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Indonesia (Kalimantan)
Traveling to the Indonesian part of Borneo means entering deep, wild rainforests. You can take a slow riverboat down the water to see wild orangutans swinging in the trees. It is a fantastic trip if you really love untouched nature.
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Summary
Neighboring Countries
Did you know?
Orangutan Islands – Tanjung Puting National Park features rehabilitation camps where rescued orangutans are fed on wooden platforms built deep in the peat swamp forests.
Overview
Months
May, June, July, August, September, October
Vacation type
Beach, Couple, Family, Rainforest, Diving/Snorkeling
Expenses
0-50€, <150€, <200€, <100€, Over 200€
Temperature
25-30°C
Rainfall
100-150mm, 150-200mm
Safety
Safe
Continent
Asia
Currency
Indonesian rupiah
Languages
Indonesian
Currency Converter
When to visit
The best time to travel to Indonesian Borneo (Kalimantan) is during the dry season from June to September. This is the optimal window for wildlife viewing in Tanjung Puting National Park, as the lack of rain concentrates orangutans and other animals around riverbanks and feeding stations, and the jungle trails are less muddy. It is also the best time for scuba diving in the Derawan Islands, as the seas are calm and underwater visibility is at its peak.
The wet season runs from October to May, with rain peaking between December and February. During these months, torrential tropical downpours swell the rivers and flood lowland areas. While river cruises on a klotok (wooden houseboat) are still possible, hiking is much more difficult, and heavy rains can severely disrupt domestic flights and speedboats heading to the coastal islands.
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Plan the whole vacation, including flights, transportation, hotels and tours with Expedia *
Climate Data
Peak Season: June to September (Dry Season)
Average Sunny Hours per Day: 7 to 9 hours.
Rain Frequency: 5 to 8 days per month.
Rainy Hours per Day: 1 to 2 hours.
Intensity: Brief afternoon tropical showers.
Duration: Mostly clear and hot. The drier air makes humidity tolerable, and river navigation is smooth and predictable.
Off-Peak Season: December to February (Wet Season)
Average Sunny Hours per Day: 4 to 6 hours.
Rain Frequency: 18 to 22 days per month.
Rainy Hours per Day: 3 to 6 hours.
Intensity: Heavy, sweeping monsoon downpours and lightning storms.
Duration: Rain can fall steadily for days, making jungle humidity oppressive and muddying the rivers, which reduces visibility for diving along the coast.
Climate Chart
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Data Source: Global Historical Climatology Network
ClimateCharts.net
Weather, Crowds and Costs
Per one person
Tourist Season: June-September
Budget Vacation ($35-60/day)
Accommodation: $15-25/night (basic guesthouses in cities like Balikpapan or Pontianak, budget homestays).
Food: $8-15/day (local warungs, soto banjar stalls, night market satay).
Activities: $5-10/day (visiting floating markets, local transport to the Equator Monument).
Transportation: $4-8/day (Gojek/Grab motorcycle taxis, public minivans).
Other Costs: $3/day (bottled water, mosquito coils).
Mid-Range Vacation ($90-180/day)
Accommodation: $45-90/night (comfortable 3-star city hotels, standard air-conditioned rooms at dive resorts).
Food: $20-40/day (seafood restaurants, mall dining, local coffee shops).
Activities: $30-60/day (shared klotok day trips, guided day hikes, standard dive boat seats).
Transportation: $15-30/day (Grab cars, domestic flight hops between provinces).
Other Costs: $7/day (tips, fresh fruit, cafe stops).
Luxury Vacation ($300-700+/day)
Accommodation: $200-450+/night (exclusive overwater villas in Maratua, private chartered luxury klotoks with air-conditioned cabins).
Food: $60-120/day (private chefs on riverboats, high-end resort dining, premium seafood).
Activities: $100-200+/day (multi-day private orangutan safaris, exclusive dive master charters, helicopter transfers).
Transportation: $50-100/day (private drivers in cities, chartered speedboats).
