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Fascinating
Hinterland of
Borneo
Destination
: Bahau River East Kalimantan, Indonesia
Main Interest & Things to do
:
Dayak Culture and Jungle Trek
recommended visit time is 3 or 4 days
Dayak Bahau, and Dayak Kenyah Culture are still intact,Rainforest and
traditional farming can be found along the Bahau River
Jungle Trek can be done between villages
Culture : Dayak Bahau,
and Dayak Kenyah
Flora & Fauna :
Rainforest & excotic tropical wild
life
Starting Point
: Balikpapan or Tarakan
Transport Possibilities :
by Public Bus from Balikpapan to
Samarinda, cruise up Mahakam River by public ferry, chartered
motorcanoe or chartered houseboat to the Bahau River, from here
chartered long boats or motor canoes have to be used to surround in the
area of Bahau River.
Estimated travel time to reach Bahau
River is 3 to 4 days from entry point Balikpapan.
Ending Point : Balikpapan
or Tarakan
Distance to enry point
: 600
Km to from Balikpapan
Airport
Duration : Short Get
Through Visit 6 to 8 Days
Overnights : Local
Houses
Grade :
Usual
KALIMANTAN
BAHAU
RIVER AREA INFORMATION
Tanjung Redep, Tanjung Selor and Tarakan
Tanjung Redep, the capital of the Berau regency. It was an important
port during World War II. In the 14th century, the old Berau kingdom
was divided into two parts, separated by the Berau river. In 1960, both
Kingdom Sambaliung and Gunung Tabur, were abolished by the government.
Nowadays, the Sambaliung palace is a museum. Built of ulin wood in 1820
with walls of teakwood, it can be reached from Tanjung Redep by boat
over the river. Parts of the Gunung Tabur Palace were damaged during
World War II.
The town has a population of about 50,000, and is reachable from
Samarinda or Balikpapan. There are motorboats from Tanjung Redep to
Tarakan, a distance of 55 kilometers. The place can also be reached
over sea from Tarakan, in nine hours.
Tanjung Selor is the capital of the Bulungan regency and a relatively
busy town. Transportation to Tarakan Island is smooth and available
daily.
Tanjung Palas can be reached by small canoe. And old cannon, dating
from 1503, is found here. Its origin is not know. Many small lodgings
are available.
The Kerayan mountains, are located in the Bulungan regency, in the Long
Bawan area, Kerayan district.
The salt content of the river water here is sufficiently high to
produce salt for the people's household needs. The curious thing is
that Karayan lies on a plateau 2,700 meters above sea level, far into
the hinterland of Kalimantan. The Kerayan region is relatively fertile,
and agricultural products such as rice are exported from this region to
Tarakan, Tanjung Selor, and Tanjung Redep.
Tarakan, on Tarakan Island, thrives from the oil mining industry. The
town is surrounded by hills. Some old oil installations, constructed by
the Dutch in 1901, can still be seen. The air is rather hot, although
somewhat tempered by sea breezes. Shops in the center of the town sell
goods from Tawau and Sandakan, Sabah, in East Malaysia.
The Island's coasts are lined with mangrove forest and swamps. In parts
facing the open sea, however,
the beaches have white sand and are very attractive. Tarakan can be
reached from Samarinda or Balikpapan by air. The airport is quite busy.
Connections are between other towns and cities such as Palu, Kuching
and others in the southen Philippines.
Sea connection to various areas are also smooth. Ships to Manado ,
Donggala, Ujungpandang, Samarinda, Balikpapan, Banjarmasin and Surabaya
are always available. A Trip to Sabah can be started from here via the
small town of Nunukan. During World War II, Tarakan was the scene of
fiery fighting between the Japanese and the Allies.
In the past, Tarakan was an uninhabited island under the authority of
the Sultan of Bulungan, who had his seat in Tanjung Palas. As the
Sultan liked kinsang, a kind of sea snail found among the corals around
Tarakan Island, fishermen and later others as well come to the island,
for sightseeing and eating parties.
The original inhabitants of Tarakan are known as the Tidung people, who
nowadays number about 10,000 and live mostly along the coast. In 1982,
Tarakan Island was a district of the Bulungan regency, inhabited by
70,000 people only. Nowadays, it as a population of more then 100,000.
Tarakan's proximity to Tawau makes it a busy and rapidly developing
transit town. Many foreign goods are sold here.
Nunukan, a small town on the island of the same name, is sometimes
referred to as Timber Town. Nunukan thrives on the timber trade. Money
changers are found all over the town. Many small hotels and restaurants
a available. Motor boats connect Tarakan with Nunukan every day. There
are also motorboats departing Nunukan for Tawu and Sabah every morning.
The distance between Nunukan and Tawau is 30 miles, and can be covered
in three hours by boat.
Several island are found along the East Kalimantan coast which make
attractive destination. Among them are Derawan, Samama , Sangalaki,
Maratua and Panjang. All those island can be reached from Tanjung
Redeb.
Derawan Island
Derawan Island has to total land surface of 40,000 hectares and is
nature reserve with beautiful scenery and beaches. Several species of
rare flora and fauna are preserved here, such as scaled turtles,
belimbing turtles and sea cows.
This Island is occupied by Bajau people. It's sea gardens are beautiful
. Its coastal forests are inhabited by sea birds, iguanas, and
swallows. There are caves inhabited by various kinds of crabs. The
waters around Derawan are good for swimming, fishing, scuba diving, and
other water sports.
Rabu-rabu Island is near Derawan, and is also called Snake Island.
There are also Tanjung Batu, Panjang, and Kakaban Island, the latter
with lakes.
