swiss-BelinnHOTEL$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0532-27888; www.swiss-belhotel.com; Jl Ahmad Yani Km2; r incl breakfast 750,000-1,200,000Rp; aW)
Lacking originality or charm, this chain hotel sits on the far edge of town, hoping its impressive breakfast buffet (95,000Rp for nonguests, 6am to 9am) and polished service will compensate for the fraying edges and dearth of character. The Royal Suite (2,700,000Rp) does get you a bathtub for a long soak after your rainforest adventure.
Iduna Bakery & CaféBAKERY$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0532-21031; Jl Rangga Santrek 42; snacks/mains 20,000/30,000Rp; h9am-9pm; a)
Choose from a variety of fresh pastries next door, before sliding into a contemporary, air-conditioned space with stuffed chairs and cool lighting. Good luck explaining the concept of an Americano.
PrambananSEAFOOD$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0532-2126; Jl Hasanudin; mains 40,000Rp; h7am-9pm)
Average chicken. Above average fish. Next to Hotel Andika, this semi-al-fresco restaurant is renowned among locals and expats. The low-key, friendly vibe epitomises Pangkalan Bun.
8Information
Many businesses close late in the afternoon and reopen after dark.
Apotik Pondok SehatPHARMACY
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0532-21167; Jl P Antasari 86)
Well-stocked pharmacy with doctors' offices.
Pahala NetINTERNET
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Kasumayuda; per hour 4000Rp; h8.30am-9pm; a)
Quick internet connection.
8Getting There & Away
Air
FLIGHTS FROM PANGKALAN BUN
| Destination | Company | Fare (Rp) | Duration | Frequency |
| Banjarmasin | Kalstar, Trigana | 520,000 | 1½hr | 1-2 daily |
| Jakarta | Kalstar, Trigana | 700,000 | 1¼hr | 2 daily |
| Ketapang | Kalstar, Trigana | 400,000 | 40min | 2 daily |
| Pontianak | Kalstar, Trigana | 700,000 | 2hr | 2 daily |
| Sampit | Kalstar | 400,000 | 30min | 1 daily |
| Semarang | Kalstar, Trigana | 500,000 | 45min | 2 daily |
| Surabaya | Kalstar, Trigana | 600,000 | 1hr | 2 daily |
Bus
DAMRI's (%0812 5186 3651; Nantai Suka Terminal) service to Pontianak (350,000Rp, 13 hours, daily at 7am) and all Logos ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0532-24954; Jl Pangeran Antasari ) buses depart from Terminal Nantai Suka ( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Jend A Yani), while Yessoe Travel ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0532-21276; Jl Kawitan 68) services depart from its own office. Destinations aboard Logos and Yessoe include Sampit (85,000Rp, six hours), Palangka Raya (125,000Rp, 12 hours), and Banjarmasin (175,000Rp to 290,000Rp, 16 hours).
8Getting Around
Taxis to/from the airport (8km) cost 70,000Rp.
Opelet around town cost 10,000Rp.
Minibuses to Kumai (20,000Rp, 20 minutes) leave across from Hotel Abadi. Taxis to Kumai start at 100,000Rp.
Palangka Raya
%0536 / Pop 220,000
Originally envisioned by President Sukarno as a new capital city for Indonesia – and even for a pan-Asian state – Palangka Raya was built beginning in 1957. It shows in the refreshingly ordered streets and wide boulevards. While Sukarno's dream died, the city has a few surprises in store, including Kalimantan's only high-end jungle river cruise, two luxury hotels, some trendy cafes and a spot of nightlife. The market and old town are east, while government buildings and sprawl are west.
Palangka Raya
1Sights
6Drinking & Nightlife
1Sights
Museum BalangaMUSEUM
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Cilik Riwut Km2.5; admission 15,000Rp; h7.30am-3pm Mon-Fri, 8am-2pm Sat & Sun)
An excellent, if small, museum introducing just enough Dayak ritual, custom and livelihood to inspire you to head into the forest in search of the real thing.
Old TownAREA
This network of boardwalks connecting wooden shops and houses lines the riverbank downstream of the planned city. The atmosphere here is more relaxed, and the smiles bigger.