Other Costs: $25+/day (artisan Dayak crafts, spa treatments).
Off-Peak Season: October-May
Budget Vacation ($25-45/day)
Accommodation: $10-18/night (discounted homestays and basic city hotels).
Food: $6-12/day (indoor food courts, local markets).
Activities: $3-8/day (indoor museums, self-guided city walks).
Transportation: $3-7/day (public transit, ride-hailing apps).
Other Costs: $3/day (rain poncho, insect repellent).
Mid-Range Vacation ($60-130/day)
Accommodation: $35-70/night (upgraded hotel rooms at low-season rates).
Food: $15-30/day (indoor dining, cozy cafes).
Activities: $20-40/day (discounted off-season boat trips, cultural village visits).
Transportation: $10-20/day (local taxis, regional flights).
Other Costs: $5/day (hot tea, laundry).
Luxury Vacation ($200-450+/day)
Accommodation: $130-300+/night (premium resorts offering heavy rainy-season promotions).
Food: $45-90/day (hotel dining, private catering).
Activities: $80-150/day (private indoor cultural tours, adjusted river safaris).
Transportation: $40-80/day (air-conditioned private transfers).
Other Costs: $15/day (local artisan shopping).
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You can find accomendations that fit your trip and budget on Booking.com, Vrbo and Hotels.com
Best Regions to visit
Cities
1. Balikpapan
- A modern, relatively wealthy oil and gas hub on the east coast, serving as the primary gateway to East Kalimantan and the Derawan Islands.
2. Banjarmasin
- The capital of South Kalimantan, known as the "City of a Thousand Rivers," famous for its sprawling, early-morning floating markets.
3. Pontianak
- The capital of West Kalimantan, situated exactly on the Equator along the massive Kapuas River.
4. Samarinda
- A bustling timber and trading city on the Mahakam River, serving as the starting point for riverbed journeys deep into the Dayak heartland.
Balikpapan
Did you know?
Floating Markets – In Banjarmasin, traditional traders sell fresh fruits, vegetables, and hot breakfast noodles entirely from small wooden canoes on the river.
Islands
1. Derawan Island
- A small, sandy island in East Kalimantan acting as the main budget hub for the surrounding archipelago, where sea turtles frequently swim right under the wooden jetties.
2. Kakaban Island
- A large, uninhabited coral atoll featuring a massive brackish lake in its center, completely filled with millions of stingless jellyfish.
3. Maratua Island
- A stunning, crescent-shaped atoll offering the archipelago's most luxurious overwater resorts and sheer drop-off wall dives.
4. Sangalaki Island
- A protected marine conservation island famous as a year-round feeding ground for massive resident manta rays and nesting green turtles.
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Find the perfect place to stay in any of these top cities and islands with Booking.com, Hotels.com and Vrbo – offering entire homes and apartments for a comfortable and private experience.
Things to see
Natural Attractions
1. Tanjung Puting National Park
- A sprawling lowland rainforest and swamp in Central Kalimantan, globally famous for Camp Leakey and its massive population of wild and semi-wild orangutans.
2. Mahakam River
- The second-longest river in Indonesia. Traveling upriver reveals rare Irrawaddy dolphins (Pesut), dense jungle, and remote indigenous villages.
3. Kutai National Park
- A rugged, lesser-visited park near the east coast protecting pristine ironwood forests and wild orangutans recovering from historic forest fires.
4. Meratus Mountains
- A lush, heavily forested mountain range running through South Kalimantan, offering off-the-beaten-path trekking to remote Dayak settlements and waterfalls.
Historical and Cultural Sites
1. Lok Baintan Floating Market (Banjarmasin)
- A vibrant, traditional market where hundreds of local vendors—mostly women in large bamboo hats—trade fruit, vegetables, and hot food entirely from small wooden canoes.
2. Tugu Khatulistiwa (Equator Monument)
- A landmark in Pontianak marking the exact line of the Equator, where visitors can stand with one foot in the Northern Hemisphere and one in the Southern Hemisphere.
