South Kalimantan is full of vivid and characteristic traditional arts and cultures which can be seen in its people’s ways of life, art, dance, music, ancestral dress, games and ceremonies. Exquisite traditional and commercial handicrafts are all made from local raw materials which include a variety of precious and semiprecious stones, gold, silver, brass, iron and a wide variety of wood including bamboo and rattan. South Kalimantan is one of the largest wood producers in Indonesia; extensive forests with a wide variety of trees such as iron wood, meranti, pinus and rubber have helped to make the province a unique and rich natural resource. The southern section of the province, however, is much flatter and is characterized by large and powerful rivers, meandering through lowlands and depositing enormous of silt, at vast mangrove swamps all along the coast helping to make South Kalimantan an exceptionally fertile land. Many villages and settlements hove been built along these rivers, particularly the Barito river, by the indigenous majority, the Banjar. The Meratus mountain range ( with the highest peak Puncak Besar at 1,892 metres above sea level ) dominate in the centre of the province, effectively dividing South Kalimantan into two distinct regions. The eastern part of the province is mountainous and lush with dense tropical rain forests and is home to the “Orang Gunung” or Mountain People. Collectively called Dayak, they form the minority of the region’s population.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Banjarmasin
Banjarmasin, the capital city of South Kalimantan developed into business and industry city, lies at the delta of the Barito river. The city is intertwined by numerous rivers of various sizes and lengths, the major one are Martapura and Nagara. The numerous rivers made the city get its nickname River City. These rivers and waterways give a certain identity to river transportation have become common place. Local people build traditional floating houses made of wood or bamboo (called “lanting” ) along the rivers. Rivers have been very important for business and economic activities. This is one of the reasons why there have been floating markets everywhere. Making trips along Barito and Martapura rivers by “klotok” boat will give a unique satisfaction. The actual living of the people is along the rivers.

Floating Market
Pasar Floating market in Barito river is a busy and colourful collection of small boats and canoes. The buying and selling are made in the traditional local boat. Such market has started since 400 years ago while people coming from the hinterland took their local products to sell in the form of barter. The usual thing about the market is that it takes place entirely in the river and it start approximately at 05.00 in the morning and finishes at 09.00 in the morning.

Pulau Kembang ( “Flower Island” )
The island is in the Barito river, not far from the floating market. This island is a conservation forest of about 60 hectares, inhabited by tame crab-eating monkeys, some believe that spirits live in these monkeys, so they can’t be bothered or harassed. This island is mostly visited by Chinese Indonesians, as there is a small shrine, where they place the offerings.

Pulau Kaget ( Kaget Island )
Kaget Island is in the Barito river, it is another forest conservation and is also inhabited by the proboscis monkeys and many sorts of birds.

Cempaka & Martapura
Cempaka is an old site of traditional diamond digging using very simple equipment. The digging is a collective work by a group, usually consisting of one family and its close relatives. Martapura is the centre of diamond and precious stones polishing; it is also the centre of diamond marketing. The polishing work uses traditional as well as modern equipment.

East Kalimantan due to huge supplies of oil, gas, wood and coal, is the richest part of the whole Indonesia. Local tribes traditionally live in communal longhouses called lamin or umaq daru. They are built on wooden piles which can sometimes be as tall as 3 metres high as protection against wild animals and flooding. The Punan, however, are nomadic hunter-gatherers, who still move around the jungles and only use the longhouse at the height of the rainy season. Steeped in tradition, the interior of the longhouse is typically divided into separate family quarters with a communal area connecting each of the quarters and therefore each of the families. It is in these communal areas that village gatherings are held and ceremonies performed, in that way reinforcing the strong tribal bonds that have kept the Dayaks active in the face of rapidly advancing technologies. As a major producer of oil and timber, East Kalimantan is now the most industrially advanced province of the island and the second largest province in Indonesia. It is also the habitat of the original people of Kalimantan, the “Orang Gunung” ( mountain people ). The tribes are collectively called Dayak, although this name is not embraced by many tribes-people themselves, who prefer to be known by separate tribal names such as Iban, Punan and Banuaq. Guardian statues are normally placed in front of longhouses to guard them against evil spirits who bring sickness and bad luck. Such longhouses, however, are gradually vanishing and many that remain have been converted into meeting halls or stages for dance and music performances. The more isolated and customary tribes-people have pierced earlobes, which over the years have become stretched by the weight of heavy gold or brass rings, and beautifully elaborate tattoos. Local jewellery and designs are intricate and powerful, often giving messages to be passed down from generation to generation. Travelling along the extensive Mahakam river, which has carved its way through the jungles and flatlands constantly reshaping and nourishing the land, is a fascinating adventure. River boats slide unobtrusively through heavily silt laden waters where plants and animals feed and drink along these nourishing shores, wild orchids drip off trees; proboscis monkeys, orangutans, crocodiles, clouded leopards, crab eating macaques, giant butterflies and the legendary hornbill all live here. A 5,000 acre Orchid Reservation close to the village of Kersil Luwai cultivates 27 different species of orchid including the very rare Cologenia Pandurata or black orchid.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Sumarinda & Balikpapan
Sumarinda and Balikpapan are commercial centres of the East Kalimantan province. Balikpapan is the centre of oil and timber industry. Sumarinda, the capital of East Kalimantan, is a lively city located on both sides of Mahakam river. The city is the jumping-off place for visits to Dayak country.