Pasar MalamMARKET
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
The food stalls around Jl Halmahera and Jl Jawa run all day, but the the maze of shops here comes alive at night.
Borneo Orangutan Survival FoundationWILDLIFE RESERVE
(%0536-330 8416; www.orangutan.or.id; Jl Cilik Riwut Km28; admission by donation; h9am-3pm Sat & Sun)S
The centre is typically closed to visitors, in order to increase the rehabilitation success of its some 600 orangutans. The tiny visitor's centre opens on the weekends; you can see a few caged animals through its large windows. It is 2km from the main road. Follow signs for the arboretum.
WORTH A TRIP
SEBANGAU NATIONAL PARK: MEET PEAT
Spared the destruction of the Mega Rice Project, this area of peat swamp forest was gazetted as Sebangau National Park in 2004. Although it has seen its share of degradation, Sebangau is still home to over 5000 wild orangutans, and the forest itself is a fascinating draw.
Peat forms over thousands of years as organic material accumulates in seasonally flooded regions. The semidecayed material can extend as deep as 20m below the surface, and contains more carbon than the forest growing above. Due to habitat loss, nearly half of the mammals and one-third of the bird species found in peat swamps are endangered or threatened.
Travelling through a peat forest ranges from delightfully challenging to extremely adventurous. During the dry season, the uneven spongy trail will occasionally give way as your foot plunges into a pocket of wet peat. During the rainy season, you may spend significant stretches submerged to your knees or chest as you hunt for hornbills, red leaf and proboscis monkeys, and sun bears. Travelling by boat between ranger posts and dry hills makes for an extraordinary adventure through the true wilds of Borneo.
The closest access from Palangka Raya is Sungai Koran on the north edge of the park. Take a regular angkot (10,000Rp, 40 minutes) south to Dermaga Kereng Bangkirai and talk to the rangers at the national park post. If nobody is around, try calling Pak Ian (0852 2191 9160). Expenses include 150,000Rp per day for park entrance, 150,000Rp per day for a guide, and 250,000Rp per day for boat rental plus fuel. If you wish to stay overnight at any of the ranger posts (recommended), you'll also need a cook (90,000Rp) and food. The west edge of the park is less degraded and is accessible via a two-hour drive to Baun Bango, where you can check in with the park rangers and arrange a boat to the outpost on Punggualas Lake.
TTours
oWow BorneoBOAT TOUR
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0536-322 2099; www.wowborneo.com; Jl Barito 11; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 3pm Sat)S
Take everything you think you know about river travel in Kalimantan and throw it in the water. Wow Borneo's river cruises up the Sungai Rungan prove that exploring the jungle and its inhabitants doesn't have to be an exercise in stoic suffering. Built on the hulls of traditional wooden boats, their fleet of four cruisers offers amenities such as air-conditioned en-suite cabins and rattan sofas on the split-level decks.
It's all run by charming, professional staff with a wealth of area knowledge.
Blue BetangADVENTURE TOUR
(%0813 4965 5021; blubetang_eventorganizer@yahoo.co.id; 9916 Jl Beliang 29)
Honest and earnest guide Dodi specialises in hands-on, immersive, affordable, go-anywhere travel deep into Dayak country. Pig trapping, anyone? Also provides day trips in the immediate vicinity of Palangka Raya.
4Sleeping
Hotel MahkotaHOTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0536-322 1672; Jl Nias 5; r fan/air-con 100,000/190,000-375,000Rp; aW)
Popular with students and families, this hotel offers a range of ageing basic, clean rooms in a good location for exploring the market, river and old town. Hot-water showers start with the VIP rooms (275,000Rp). Wi-fi in lobby only.
Hotel Dian WisataHOTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0536-322 1241; Jl Ahmad Yani 68; r with fan/air-con incl breakfast 150,000/230,000Rp; a)
The odd design of this hotel, with its central well-lit atrium and colourful stairwell leading down to subterranean rooms, separates it from the boring concrete boxes that define its competition.