3. Dayak Rumah Betang
- Traditional, massive wooden longhouses elevated on stilts, built by the indigenous Dayak people to house entire extended communities under one roof, primarily found along the interior river systems.
Unique Experiences
1. Living on a Klotok
- Chartering a traditional, two-story wooden riverboat in Tanjung Puting, sleeping on the open-air upper deck under mosquito nets while listening to the sounds of the jungle at night.
2. Swimming with Stingless Jellyfish
- Snorkeling in the warm waters of Lake Kakaban, surrounded by millions of harmless, pulsating jellyfish that evolved without stingers due to a lack of natural predators.
3. Spotting Proboscis Monkeys
- Cruising the muddy riverbanks at dusk to find large troops of endemic, long-nosed proboscis monkeys leaping into the trees to settle down for the night.
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The best way to explore major cities and must-see attractions is by booking guided tours.* They offer convenience, local insights, and often save time when visiting popular sights.
Tanjung Puting
Unique Accomondations/Foodspots
Accommodations
Ranu Welum Eco-Lodge
Location: Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
A specialized riverside eco-lodge supporting indigenous Dayak community conservation efforts, offering traditional wooden architecture and immersive boat expeditions into the pristine peatland jungles of Borneo.
Restaurants / Bars
Rumah Makan Aroma Borneo
Location: Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia
A vibrant local dining destination celebrated for authentic Banjarese cuisine, offering classic regional specialties like Soto Banjar spiced chicken soup and freshwater river fish prepared with aromatic local herbs.
Tours to do
1. The Orangutan River Safari
- Fly into Pangkalan Bun, transfer to the port of Kumai, and spend three days and two nights living on a klotok boat, cruising up the Sekonyer River to watch orangutan feedings at Camp Leakey.
Best Time: June to September.
Average Cost: $250 – $600 per person (including boat, meals, and guide).
2. The Derawan Dive and Snorkel Loop
- Fly into Berau, take a two-hour car transfer to the coast, and catch a speedboat to Derawan. Spend four days island-hopping to swim with manta rays at Sangalaki, jellyfish at Kakaban, and sea turtles right off your deck.
Best Time: May to October.
Average Cost: $400 – $900 per person.
Orangutan
How to get around
1. Domestic Flights
- Kalimantan is vast, and the road network in the interior is extremely poor. Flying is the only practical way to move between major cities (e.g., Balikpapan to Pontianak or Pangkalan Bun). Garuda, Citilink, and Lion Air operate frequent routes.
2. River Travel (Klotoks & Speedboats)
- Rivers are the original highways of Borneo. Klotoks (slow houseboats) are used for safaris, while long narrow speedboats are used for rapid transit up the Mahakam or Kapuas rivers.
3. Ride-Hailing
- Grab and Gojek work exceptionally well in major cities like Balikpapan, Samarinda, and Banjarmasin for cheap, metered car and motorcycle rides.
4. Road Transport
- Only use buses or rental cars for short coastal routes. Overland trips across the interior can take days on heavily rutted, muddy logging roads.
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You can find great car rental deals for your vacation on Expedia *
Did you know?
Headhunter Longhouses – Traditional Dayak villages feature massive wooden longhouses where dozens of families live together under one giant roof.
What to eat
1. Soto Banjar
- The famous dish of South Kalimantan. A fragrant, spiced chicken soup flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, usually served with compressed rice cakes (ketupat), boiled egg, and potato croquettes.
2. Ikan Bakar (Grilled Fish)
- Freshly caught river fish (like Patin or Tilapia) or coastal seafood, marinated in sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), turmeric, and garlic, then grilled over an open charcoal flame and served with spicy sambal.
3. Pengkang
- A popular West Kalimantan snack. Glutinous rice is stuffed with dried shrimp (ebi), wrapped in banana leaves into a cone shape, and grilled over charcoal, usually eaten with a spicy clam sauce.
4. Bubur Pedas
- A traditional Sambas (West Kalimantan) savory porridge. Despite the name "pedas" (spicy), it is actually a mild, heavily spiced vegetable porridge made with roasted grated coconut, fern leaves, peanuts, and anchovies.