Bontang
Located in the regency of Kutai with an area of approximately 200.000 ha, Bontang has a rare flora and fauna. The Kutai National Park near Bontang is north visiting to see sceneries especially those at Beras Basah.

Bulungan
It is one place for the adventure-seeking visitors. Things of historic value and ancient remains, art collections and traditional ceremonies, with a background of beautiful panoramas of the jungle and mountains are to be found here.

Tanah Merah Indah - Lempake
This is recreational park called Tanah Merah Indah- Lempake with a waterfall, located ± 16 km from downtown Samarinda. It can be reached by car or public transportation

Tenggarong
Tenggarong, up the Mahakam river from Samarinda, is the capital of the Kutai regency and was once the seat of the Kutai sultanate. The Sultan’s palace at the riverside is now a museum where the old royal paraphernalia are kept, as well as an excellent collection of Dayak handicrafts and antique Chinese ceramics.

Tanjung Isuy
Tanjung Isuy is a little village on Danau Jempang.

Melak & Kersik Luwai
Melak is a little village further upstream on the Mahakam river in the heart of the land of Tanjung Dayak. Not far from the village is the Kersik Luwai orchid reserve, where famous black orchids grow.

Central Kalimantan is the biggest province of the island, it occupies an area of 153,800 km2, most of it is jungle, swamps, rivers and agriculture land. The Dayak who live there belong to the most traditional of the island. The three big Dayak sub-tribes who inhabit this province are the Ngaju, Ot Danum, and Ma’anyan. The Ngaju, like some other sub-tribes, moves from one region to another. They stick to the old Kaharingan religion, which is a form of ancestor worship, mixed with elements of animism. The Ot Danum live in longhouses in pillars (called betang), two to five metres above the ground, which sometimes have as many as 50 rooms. With approximately 6,000 people, the Ot Danum is the largest among the three sub-tribes. They are known for their skill in plaiting rattan, palm leaves, and bamboo. Made by the women, such products are sold in cities and towns such as Banjamasin, Kualakapuas, and Sampit. Like other Dayaks, the men are good hunters, using simple tools. The art of Central Kalimantan clearly bears the marks of the Kaharingan religion, which is the traditional belief of the Dayaks in the hinterland of Central Kalimantan. Building styles, statues, carvings, and other products are related to the cultural elements of the Hindus, Chinese, and Hindu-Javanese. Aside from their aesthetic properties, such products are appreciated for their magic value. The Ngaju belong to the best artists of Kalimantan, this reputation is shown in the ceremonial objects for the dead, like the wooden coffins, tombs, and sailboat and big statues.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Palangkaraya
Palangkaraya is the province capital of Central Kalimantan and situated in the upstream region of the Kahayan river. These days, the town has become the centre of government, trade and education of the province. The Regional Museum of Palangkaraya contains a collection of historical and cultural interest from all over Central Kalimantan. The Nature Reserve of Tangkiling lies 34 kilometres north of Palangkaraya. Small rivers flow through the reserve.

Kualakapuas
Kualakapuas is the capital of the Kapuas regency, south of Palangkaraya, on the Kapuas river 40 kilometers from Banjarmasin. A well-known tourism attraction is Telo Island, a fishing village and port. It is a pleasant site for recreation. For the adventurer, white water rafters and nature lovers, there is Gohong Rawai, known for its beautiful and challenging rapids. The gold mines of Teweh and Batu Api, Rungan district, are also interesting sites to be visited. In this region, gold mining is a major source of livelihood for the people, who pan for the valuable metal using the old traditional method. Gold mines are found in many places in Central Kalimantan.

