Talking about this big island will be endless. So, now we’re going to divide the discussion into one region only, Central Kalimantan. Why? Because every region has so many places to visit.

Here are 4 best tourist attractions in Central Kalimantan:

Tanjung Puting National Park

This national park is the first orangutan rehabilitation center in Indonesia. You don’t only get to see orangutan here, but also other tropical animals, such as proboscis monkeys, red monkeys, bears, deer, and wild cats. And while you’re there, be sure to visit Tanjung Harapan, Pondok Tanggui, Camp Lakey, Natai Lengkuas, Danau Burung, Sungai Buluh as well.

It is very easy to go there. You can fly either from Surabaya, Semarang or Jakarta directly to Pangkalan Bun. Continue the trip to Kumai harbor around 9.3 km away from the airport. Next, go to the National Parks from there by boat. It is highly recommended that you go there on June-September. Wade Sekonyer River for 3 days and 2 nights by boat to see all the places.

Kahayan River

Kahayan River is one of the longest rivers in Kalimantan. It is 600 kilometers long, 500 meters width and up to 7 meters deep. The river runs across Palangkaraya, and it’s also known with another name, Biaju Besar.

It takes around 40 minutes from Tjilik Riwut Airport to get there. From the airport, go straight to Palangkaraya City Plaza and continue the trip to Kahayan River. To wade through the river, you need to pay IDR 75,000 per person for 3-4 hours of a boat ride.

Enjoy the beautiful view of peat forest while you’re on the river tour. There are several routes you can choose, but Kaja Island route is the most popular. Taking this route, you will get to see the indigenous people upholding Dayak culture. Humble floating houses are on each side, along with local motorized boats.

After a while, you will reach Nyaru Menteng orangutan conservation facility on Kaja Island. There you’ll find Macaca Fascicularis or grey-haired monkeys with a long tail, dark-haired monkeys with a long tail or lutung, lizards and also proboscis monkeys.

Baka Bukit Raya National Park

There are so many national parks in Kalimantan, especially Central Kalimantan. Baka Bukit Raya is one of the famous ones. The place is on the provincial border of West and Central Kalimantan. So, there are two choices to get there, either you go from Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan or Palangkaraya.

From Pontianak, you need to travel to Sintang for about 9 hours by car or bus. It only takes an hour by plane. From there, take a speed boat for 2.5 hours to Nanga Nuak. It takes so much time but the long trip will be paid off.

From Palangkaraya, it takes 1.5 hours to Kasongan by car. Then, you need to take a speed boat for 3 hours to Tumbang Samba. Next, continue your journey to Tumbang Hiran, Tumbang Senamang and Kutuk Sepanggi for 9 hours. The last is taking a motorcycle to reach the National Park.

You can plan a long stay in the National Park at Belaban Camping Site. There are so many activities you can do there. You can do trekking, rafting, taking a cultural tour, and watching animals. You can also visit hot water spring, Demang Ehud waterfall, deer herd field, and others.

Ujung Pandaran Beach

Ujung Pandaran beach is located in Sampit, East Kotawaringin Regency. It is around 85 km from Sampit. Besides the panoramic view, the beach is a great place to enjoy the sunset.

Besides, there are a lot of fun activities to do as well. You can try a banana boat, donut boat, and Jet Ski. It’s also recommended to visit during certain months to witness local culture up close. For instance, on the 10th day after Eid, local people hold Simah Laut, a tradition where they wash offerings away to the sea. They believe that it can save them from all sorts of dangers.

Those are the 4 best tourist attractions in Central Kalimantan. There are still a lot more tourist attractions you can go to like museums and hills. Make sure to go there with your families or friends to make an even more memorable trip. Also, don’t forget to check on your things, especially for safety, before you go on traveling.