Hotel SakuraHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0536-322 1680; Jl Ahmad Yani 87; r incl breakfast 300,000-400,000Rp; a)
This hotel's courtyard, populated with concrete critters, offers a welcome respite from the city. Some of the rooms have two-person tubs; the best overlook the courtyard.
Aquarius Boutique HotelHOTEL$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0536-324 2121; www.aquariusboutiquehotels.com; Jl Imam Bonjol 5; d incl breakfast 685,000-950,000Rp; aWs)
A rooftop pool with a view. A 2nd-floor restaurant with a waterfall. A three-storey lounge, dance club, and karaoke complex. This hotel has all the trimmings, if a lack of upkeep. All room classes are the same size, but have increasingly plush details. Avoid floors five and six due to noise.
oSwiss-Belhotel DanumHOTEL$$$
(%0536-323 2777; www.swiss-belhotel.com; Jl Tjilik Km5; r with breakfast from 850,000Rp; aWs)
This luxury property with resort intentions raises the local bar. The vast marble lobby drops to the restaurant (which serves an excellent buffet breakfast) before opening into the courtyard with its winding pool and palm trees. The place is trimmed with fractal Dayak motifs, and the rooms are well-thought out with attention to style and comfort.
Options range from entry-level standards to the 8,400,000Rp presidential suite with a whirlpool bathtub for two. The fitness centre is extensive with modern machines and free weights. Walk-in promo rates are often lower than even the internet discounts.
5Eating & Drinking
At night, seafood and nasi goreng (fried rice) stalls sprout along Jl Yos Sudarso near the bundaran besar (large roundabout) – the place to see and be seen.
Al Mu'MinunINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0536-322 8659; Jl Darmosugondo 5; mains 20,000Rp; h7am-8pm)
Meaty chunks of fish are grilled up at this local favourite.
FamilyCHINESE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0536-322 9560; Jl Bawean 16; mains 25,000Rp; h8am-10pm; a)
The best Chinese food in the city, with a standard menu. Known for its ikan jelawat (90,000Rp), a river fish cooked many ways. Serves beer.
oCoffee GarageCAFE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Haji Ikap 22; coffee 10,000Rp; h5.30pm-midnight; W)
A rare find, this trendy cafe comes alive at night serving all manner of coffee drinks in a colourfully painted house, garage included. It offers free wi-fi, basic food (spaghetti, desserts), outdoor seating and live music.
3Entertainment
For nightlife in Palangka Raya, the entertainment complex at the Aquarius Boutique Hotel is the only game in town. It includes Blu Music Hall ( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Imam Bonjol 5; h8pm-1am), a small but atmospheric blues bar, the adjacent Vino Club ( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Imam Bonjol 5; h10pm-3am), a cosy DJ club which doubles as the city's major performance venue, and Luna Karaoke ( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Imam Bonjol 5; h2pm-3am), which provides more traditional local entertainment. This is where the city's style-conscious young professionals come to hang out, representing a new wave of urban life.
7Shopping
A collection of Dayak carvings and woven rattan crafts can be found in several shops along Jl Batam.
8Information
Mulio Angkasa RayaTRAVEL AGENCY
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0536-322 1031; Jl Ahmad Yani 55)
Offers booking for flights, car rental and Kijang. Not many staff speak English, though.
Sumertha Sari TravelTRAVEL AGENCY
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0536-322 1033; Jalan Tjilik Riwut Km0.5)
Kijang transport and charter.
Post OfficePOST OFFICE
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Batam)
Branch office. Main office is located on Jl Imam Bonjol.
Yessoe TravelTRAVEL AGENCY
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0852 4679 8939, 0536-322 1436; Jl Banda 7)
All things bus.
8Getting There & Away
Air
For smaller regional destinations, try Susi Air and Aviastar. Airlines no longer sell tickets at the airport.
Lion AirAIRLINE
(Airport)
Bus & Kijang
All long-haul buses deposit passengers at the new terminal 10km south of town, which annoyingly has no public transport options to the city. If you’re coming from Banjarmasin, have them drop you at the Bangkirai four-way intersection 1.5km east of the terminal, and wait for an angkot heading north. Otherwise, an ojek will cost 50,000Rp. Yessoe offers departing passengers free transport to the terminal from their office on Jl Batam, near the market.
