Lonely Planet Indonesia
Page 114
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 Rungan
A Sungai Sekonyer through Tanjung Puting National Park by klotok
A Danau Sentarum National Park
Best Places to Stay
A Nunukan Island Resort
A Wisma Alya
A Merabu Homestay
A Hotel Gran Senyiur
A Betang Sadap
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
1Istana KadriahD2
2Mesjid AbdurrahmanD2
3Museum Provinsi Kalimantan BaratC5
4Vihara Bodhisatva Karaniya MettaC2
4Sleeping
5Green Leaf InnC3
6Hosanna InnD4
7Kartika HotelB1
8Mess HijasC3
9PontianakC3
5Eating
10Abang KepitingC3
11Ce Pien ChekC3
12Chai Kue Siam A-HinC3
13Mie Tiau PoloC2
14Rumah Makan BetangC5
3Entertainment
15Café TisyaD4
7Shopping
16Borneo Art ShopC2
Transport
17ATSD4
18Bis SentosaC2
19Canoe Taxis to Istana KadriahC2
DAMRID4
20Dharma Lautan UtamaB1
21Executive Buses to KuchingC2
22GarudaC2
23KalstarD4
24Lion AirB1
25Siantan Bus & Ferry TerminalC1
26Speedboats to SukadanaC2
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$$