Kalimantan Travel Guide

The Indonesian two-thirds of Borneo - a vast, wild expanse of ancient rainforest, mighty rivers and orangutans, home to Dayak cultures and some of the oldest jungle on Earth, far off the standard tourist trail.

Why go / don’t miss: the orangutans of Tanjung Puting National Park (by traditional klotok riverboat), the Dayak longhouses and river journeys of the interior, the vast rainforest and wildlife, and the up-and-coming new national capital (Nusantara) in the east.

Areas: the south (Pangkalan Bun / Tanjung Puting) for the orangutan river cruises; the interior (the Mahakam River, Dayak country) for longhouses and jungle; and the west (Pontianak, on the equator).

Getting around: flights to the main towns (Pontianak, Banjarmasin, Balikpapan, Pangkalan Bun); riverboats (klotok) and longboats are the way into the jungle.

When to go: the drier Jun - Sep is best; it’s hot, humid and rainy much of the year.

Where to stay: a klotok riverboat through Tanjung Puting (sleeping on deck) is the classic experience, or the river towns.

Dining: Banjar and Dayak river fare - freshwater fish, and the famous floating markets of Banjarmasin.

Local tips: the orangutan river cruise in Tanjung Puting is the highlight, it’s a wild jungle-and-river destination rather than a beach one, and Indonesia’s new capital is rising in East Kalimantan.

Kalimantan occupies roughly two‑thirds of Borneo’s landmass. Its geography is dominated by lowland dipterocarp rainforest, extensive peat swamp and a web of slow-moving rivers that carve the interior - from the broad estuaries of the Sungai Mahakam and Sungai Kapuas to upland pockets such as Apo Kayan and the reef-fringed coast. Coastal mangroves and offshore islands sit beside remote national parks and rugged highland forest, giving the region a striking variety of habitats.

Wildlife is the region’s principal draw: orangutans are best sought in Tanjung Puting National Park and intact peat forest such as Sebangau National Park, while trekkers in Kayan Mentarang National Park may glimpse sun bears, proboscis monkeys and macaques. Much of the terrain is reached by boat, and river journeys - from dawn canoe rides to the occasional rapids on the Sungai Mahakam - remain the most rewarding way to see the forest and its animals. Offshore, the Derawan Islands are noted locally for clear water and diving opportunities.

Many settlements retain strong riverine and Dayak cultural traditions: floating markets, longhouse communities and village ceremonies are still visible in places such as Banjarmasin and the surrounding hinterland. Travel into the interior usually requires a local guide and boat hire; the region is far less visited than other parts of Indonesia, so logistics are part of the experience. Most regional connections come via hubs such as Pontianak - which has regular flights to Jakarta and Kuching - and many visitors base themselves in a city and take day trips or short expeditions into the forest.