Sumertha Sari Travel Kijang serve the same destinations, with higher costs and more exhaust fumes per passenger.
TRANSPORT FROM PALANGKA RAYA
AIR
| Destination | Company | Fare (Rp) | Duration (hr) | Frequency |
| Balikpapan | Garuda | 670,000 | 1¼ | daily |
| Jakarta | Garuda, Lion | 680,000 | 1¾ | 4 daily |
| Ketapang | Aviastar | 666,000 | 1¼ | Mon, Fri |
| Muara Tewah | Susi Air | 500,000 | 1 | Wed, Fri, Sun |
| Pangkalan Bun | Susi Air | 495,000 | 1 | Wed, Fri, Sun |
| Pontianak | Garuda | 910,000 | 1¼ | daily |
| Surabaya | Citilink, Lion | 520,000 | 1¼ | 3 daily |
BUS
| Destination | Fare (Rp) | Duration (hr) | Frequency |
| Banjarmasin | 80,000 | 6 | 3am & 8am daily |
| Pangkalan Bun | 100,000-200,000 | 10 | 7am & 4pm daily |
| Sampit | 60,000-100,000 | 5 | 7am & 4pm daily |
8Getting Around
Yellow minibuses (angkot or 'taxis', 5000Rp) ply major thoroughfares, converging at Jl Darmosugondo near the market.
Airport service (13km, 20 minutes) costs 80,000Rp.
Hire a boat at Rambang dock (Dermaga Rambang; GOOGLE MAP ) to tour around, or head further upriver.
MEGA RICE DISASTER
On the drive between Palangka Raya and Banjarmasin you might notice a conspicuous lack of two things: forests and rice fields. The former is alarming since this was once a densely treed home to orangutans. The latter is tragic because the promise of rice destroyed the forest, leading to one of Indonesia's largest environmental disasters.
In the 1990s President Suharto decided to boost Indonesia's food production by converting one million hectares of 'unproductive' peat forest into verdant rice fields. After the trees were cleared and 4600km of canals dug to drain the swamps, 60,000 transmigrants were relocated from Java to discover one small but important detail Suharto overlooked: nothing grows on the acidic soils of drained peat.
As peat dries it collapses and oxidises, releasing sulphuric acid into the water and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Further, when it rains, compacted peat floods. Catastrophically. When it stops raining, dried peat burns. Unstoppably. During the powerful El Nino drought of 1997, mega fires released over a billion tons of carbon dioxide into the environment.
Today, the area remains a wasteland. Some transmigrant communities have turned to illegal logging to try and make a living. Oil palm companies eye the land for planting. Local NGOs try to block the drainage channels in a noble attempt to right the horrific wrong. Meanwhile, Indonesia continues to import over one million metric tonnes of rice every year.
South Kalimantan
Banjarmasin
%0511 / Pop 625,000
Banjarmasin capitalises on its waterways and river life. But, as more locals board up their back porches to bathe without fear of prying eyes and snapping cameras, and as the government buys up waterfront property for parks and mixed commerce, the riverfront dynamic is slowly changing, perhaps for the best. The rest of the city is a sprawling beast, with the chaotic commerce of downtown turning eerily quiet at night, save for the night market holding out against the megamalls sprouting up in the suburbs.
Central Banjarmasin
6Drinking & Nightlife
3Entertainment
1Sights
Mesjid Raya Sabilal MuhtadinMOSQUE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Sudirman)F
This large flat-domed mosque looks like something off a Star Wars set. During Ramadan, the famous Pasar Wadai (Cake Fair) runs along the adjacent riverfront.
Masjid Sultan SuriansyahMOSQUE
( GOOGLE MAP )F
Though it marks the first Islamic place of worship in Borneo, the beautiful angular wooden building was reconstructed in 1746, leaving the oldest physical mosque accolade to Banua Lawas from the Tabalong Regency (1625). Take a Kuin angkot to the end of the line.
Soetji Nurani TempleBUDDHIST TEMPLE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Niaga Timur 45)F
Step into this 1898 temple, and the hobbit-sized candles and incense coils that smoulder for days will transport you 3000km north to China.
