Kalimantan
Go for orangutans, slow river travel and Dayak villages, not beaches.
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Kalimantan is the Indonesian part of Borneo, the world's third-largest island. It covers nearly three-quarters of the island, and Malaysia and Brunei share the rest. People come for forest, rivers and village life rather than beaches or nightlife. Dayak communities keep longhouse traditions, languages and crafts that vary from one area to the next.
The best-known stop is Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan, where wild orangutans live in swamp and lowland forest. You reach its camps by klotok, a small wooden river boat with a roof and a cabin, so much of the trip is slow days on brown rivers. Pontianak, Banjarmasin, Samarinda and Balikpapan are the main gateways, and flights link the regions. Go in the drier months, roughly June to September, and allow at least three days for a river trip, more if you combine two regions.
Kalimantan in five
- Pick one region and fly between themDistances are long and roads often poor, so a trip works best around one gateway: Pangkalan Bun for Tanjung Puting, Balikpapan for the east, Banjarmasin for river markets in the south. Domestic flights beat overland trips.
- Book a klotok river boat for Tanjung PutingVisitors sleep aboard small wooden klotok boats with a cook and a guide, and walk to feeding stations to see orangutans. Compare itineraries and group size before booking, since sightings depend on the guide.Tanjung Puting
- Use Balikpapan as the east gatewayBalikpapan has the main airport for the east and links to Jakarta, Surabaya and Makassar. The new national capital project is under way in East Kalimantan, so check current access before planning an Ibu Kota Nusantara visit.Balikpapan
- Go in the drier monthsRoughly June to September is the least wet window and best for rivers and forest walks. Rain is heavy at other times, and river levels shape which routes are open.
- Respect local communitiesAsk before photographing people, and visit Dayak villages with a guide who knows the host. Keep rules for orangutans and forests strict: no feeding, no loud noise.
Neighborhoods
Balikpapan
- Price band: $$
Tanjung Puting National Park
Tanjung Puting is a national park in Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo, where you cruise blackwater rivers on a wooden klotok houseboat to see wild orangutans.
Things to do in Kalimantan
See all attractions in Kalimantan
Need to know
- Airport
- Balikpapan (BPN), Pangkalan Bun (PKN) and Banjarmasin (BDJ)
- Getting there
- Domestic flights from Jakarta, Surabaya and Makassar
- Getting around
- Domestic flights, river boats and hired cars with drivers
- Best base
- Pangkalan Bun for Tanjung Puting; Balikpapan for the east
- Time needed
- 4–7 days for one region, a week for two
Weather by month
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- JanuaryVery wet
- FebruaryWet
- MarchWet
- AprilRainy
- MayDrying out
- JuneDrier
- JulyDry, best
- AugustDry, hazy
- SeptemberDry, hazy
- OctoberShowers
- NovemberRainy
- DecemberVery wet
Right now in Kalimantan
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
22
- Feels like
- 27°
- Humidity
- 98%
- Wind
- 4 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 84%
Kalimantan
03:40 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today31°22°84%Tuesday: Thunderstorms. High 31°, Low 22°. Chance of rain 84%.
- Wed32°23°61%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 32°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 61%.
- Thu31°23°82%Thursday: Rain. High 31°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 82%.
- Fri29°22°82%Friday: Drizzle. High 29°, Low 22°. Chance of rain 82%.
- Sat32°22°65%Saturday: Drizzle. High 32°, Low 22°. Chance of rain 65%.
- Sun30°22°74%Sunday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 22°. Chance of rain 74%.
Updated 12:24 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 18,144 IDR
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Tanjung Puting National Parkflight to Pangkalan Bun, then a river boatOrangutan feeding stations along the Sekonyer River, usually on a two- or three-day boat trip.Read the guide
- Balikpapangateway for East KalimantanThe east's main city and airport, near a sun bear sanctuary and the new capital area.Read the guide
- Javaabout 1.5–2 hours by flightThe nearest big island, with Jakarta, Yogyakarta and the volcanoes.Read the guide
Before you go to Kalimantan
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Rules for Kalimantan, checked
- Check whether your passport qualifies for visa-free entry or a visa on arrival on the Directorate General of Immigration site (imigrasi.go.id) before you fly.
- Kalimantan is shared with Malaysia and Brunei. An overland crossing needs its own entry check, so confirm both countries' rules before you go.
- Do not touch or feed orangutans at Tanjung Puting or other reserves. Keep your distance and follow the park guide's instructions.
- Dress modestly in villages and mosques, and remove your shoes before entering a mosque.
- Indonesia enforces its drug laws strictly, including for small amounts. Carry medicines with controlled ingredients only with a doctor's letter.
Plan around Kalimantan
Klotok trips along the Sekonyer River
Read the guideBalikpapanGateway to East Kalimantan
Read the guideJavaThe easy hop for Jakarta and Yogyakarta
Read the guideSulawesiDivers and highland culture to the east
Read the guideGetting around IndonesiaFlights, ferries and trains
Read the guideAll of IndonesiaEntry, money and where to go next
Read the guideKalimantan FAQ
Is Kalimantan worth visiting?
Yes if you want wild rainforest and orangutans without the crowds of Bali. It takes more effort and planning, with fewer resorts and long flights between regions, so give it at least four days.
What is the best way to see orangutans in Kalimantan?
A klotok boat trip along the Sekonyer River in Tanjung Puting. You sleep on the boat and walk to feeding stations with a guide.
How many days do you need in Kalimantan?
Four to five days for one region, such as Tanjung Puting. Add a few days for the east or a southern river market. Do not try to cover the whole island in a week.
When is the best time to visit Kalimantan?
Roughly June to September has the least rain and the best conditions for rivers and forests. The rest of the year is wetter, with the heaviest rain around December and January.
Is Kalimantan the same as Borneo?
Kalimantan is the Indonesian part of Borneo. The northern coast belongs to Malaysia and Brunei. Entry and transport rules here follow Indonesia.