Looking for recent info on Kalimantan

Hi,

bus, boat,

Which boats do you take to arrive at/depart from Kalimantan?

Hi Thierry, We’ll be arriving in Kalimantan by plane from Jakarta... I was talking about local transportation and what we’re used to. But we might also take a flight on the island itself—transportation seems even longer than what we experienced in Sumatra or Sulawesi. If you’ve got any info, I’ll take it!

Hi, what are the points of interest in Kalimantan? It's obvious you'll spend time on boats—I don’t think that’s really interesting. As far as I know, there aren’t any temples like in Bali. You could possibly go to Nusantara, the new capital of Indonesia under construction. For comparison, I spent one day traveling from Kuching in Sarawak to Sibu, then another day to reach Kapit by speedboat. Otherwise, the main points of interest in Borneo are mostly on the Malaysian side.

Hi Mathews, I’ve already pinpointed the Dayak culture, river excursions into the jungle from several spots for wildlife and flora, floating markets, and the Derawan Islands for snorkeling—that’s what we’re interested in. But I have very little info and no contacts there, which is why I’m posting!

At the end of the journey, after the islands, there are currently direct flights from Tanjung Redeb/Berau to:

- Samarinda 1 to 2 times/day on Wings Air - Balikpapan 1 to 2 times/day on Sriwijaya Air, 2 times/day on Super Air Jet, 3 times/week (Tues, Thurs, Sat) on Wings Air (nothing else within Kalimantan) - Jakarta CGK once daily on Batik Air And others to Surabaya and Makassar.

Hi there,

what’s the main point of interest in Kalimantan?

You might want to go there precisely because not many people do (except for Pangkalan Bun to see the orangutans) or to do the Trans-Borneo trek*, which can go from Pontianak to Samarinda—Samarinda being "not too far" from the islands where Gaiatika plans to end their trip.

* A grueling 15–20 days of hiking, scrambling, boat rides, and canoeing through ethnic groups and landscapes I assume are fascinating.

You're right, we’ll have to look into departure options too! Thanks for the info, I’ll keep digging.

Hi! From what I know, the Dayaks are the majority ethnic group in Sarawak. There are also traders from the Chinese diaspora. So it’s probably the same in Kalimantan. However, don’t expect to visit hunter-gatherer tribes—they all live modern lifestyles now. What’s really interesting is staying in a longhouse for a few days.

Hi there, What seems problematic about your plan is that the road from Pontianak to East Kalimantan is very, very long and passes through landscapes that are uninteresting and environmentally degraded. In my opinion, it's better to stick to just one region. Around Pontianak, you have two options: the coastline toward Sambas and beyond, with populations that are mostly Muslim (Melayu), "Chinese," and sometimes Dayak... This route is the easiest, and you can go all the way north to the border with Sarawak. The beaches are ordinary, even ugly, but anyway, that’s not why you’re going there, right? 😉 It’s easy to find transportation (buses, shared taxis, etc.) and hotels in all the coastal towns. The people are friendly but sometimes conservative. In short, modest dress is a must!!! The other option is to head inland into predominantly Dayak territory. If I were to introduce someone to this region, this is the option I’d recommend, especially the area around Danau Sentarum, where you can still find longhouses and interesting natural areas. I haven’t been back in a while, but I know this region offers great opportunities for treks and other encounters with locals. Be careful, though: there’s nothing for tourists since almost no one goes there, no one speaks English, hotels are often run-down, and the food is basic (especially outside the cities)... I’m less familiar with the other regions, but if you’re looking for adventure, you could also go up the Kahayan River from Palangkaraya. It’s an easy trip by road to Tumbang Miri. After that, it’s dirt roads or canoes. There are beautiful funeral monuments everywhere and endless possibilities for river trips and jungle hikes... Either way, this is a completely different way to travel... Sarawak is probably much more convenient since it’s used to receiving tourists...

Thanks for the feedback, Vikingman. Just one question—are the rivers in Kalimantan big waterways? I’m asking because I’m planning to paddle down one with my packraft.

You’ll find a bit of everything. Rivers, streams, creeks... Lots of crocodiles too, especially near the estuaries. Bottom line: you're gonna need a bigger boat!

Hi there, Thanks so much for your reply—you’ve zeroed in on a region I’m really interested in! What kind of trip did you take there? I’m expecting run-down hotels and basic food, which would actually confirm how non-touristy it is. When I mentioned Dayak culture, I was thinking of traveling up the Kapuas River to Putussibau, with the option of starting by bus to Sintang and then continuing by local boat, stopping along the way. That said, I don’t feel comfortable just showing up in a village to sleep without being announced or introduced—unless it’s a hotel, and I don’t see any between Sintang and Putussibau. After that, the plan would be to explore on foot, ideally with a local guide. To sum up my questions: Do boats run daily? How do you sleep along the way? Is it possible to find someone locally? You mentioned Danau Sentarum, which is north of "my" route. It’s probably even more remote! How do you get there, and from where? Who can introduce me? We could imagine flying back to Pontianak...

Hi,

continue by local boat with stops along the way. (...) do boats run every day?

I think there’s a question you should ask yourself first: are there passenger boats on that river?

(Hello, Thanks so much for your reply—you’re actually targeting a region I’m interested in. What kind of trip did you take there?)