TTours
See Banjarmasin in a single journey: arrange a predawn boat near Jembatan Merdeka (Merdeka Bridge) to the floating markets. It takes an hour or so to navigate the canals lined with ramshackle homes, where the day is just beginning with a bath and tooth-brushing in the murky trash-strewn water. It feels a touch invasive until the waves and beaming smiles betray an unflappable Indonesian pride.
There are two markets: Kuin is closer, but by all accounts Lok Baintan is more traditional. At the markets, women paddle canoes brimming with exotic produce in search of a buyer among the tourist boats bristling with selfie-sticks. If it all sounds a bit bizarre, that's because it is, but it's also profoundly educational, and astoundingly beautiful.
Trips can be combined with a stop at Kembang Island (tours from 100,000Rp), where macaques walk the boardwalk, or at Masjid Sultan Suriansyah, site of the first (but not oldest) mosque in Kalimantan.
You'll need a guide (who will secure a boat as well) to explain what you're seeing on the floating markets tour (such as the significance of how women tie their sarongs). Tours including a guide cost about 200,000Rp, and run from 5.30am to 9.30am.
Some Banjarmasin guides tour up into the Meratus Mountains, too, though we recommend supporting local guides in places such as Loksado.
Sarkani GambiGUIDE
(%0813 5187 7858; kani286@yahoo.com)
Friendly and informative Sarkani runs tours for large foreign groups as well as customised trips for individuals.
Muhammad YusufGUIDE
(%0813 4732 5958; yusuf_guidekalimantan@yahoo.co.id)
The energetic head of the thriving South Kalimantan Guiding Association can also help you find other guides in a pinch.
4Sleeping
A few questionable sub-100,000Rp options exist near Jl Hasanudin.
oHotel SASHOTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0511-335 3054; Jl Kacapiring Besar 2; r incl breakfast 190,000-279,000Rp; a)
A delightful find off a quiet side street, this hotel is built around an imposing Banjar home with towering roof and central stair. The mandiangin rooms are newly renovated to good effect – avoid the others. Head down Jl Cempaka and turn left at the old woman selling bananas.
Hotel BiutiHOTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0511-335 4493; Jl Haryono MT 21; r incl breakfast 210,000-300,000Rp; aW)
Has some of the more beautiful and colourful rooms in its class, with decorative wood walls, comfortable artistic public spaces and clean bathrooms. Even the fake lobby trees work (sort of). Cheaper rooms are in the older wing. Upgrade and be happy.
Hotel PerdanaHOTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0511-335 3276; hotelperdana@plasa.com; Jl Katamso 8; r 120,000-300,000Rp; a)
This rambling Escher-esque complex has a variety of musty multicoloured rooms popular with backpackers. Out front is a cacophony of commerce by day, and a reasonably entertaining night market after dark. English-speaking Linda can point you in whichever direction you need pointing, or find guides. Beware of mosquitoes.
NASA HotelHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0511-336 6868; Jl H Djok Mentaya 8; r incl breakfast 490,000-560,000Rp; aW)
Aimed at modern business travellers, the spotless superior rooms don't have any windows, but do have modern art and safety deposit boxes. The staff is efficient – sometimes to a fault. Live music in the lounge and the attached karaoke complex may appeal to some.
Swiss-Belhotel BorneoHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0511-327 1111; www.swiss-belhotel.com; Jl Pangeran Antasari 86A; r incl breakfast 600,000-700,000Rp, ste incl breakfast 1,300,0000Rp; aW)
This traditional boutique-style hotel with warm wooden accents is undergoing a tasteful renovation. The deluxe is a significant upgrade in style for not much money. Rooms come with a free trip to the Kuin floating market (no guide) for one guest, additional guests are 100,000Rp. Boat leaves at 5am.
5Eating & Drinking
Seek out the local speciality soto Banjar, a delicious soup found across the city. The Kawasan Wisata Kuliner (tourist food region), riverside between the Merdeka and Dewi bridges, has many good, but not great, options.
