SAMARINDA AND BALIKPAPAN

Samarinda is known for its fine sarong cloth. The city shows some signs of being the capital of a prosperous province. New government office and public utilities are rising everywhere. Samarinda has a number of modest but comfortable hotels.

Balikpapan, the center of Kalimantan’s oil industry is also the gateway to East Kalimantan with air and sea connections to Jakarta and other major points in Indonesia. Even the trip to Samarinda, begins in Balikpapan. In accordance with its importance, Balikpapan has a number of good hotels, including one of international standard, as well as recreation facilities. It has the second busiest airport in the nation after Jakarta.

DERAWAN ISLAND

Found here are the remains of a king called the Keraton Gunung Tambur and The Keraton Sambaliung. Historic objects can be seen here. Derawan island is i 3 hours by a long boat from Tanjung Redep (The Capital of Berau Regency) or via Tarakan. There are many rare animals such as the green turtle, the scarlet turtle, star fruit turtle and sea cow. Other things are rare species of marine plants, coral reefs, iguanas, sea birds, crab and the location for a pearl diving. It is also good for scuba diving, fishing, swimming, and other water sports. Located in the global biodiversity hotspot, the Derawan Islands are featured by high diversity of reef fishes (872 species), corals (507 species), and invertebrates, including a considerable number of protected species (5 giants clam species, 2 sea turtles, coconut crab, etc). Some of the islands harbor the heavily exploited turtle eggs and yet the largest green turtle nesting site in Indonesia.

GUNUNG PALUNG NATIONAL PARK

Gunung Palung National Park lies in the kabupaten of Kayong Utara, in the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan, north of Ketapang and east of Sukadana. The park is notable for its diversity of habitat types, ranging from mangrove and freshwater swamp forest, to lowland alluvial (empran bench) forest, to mountane forest, and for its diversity of wildlife. It is one of only a handful of parks in the world where orangutans can be seen in the wild.

A research station (Cabang Panti) was established at the western foot of the main Gunung Palung mountains in 1985, and is owned and operated by the park management authority. Research there has contributed significantly to our understanding of Borneo forest biology.The Park has enormous potential for ecotourism, and has a number of attractive sites for visitors.The Gunung Palung Orangutan Program operates guided walks (you have to supply your own food) from Sukadana to a basic forest camp, which is an uphill hike of at least 90 minutes through humid, slippery, spectacular rainforest. The wooden house has no mattresses, sheets or pillows (as at June 2008), so pack accordingly.

PASIR PANJANG BEACH

About 17KM from Singkawang. Pasir Panjang beach has long been a popular recreation place, overlooking the sea, lies, and some small islands in the surrounding areas, among others Lemukutan island, the island Kabung and Randayan Island. Small boats and speed boat can be hired here to go to these islands.As a place of recreation, tourism has been equipped with various facilities and support in the vicinity of the beach has many hotels, cottages, shops, discotheque, and other facilities available for tourists. This place is suitable for those who like sports pool, fishing, diving and water skiing or surfing. Conditions have been signed in asphalt road and can be passed by four-wheel vehicles. Transportation to and from Pasir Panjang common form of vehicle, taxi, minibus and private vehicles. Paving stones and white sand stretching along with blowing wind and waves deburan a safe area as bathing, Pasir Panjang atmosphere will feel at the time of sunrise and drowned in the firmament.

Accompanied with Iron Mountain and trees add more charm and uniqueness of this tour. Facilities are complete and you can feel comfortable while on holiday or travel to the beach is Pasir Panjang. Commercial lodging, the family swimming pool, a playground of children, stalls, food stalls and sports facilities such as motorcross, and road race . You can also directly to the fishing area of the sea.

LOKSADO

Loksado is at the South Hulu Sungai district whose capital is Kandangan. The town is about 3 hours by car from Banjarmasin. The road is good. However, from Kandangan to Loksado, the road goes as far as Halunuk, a small village. Then the trip continues by motor cycle which takes a single passenger over a narrow foot- path.
The natural surroundings of the hilly region provides attractive sights for those who en joy hiking and mountaineering. On the way, meet the local people with their original ways and cross the river over a suspended bridge.

Adventure River Rafting

The Amandit River which originates at Meratus runs through Loksado and meets the mighty Barito river further down. Visitors usually use the river to get back after visiting Loksado. Those who enjoy raining may venture the trip through numerous rocky rapids by traditional rains made of bamboo or by rubber boats. The river trip starts at Loksado, 45 kilometers from Kandangan. When a motorcycle trip is preferred, it takes about 4 hours. Those who en joy trekking through the forests of the hill, the trip takes 8-1 0 hours.
When a river trip is taken, start from Loksado to Batu Laki which is 56 km away. The trip can be made in two stretches. The first is from Loksado to Muara Hatip. The second is from Muara Hatip to Batu Laki. The first stretch is not very challenging because the rapids are not very strong and ranks as grade 1 to 2 1/2. In the second one, the level of difficulty increases, while the rapids are higher and stronger at grade 3, such as Hawangan and Kandihin at the mouth of the river Muara Haring. The panorama along the river is fascinating.

FLOATING MARKET

The floating market is about 20 minutes trip by public transport, the klotok taxi, or about 30 minutes by river transport known as Klotok taxi. The klotok start from the front of the governor office. The market is in Barito river that located in South of Kalimantan.  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 locol products to sell in the form of barter.
At present no more barter trading system; now money is used. The usual thing about the market that it takes place entirely in the river and it start as 05.00 in the morning and finishes at 09.00 in the morning. Seller and buyers come from different places crowding the market starting from midnight and finally end up at 09.00 the morning.

BARITO RIVER

Barito is one of rivers that located in South of Kalimantan and in this river there are two islands that can be used as tourism place. There are Kaget island and Kembang Island. In Kaget island we can see many Bekantan, monkey with big and long nose, red face and also has big stomach. We also can find many birds there.To get this place we can use motor boat from Banjarmasin and It needs 15 minutes.This place surely located on Tabunganen, Barito kuala, South of Kalimantan.

In Alala, Barito Kuala, South of Kalimantan you will find an island which is called Kembang Island. This island is located 2 km on the west of Banjarmasin and we can get there by using boat for 15 minutes. In this place we also can find Bekantan such what we can see in Kaget island. In this place there is a small forest that used by Tionghoa and people around the island to pilgrimage. Altar in White monkey stone form is used by people to pry in this island also become the object that can we see there. The unique habit in this island is done by Tionghoa people by redeem a goat which the horn is covered by gold. It is done when their pry is permitted. The This island is stated as forest tourism place in south of Kalimantan.

TENGGARONG

Tenggarong is 39 kilometers away from Samarinda. It is the capital of the Kutai regency, and is almost two centuries old. Up to 1960, the regency was know as the special District of Kutai. The remains of the Kutai Kertanegara Kingdom are found in this town. The old palace is now the State Museum of Mulawarman.The center of the Kutai Kingdom is presumed to have been in the vicinity of Muara Kaman. Due to fear of foreign incursions, it was moved upstream , to Jembayan village. The King acting on divine advice given to him in a dream, later again moved the Kingdom’s seat of power, to what is now the town of Tenggarong. It has a Museum of the Sultans history and is Building a Tourism Park at the Island “Kumala” which will become a sight show of East Kalimantans wealth in Culture and Nature. Each year on 24 September, the former palace becomes a stage of dance and music performances given to celebrate the town’s anniversary.