Sampit
Sampit town, on the Sampit river and the capital of Sampit regency, is known as the biggest timber port in Kalimantan as well as in Indonesia. Here can be found many sawmill which process the timber for export. Pandaran Beach is a park on the seaside at the mouth of the Sampit river. It is quite unique. One sees to one’s north the river emptying its water into the sea. To the south is the wide expanse of the Java Sea. The Orchid Park of Pembuangan Hulu is a natural forest in which a number of rare and beautiful orchid varieties grow. Hunters can engage in their favorite pastime at the Serayan river which borders on the hunting park of Kotawaringin Barat.

Pangkalanbun
Pangkalanbun is the capital of the Kotawaringin Barat regency, in the western part of Central Kalimantan. It is busy little town. In this town, the old Palace of Pangkalanbun now 200 years old, can still be seen. Made of ulin (iron-wood), it is the only Banjar royal legacy found in Central Kalimantan. The Mosque of Kyai Gede is the oldest mosque, being more than 300 years old, found in Kotawaringin district.

Tanjung Putting National Park
The Tanjung Puting National Park, occupying over 300,000 km2 of a large promontory which juts south into the Java Sea, is known to hold over 600 species of tree and 200 different orchids. It is entirely a lowland area, the highest elevation of the park being just 30 metres above sea level. Declared a national park in 1982, and now an extremely important refuge for Kalimantan wildlife, it is probably best known for the work done there on researching and rehabilitating orangutans at a centre which has now become an important attraction. The highlight is the orangutan feeding sessions at one of the park’s three ranger stations. The first, Tanjung Harapan cares for orphaned infants and new arrivals. The most famous is Camp Leakey, here Bornean orangutans which have been rescued from captivity are looked after before being encouraged to return to the wild. While the orangutan are a must-see, a more serene way to experience them can be found at Pondok Tanngui. At the feeding sessions, orangutan who hover near the stations are offered bananas and milk to stave off starvation while at the same time encouraged to forage in the forest for food such as fruit, leaves and bark.

Laying directly across the equator and the main gate way into the province of West Kalimantan is the provincial capital of Pontianak. This rapidly developing and surprisingly large city was founded in 1771 by Syarif Abdul Rahman Al-Kadri of Saudi Arabia and is now a busy business centre as well as home to a large university and a giant indoor sports stadium. Canals crisscross the city and one of Indonesia’s longest rivers, the Kapuas 1,143 km long, divides the town in two, providing an essential and historical communications link. Like Java and Sumatra, West Kalimantan was once an important cultural crossroads. Hinduism reached West Kalimantan by about the year 400 and evidence of both early Hindu and Buddhist civilizations in the region have been discovered. Stone carvings and ceramics can be traced as far back as the 5th century, but it is the influence of Islam that has had the most impact on this region. The advent of Islam in West Kalimantan occurred at about the same time as the rise of the first Islamic Kingdom in Aceh in the 15th century and was introduced primarily from South Sumatra and North Kalimantan, and the country of Brunei. Islam was rapidly embraced and various kingdoms grew in strength and power particularly because of Kalimantan’s strategic importance along trade routes to China and the Philippines. West Kalimantan covers an area of over 146.807 sq km, which is rich in a variety of minerals and precious stones and remains largely unexplored. Coastal areas are mainly swamp lands with more than 100 rivers sculpting the flat plains, but in the mountainous eastern parts of the province, away from the city and plains, there are many Dayak villages. The Dayaks have ancient traditions and beliefs which are expressed in various forms; earlobes elongated by heavy earrings, tattoos intricate paintings, designs and carvings and wonderful dances of respect, heroism, welcome and cure. A large Chinese population, Malays and other Indonesian ethnic groups account for the rest of the inhabitants of the province.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Pontianak
As the capital of West Kalimantan, there are some interesting places to visit, among others the Equator Monument, Kadariah palace in Kampung Dalam, the State Museum, the Kapuas and Landak Bridges with a river view and floating market.

Betana (Long House)
On the outskirts of Pontianak is a Daya traditional long house at Saham village. The measures of long house are: 186 m long, 6 m wide 269 people live there.

Gunung Palung Nature Reserve
The Gunung Palung Nature Reserve, located in the Ketapang regency, is home to various flora and fauna, home to orangutan, tarsiers and gibbons.

Raya Pasi
The Raya Pasi is home to variety flora and fauna, including the parasitic Rafflesia, the largest flower of the world.

Sambas Palace
Sambas is a former sultanate and pirate’s lair. Istana Sambas is one of the remnants of the Sultanate of Sambas, up to the present time it is still kept in good condition.