Pondok BahariINDONESIAN$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0511-325 3688; Jl Simpang Pierre Tendean 108; mains from 20,000Rp; h24hr)
Pull up some floor space near the fountain and sink your teeth into some ketupat, sticky rice cooked in woven banana-leaf packets. Locals recommend the rowon daging soup, a Banjar take on an east Java favourite. Patient staff bring reinforcements to help you translate the menu.
Cendrawasih SarahaiSEAFOOD$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Pangeran Samudera; mains 20,000Rp; h9am-10pm)
Delve deeper into Banjar cuisine at this renowned spot (not to be confused with the mediocre other Cendrawasih, established next door to the right by a competitive relative.) Pick fish, seafood or chicken grilled to order. Please avoid (and politely shame them for) the endangered turtle eggs.
Said AbdullahINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Ahmad Yani Km1; mains 25,000Rp; h10am-11.30pm)
Locals say the nasi kuning (saffron rice) at this unassuming place is Banjarmasin's best. You can restock your supply of propolis and Tahitian Noni elixir while you're here.
oPeople's PlacePUB
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0511-327 7007; Jl Veteran 3; h11am-11pm; W)
With 270 degrees of floor-to-ceiling windows and an open-air porch overlooking the river and mosque, this is the best hang-out in town. An eclectic Anglophilic atmosphere and live acoustic music draws a crowd. The lychee beer is embarrassingly refreshing.
3Entertainment
DynastyKARAOKE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Hotel Aria Barito, Jl Haryono MT; admission male/female 50,000/25,000Rp)
This entertainment complex with disco, bar, and karaoke tries…and, at times, succeeds.
8Information
Adat ToursTRAVEL AGENCY
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0821 4888 8801; Jl Hasanudin 27)
Flight bookings, some tours, little English.
Haji La TunrungEXCHANGE
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0511-336 5559; Jl Haryono MT 24)
Exchange chain dealing in multiple currencies.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Boat
Ocean ferries depart from Trisakti Pinisi Harbour (3km west on Jl Soetoyo). Pelni services Semarang (420,000Rp, 24 hours, weekly), while Dharma Lautan Utama services Surabaya (260,000Rp, 22 hours, five services a week). For boats to the interior, take a bus to Muara Tewah and start your journey there.
Dharma Lautan UtamaFERRY
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0511-441 0555; www.dluonline.co.id; Jl Yos Sudarso 4C, next to Hotel Queen)
Bus
All buses leave from the Kilo Enam terminal at Jl Ahmad Yani Km6, southeast of downtown, accessible by angkot.
TRANSPORT FROM BANJARMASIN
AIR
| Destination | Company | Price (Rp) | Duration | Frequency |
| Balikpapan | Lion, Sriwijaya | 400,000 | 1hr | daily |
| Jakarta | Citilink, Garuda, Lion | 600,000 | 1¾hr | daily |
| Makassar | Sriwijaya | 680,000 | 1¼hr | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun |
| Pangkalan Bun | Kalstar, Trigana | 700,000 | 1hr | 1-2 daily |
| Surabaya | Citilink, Garuda | 450,000 | 1hr | daily |
| Yogyakarta | Garuda, Lion | 660,000 | 1¼hr | daily |
BUS
| Destination | Price (Rp) | Duration | Frequency |
| Balikpapan | 155,000-185,000 | 12hr | 4 daily 2pm-5pm |
| Kandangan | 50,000 | 4hr | several daily 9am-6pm |
| Muara Tewah | 110,000 | 12hr | 2 daily |
| Negara | 60,000 | 5hr | several daily 9am-6pm |
| Palangka Raya | 70,000-85,000 | 5hr | 5 daily 5am-11am |
| Pangkalan Bun | 180,000-235,000 | 12hr | 5 daily 5am-11am |
| Samarinda | 180,000-215,000 | 15hr | 4 daily 2pm-5pm |
8Getting Around
Angkot (5000Rp) routes are labelled by their destination, and fan out from terminals at Jl Pangeran Samudera circle, in the city core, and Antasari Centre, to the east. Becak and ojeks for hire gather around market areas. Taxis to/from Syamsuddin Noor Airport (26km) cost 120,000Rp.