Hi, I’ve traveled there (especially the Sentarum area and the Sambas region), but since 2003, I’ve been going back for family reasons (last time was in 2025, for several months). We’re based inland, a few hours from Pontianak, where we go regularly (and where the food is *amazing*!!!). That said, I still sometimes grab my backpack and explore a bit (hikes, etc.).

When I mentioned Dayak culture, I was thinking of going up the Kapuas River to Putussibau, with the option of starting by bus to Sintang and then continuing by local boat with stops along the way.

That used to be very doable. Now that the road has been redone (before, it was just a dirt track—people got carsick, and the trip was exhausting), I don’t know if people still travel by river. But no worries: there were never passenger boats, just cargo boats that took people on the side. So from Sintang, I’m sure you can still work something out. I don’t see why it would be any different now. If the water level is high enough, some boats stop at Lake Sentarum to fish and relax. Otherwise, they head straight to Putussibau.

But I don’t feel comfortable just showing up in a village to sleep without being announced or introduced—unless it’s a hotel, and I don’t see any between Sintang and Putussibau.

There are hotels in pretty much every small town. And family-run guesthouses. Don’t worry about that—no one will let you sleep outside. Just watch out for bedbugs; there are *a lot* of them, and they’re worse than mosquitoes. For villages, it’s all about vibes. I’ve never just shown up unannounced, except when arriving at dusk after hours of walking. The welcome is always warm and amused. The best thing is to take your time, chat with people, and let invitations come naturally. In Putussibau, you’ll definitely get approached. Four people is a lot, though—you’ll also be approached by guides who can introduce you and suggest things. Just be aware that you might also be invited by Malays. They’re friendly too, but it’s not the same vibe as a Dayak Iban village. A good trick is to have a reason for visiting: "I’m interested in the Dayak way of life," etc. They’ll be flattered and honored. It’ll also give you something to focus on. Avoid picking an aspect of their culture that’s fallen out of use.

You mentioned Danau Sentarum, north of "my" route. Probably even more remote! How do you access it, and who can introduce us?

You can get there by speedboat from Semitau or Selimbau—I always mix them up. Or by bus from Putussibau (toward Nangabadau), getting off at Lanjak. Check for lodging and activities once you’re there. It’s not *that* isolated since it’s close to Sarawak. Anyway… For snorkeling, there are the Lemukutan Islands. Really pretty. Off the coast of Singkawang. First trip to Indonesia? If so, you haven’t picked the easiest destination, but it’s not impossible either…

Hi there, What a great idea to visit Kalimantan! I first went to the Malaysian side of Borneo and came back a bit disappointed—even 10 years ago, it was already very structured and organized. Not long ago, we went back, but this time only to Kalimantan as a pair. Our itinerary was shorter than yours—three and a half weeks—starting in Pangkalan Bun from Jakarta. The Kumai River trip is stunning; the nature reserve is on the right, and the left bank is wild. It’s much more natural than Borneo—we saw lots of different animals in just three days. Then BANJARMASIN, a partly floating city with its drifting floating market. A great memory. Loksado: floating market, waterfalls, hikes, bamboo rafting. Everything is improvised and amazing. Back to BANJARMASIN for a flight to BALIKPAPAN, then we stayed in Loajanan on a covered fishing boat to navigate the Mahakam River. The stops were nice, but there was too much commercial boat traffic. The nights were noisy. However, with a canoe, the riverbanks were varied—small villages or more "organized" ones, the longhouses of the Dayak people. Several stops, including one for a funeral ceremony. Returning to Muara Kaman and Mijara Bengkal was a real eye-opener—people had never seen white visitors except on TV. We spent 3 to 4 days paddling from village to village in a canoe, with basic but clean accommodations. We discovered very different villages—sometimes the women had long ears. Then we headed up to WEHEA, the low point! The forest is devastated, it rained, and it’s best forgotten. We found the main road, then the port and a speedboat to Derawan. There’s a dive lodge right next to the livelier village, which you can reach on foot. We spent 3 days swimming. You’re in for a treat—there’s still so much natural beauty and diversity in both wildlife and ethnic groups. Safe travels!

Hi there, So much to dig into—thanks a ton! I’ll take the time to go through everything in detail with my friends and get back to you later.

We’ve already been to Indonesia several times—first discovered it in Sumatra back in 2017, then Java, back to Sumatra in 2024 (we really love it!), and Sulawesi in 2025… to the point where I’ve been improving my Bahasa year after year, even though it’s still pretty basic!

This country is magical, and the people are so welcoming, no matter where we’ve been so far. A true discovery.

Hi Eric, We keep crossing paths on this forum as our destinations overlap—thanks for your reply! I’ll definitely get back to you after I’ve looked into your info. 🙂

Hi,

staying in Loajanan on a covered fisherman's boat to sail the Mahakam River

Does the Mahakam also flow through Loa Janan? Maps show it passes about thirty km further north in Samarinda before its delta begins. Or is that not the case?

Hi, If needed, to avoid returning from the Mahakam via the same route, there are currently 1 to 2 daily flights from Melak* (on the river) to Balikpapan around midday. No air options from other villages further upstream.

If you feel like changing your plans to Bunaken instead of Derawan, the Balikpapan-Manado flight isn’t daily—currently departing on Mon, Wed, Fri, and Sat in the late afternoon.

* 0°13'47.04"S 115°49'17.05"E