Flights
Flight prices are approximate and vary by departure city, airline, and booking time. Check airlines or travel platforms for the latest details.
* Please note: All prices are rough estimates for orientation purposes only and may vary by region.
Main Airport: Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan Airport (BPN) in Balikpapan
Flight Prices and Seasons
From Asia:
- Average Round-Trip Cost: $150 to $350 (Usually requires a connection in Jakarta (CGK) or Surabaya (SUB) from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Bangkok).
- Cheapest Months: October and November.
- Peak Prices: Lunar New Year and Eid al-Fitr.
From Australia (Domestic/Oceania):
- Average Round-Trip Cost: $400 to $800 (Connecting via Jakarta or Bali from Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth).
- Cheapest Months: February and March.
- Peak Prices: December and January.
From Europe:
- Average Round-Trip Cost: $800 to $1,300 (Connecting through Middle Eastern hubs to Jakarta, then taking a domestic flight to Kalimantan).
- Cheapest Months: October, November, and February.
- Peak Prices: July, August, and Christmas.
From North America:
- Average Round-Trip Cost: $1,000 to $1,700 (Requires connecting flights via Taipei, Tokyo, or the Middle East into Jakarta, followed by a domestic transfer).
- Cheapest Months: September and October.
- Peak Prices: December, January, and July.
From Africa:
- Average Round-Trip Cost: $900 to $1,500 (Connecting through Gulf transit hubs or Addis Ababa into Jakarta).
- Cheapest Months: March and November.
- Peak Prices: July, August, and December.
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You can find the best flight deals with Skyscanner or plan the whole vacation, including flights, transportation, hotels and tours with Expedia *
Airport Location
Visa
1. Visa Requirement
- Many travelers, including citizens of the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia, need a visa to enter Indonesia.
2. Visa-Free Entry
- Citizens from several countries can enter visa-free for stays of up to 30 days. This option is not extendable.
3. Visa on Arrival
- Travelers from eligible countries can obtain a Visa on Arrival for 30 days, which can be extended for an additional 30 days.
4. Visa Application
- For longer stays or specific purposes (e.g., work or study), travelers must apply for a regular visa at an Indonesian embassy or consulate before traveling.
5. Processing Time
- Visa on Arrival is issued upon arrival; regular visa processing can take from a few days to several weeks.
6. Duration of Stay
- Visa-free visitors can stay for up to 30 days; Visa on Arrival holders can stay for a total of 60 days (30 days plus 30-day extension).
7. Health Requirements
- No specific vaccinations are required for entry, but Yellow Fever vaccination is necessary if arriving from a Yellow Fever risk country. Travel insurance is recommended.
Important things to know
1. Payments
- Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). Bring plenty of cash before leaving the main cities. ATMs do not exist deep in the jungle, on riverboats, or on the smaller Derawan islands.
2. Tap Water
- Tap water is strictly non-potable. Only drink bottled or filtered water.
3. Electricity
- 230V, 50Hz. Standard European two-round-pin plugs (Type C and F).
4. Tipping
- Not mandatory, but highly expected for klotok crews, dive masters, and private guides ($5-$10 per day).
5. SIM Cards
- Telkomsel has the best coverage across the island, but expect total blackouts once you travel upriver into the national parks.
6. Driving Side
- Left side of the road.
Souveniers
1. Mandau
- The traditional weapon of the Dayak people. It is a finely crafted, single-edged sword with an intricately carved bone or wood hilt, historically used in combat and headhunting, now prized as a ceremonial antique.
2. Dayak Beadwork
- Extremely detailed, brightly colored beadwork woven into necklaces, headbands, and baby carriers, featuring traditional motifs of dragons, hornbills, and jungle spirits.
3. Lampit Rattan Mats
- High-quality, durable floor mats woven tightly from native rattan vines harvested from the deep interior jungles of South and Central Kalimantan.
Mandau
Location
Reviews
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