WORTH A TRIP
BANJARBARU
Three curious stops accessible from the Banjarbaru roundabout (20,000Rp, 38km southeast of Banjarmasin) can be seen in a half-day return from Banjarmasin or on your way to or from Kandangan.
Cempaka Diamond FieldsMINE
(Desa Pumpung; hSat-Thu)
Wooden sluices filter muck from pits where men stand chest deep blasting away at the sediment with water cannons. Mining at its most basic, cheapest, picturesque, and – for the bold – participatory. At the Banjarbaru roundabout take a green passenger truck southbound to Desa Pumpung (6000Rp, 15 minutes, 7km), then walk 700m south from the main road.
Museum Lambung MangkuratMUSEUM
(%051 1477 2453; Jl Ahmad Yani 36; admission 5000Rp; h8am-4pm Sun-Thu, 8.30-11am Fri, 8.30am-3.30pm Sat)
An above-average museum of local arts and history with approximate English translations providing nuggets of information about pivotal events – like the Banjar people sinking a Dutch warship in 1860, armed with only canoes and knives. Also, learn the architectural differences between a scholar's and a married princess' house. Head 1km west of the Banjarbaru roundabout.
Penggosokkan IntanTOURIST INFORMATION
(Diamond Polishing and Information Center; h9am-4pm Sat-Thu)
Lots of shops polish diamonds, but this is the official place for tourists to watch; 700m north of the Banjarbaru roundabout.
Kandangan
%0517 / Pop 45,000
A local transport hub, Kandagan is also a fairly attractive town worth exploring. Tidy and well planned, it has decent budget hotels, a bustling market and numerous restaurants. It is also the gateway to the mountain oasis of Loksado and the buffalo herds of Nagara. Reserve ahead as rooms are few.
4Sleeping & Eating
The Kandagan bus terminal doubles as a food court, and is lined with warungs to keep you well fed for days.
oWisma DutaHOTEL$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0571-21073; Jl Permuda 9; r fan/air-con with breakfast 130,000/250,000Rp; aW)
This converted country home is a rare and welcome find. Rattan walls are a nice touch, even when adorned with assorted glass armaments. Head down the alley northeast from the bus terminal and turn left.
Hotel MutiaHOTEL$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0517-21270; Jl Soeprapto; r incl breakfast 200,000-330,000Rp; aW)
Basic box rooms, convenient to the bus station and market.
MedinaHOTEL$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0517-21219; Jl M Johansyah 26; r incl breakfast 350,000Rp)
The newest concrete box in town is clean, if uninspired. Hot showers. Just up the block from the bus terminal.
8Getting There & Around
Minibuses run frequently to/from Banjarmasin's Km6 terminal (50,000Rp, four hours) until midafternoon. Buses for Balikpapan and Samarinda (125,000Rp to 165,000Rp) pass the Kandangan terminal regularly. Ojek are abundant, while becak are slowly dwindling.
Pick-up trucks for Loksado (30,000Rp, 1½ hours, 9am) leave from Muara Bilui, a nondescript stop on a residential street 800m east of the bus terminal.
Negara
Northwest of Kandangan, the riverside town of Negara is the gateway to a vast wetland ranch, where water buffalo swim from their elevated corrals at sunrise in search of grazing areas and are herded back at dusk by cowboys in canoes – an intriguing sight if you're there in late afternoon. Rent a boat at the dock near the mosque to see the swimming herds (200,000Rp).
The trip to Negara is memorable, too, along an elevated road through seasonally flooded wetlands lined with communities on stilts. To get here from Kandagan take a public minibus (15,000Rp, one hour) or taxi (150,000Rp return). Annoyingly there is no hotel in town.
Loksado
Nestled at the end of the road in the foothills of the Meratus Mountains, Loksado is as close to an earthly Elysium as you'll find in Kalimantan. The main village sits inside a large bend in the clear chattering stream which acts as a moat protecting it from the onslaught of the modern world. Numerous trails – some paved – connect remote villages with even more remote settlements, making the area ideal for adventurers with a habit of wandering to the end of things. A mountain bike would be the perfect tool for exploration, but alas, nobody rents them in town (yet). Base here for treks to mountain peaks, waterfalls, or remote Dayak villages. Or do none of the above and just enjoy carefree mountain-town life Kalimantan style.
2Activities
Muara Tanuhi Hot SpringsHOT SPRING
(admission 5000Rp)
These developed hot springs, located in an undermaintained resort 7km west of Loksado, make a relaxing end to a long trek. Stay across the street at Pondok Bamboo (100,000Rp) and enjoy all-night access to the pools.
Mountain Hikes
Hiking trails in the Meratus combine forest, villages, rivers, suspension bridges and balai adat (community house) visits. One-day walks from Loksado reach a seemingly endless number of waterfalls, and range from moderate to billy-goating up the side of impossible slopes. A long history of shifting cultivation means it is a good five-hour walk to primary forest, but there's still plenty of picture-worthy scenery closer to town. For all but the closest destinations, a local guide is highly recommended. A popular multiday trek includes summiting Gunung Besar (aka Halau Halau, 1901m, three to four days) the tallest mountain in the Meratus range and one of the few Kalimantan peaks with a view.
Be prepared for your particular route, read up on jungle trekking, and don't be afraid to rein in your guide if the pace or terrain is beyond your skill level.
Bamboo Rafting
Being poled downriver on a narrow hand-tied bamboo raft ranges from relaxing to spirited, depending on water levels. Three hours (300,000Rp) might test your attention span, but the 90-minute option is just about right.
Guides
Although guides from Banjarmasin range into this area, nothing beats the perspective of a local. English speakers are smart for more involved trips, but day treks can be a world of fun with a dictionary, sign language, and an enthusiastic villager.
Pak AmatGUIDE
(%0813 4876 6573)
A personable, English-speaking Dayak and long-standing Loksado resident, with complete knowledge of the area.
Samuil NoilGUIDE
(%0812 5127 3802)
Unassuming and with a great attitude, Loksado native Noil will happily put his gardening on hold to show you the land he is so passionate about. Speaks English.
ShadyGUIDE
(%0821 5306 0515; www.borneo-discoverytours.com)
A young and enthusiastic English-speaking guide from Kandangan with extensive trekking experience and a great sense of humour.
4Sleeping & Eating
Sleeping options are expanding, with two new losmen opening near the tourist info centre, and a bona fide resort downriver. Avoid the sad concrete Wisma Loksado hotel on the eroding island.
A smattering of warung along the river provide basic Indonesian fare, with the best one found across the street from Mount Martuas Resort.
oWisma AlyaGUESTHOUSE$
(%0821 5330 8276; r 150,000Rp)
This two-storey backpackers haven, with just five bare wooden rooms, hangs over the rushing Sungai Amandit, making the upstairs porch the best hang-out in town. Don't let them slough you off to the cabang (branch lodge) down river; it's set back from the road and removed from the village.
New competition nearby puts you in a good negotiating position, but the husband and wife team are so helpful for finding guides and other services, you may feel guilty about haggling.
Mangkuraksa MalarisHOMESTAY$
(%0856 5129 8492; floor space 150,000Rp)
At tiny Loklahong village, 2km downriver from Loksado, you can sleep with the locals in a breezy bamboo-walled hut next to the balai adat. You'll only get a chunk of floor in the living room, but you'll also meet some phenomenal folks, and have one of Kalimantan's premier swimming holes at the end of your block.
Mount Martuas ResortHOTEL$$
(%0812 5150 4866; r/villa 400,000/1,500,000Rp; a)
Loksado's official entrant into the near-luxury class. Located 800m downriver from town, it's not in the thick of village life, but you will have your own private bend of the river here. The well-crafted, rough-wood rooms come with fans and open-air stone bathrooms. Add 50,000Rp to upgrade to hot water.
The two villas are set back from the river, and offer air-con and a large kitchen/living area. Dine at the open-air restaurant, or at the tasty warung across the street.
8Getting There & Around
Pick-up trucks leave for Loksado from Muara Bilui in Kandangan (30,000Rp, 1½ hours, 9am). They leave Loksado for Kandangan at 7am. Enquire at Wisma Alya for an ojek to trailheads.