Maratua Island
Maratua is beautiful Island with a small lake on it and a bay facing
the Sulawesi sea. There are four village : Teluk Harapan, Teluk Alulu,
Bohebelian, and Payung-payung. This area is very suitable for canoe
races, speedboat racing, water skiing, and scuba diving. Maratua Island
is also called as Sandalwood Island. It is reachable from Tanjung Redep
or Tarakan.
Samama Island belongs to the some group as that of Derawan Island.
Samama means "mother". It is a nature reserve for turtles.
Bunyu Island lies to the north, and in the past was believed to contain
gold. The Dutch came and opened a mine there, but they never found any
gold.
In Pembelian, 64 kilometers from Nunukan, on the Sebuko river, is an
original settlement of Dayaks.
Sebatik Island
Sebatik Island is separated from Nunukan Island by a narrow strait.
Sebatik Island is divided into two parts. The southern part belong to
Indonesia, and the northern to the Malaysian State of Sabah. The
inhabitants of this Island are mostly fishermen and unskilled
labourers. Some engage in trading along the border between Indonesia
and Malaysia. The island is inhabited by almost 15,000 people, who live
in two villages, Sungai Nyamuk and Sungai Pancang. The distance between
Sungai Pancang and Tawau can be covered within 15 minutes by motorboat.
Kayan River
The Kayan river with its tributaries stretches from the border area
between Indonesia and Malaysia along the Muller mountain range to its
estuary on the south coast of east Kalimantan. Tanjung Selor, at the
estuary of the Kayan river, is the capital of the Bulungan regency.
This river has a tributary called the Bahau river.
The
upstream region of the Kayan river, especially the plateau
(400-1,700 meters above sea level), is called Apo Kayan, inhabited by
Kenyah Dayaks, who live in the villages of Long Sungai Barang, Lindung
Payau, Long Uro, and Long Apung. The plateau is covered with forest and
dry fields. The Dayak settlements are found in areas 400 to 800 meters
above sea level.
Dayak
Kenyah along the Border
Generally,
the Kenyah live in umaks, or longhouses of sub-tribes. The
Kenyah are divided into several sub-tribes or umaks. The Tukung occupy
the furthest upstream village on the Kayan river, Long Sungai Barang.
The Tao live in Lindung Payau and Long Uro, and in Long Apung
village.
The
umak, or longhouse, has many compartments. Each is called
a lamin, used by one family. The length of a lamin is five meters. The
length of longhouse is between 100 and 300 meters. In the past, there
were longhouses 400 meters long. There are flights from the Long Apung
airstrip to Samarinda, a 75 minutes flying distance away. Nawang Baru
and the umak dado longhouse are not far from Long Nawang, about three
kilometres away. The original arts and culture of the Kenyah, and
rattan handicraft items, can still be found here. Besides beautiful
jungle and mountain scenery, the Apo Kayan region has a refreshingly
cool climate and spring.
Long
Bawan and Long Berini, in the upstream regions of the Bahau
river, a tributary of the Kayan river, can also by reached by plane
from Tarakan, or by motorboat from Tanjung Selor.
The
river journey up the Kayan river from Tanjung Selor is a rather
lengthy one, as it must go through the villages of Tanjung Palas, Long
Penjalin, Muara Hilir, Antutan, Mara, Long Beluah, Long Pesok and Long
Bia. Giram Raya is a big rapid near Long Pasok, with a length of 275
meters and a width of 55 meters, and gorge with whirlpools and granite
rocks. Boats must be carried over land, to avoid the rapid.
There
is a row of old graves in the shape of houses with statues
serving as pillars in Long Panjungan. The roofs are decorated with
wooden figure dragons. Sometimes dances are performed around the
village. The people wear masks during the rice planting.
This
area is unique for trekking as it has several villages connected
by trails that lead through mostly virgin forest. You can stay
overnight in the villages. The villages can only be reached by foot or
missionary aircraft. Trails between villages range from 2 hours to 2
days in length, so depending on the route you choose, camping in the
forest may be required. A few stretches can optionally be completed by
motorized canoe.
De'gigant
Tours™ With
the Kalimantan Responsible Tourism Principe, has a commitment to
Sustaining the Rainforest of Borneo's and indigenous Dayak culture,
funding rehabilitation projects for Orangutan, Fresh Water Dolphins,
and other wild life of Kalimantan. Save rivers clean water and
Environment, develop environmental awareness and educate locals,
conservation groups and indigenous communities to increase awareness
and encourage protection of the environment, wildlife and host cultures
for Conservation and Tourism. Each client who will do a reservation
with us will plant a tree for free, to help the re-forestation and
protect the earth from the global warnings.
Degigant Tours as a Kalimantan Tour Operator in Indonesia, is able to
serve your Golden Traveling Routes to the Deep Hinterland of Mystic
Borneo / Kalimantan Island, as Jungle treks, Dayak indigenous Culture,
Adventure trips in area's as the Apokayan, Kayan River, Mahakam River,
Barito River, Rungan River, Kahayan River, Katingan River, Kapuas
River, Mount Meratus,
Kutai Reserve, Kayan Mentarang Reserve, Tanjung Puting Reserve, Camp
Leakey, Orangutan tours, Tangkiling National Park, Gunung Palung
National Park, Danau Semantrum National Park, Kersik Luwai Reserve,
Diving at Derawan Islands, Longhouse Tours, Dayak Hunting Tours,
Mahakam Dolphin Tours, tours to Sabah, Sarawak etc,
etc.
Also Hotel bookings, Taxi / Car
rental service, Boat rental, Flight bookings and a lot more can be
arranged. Our goal is to make your experience at Borneo as memorable, personal
and
amazing as your wish! We will always be chasing this aim, to change our
programs in order to meet all of your tourists/business needs, but we
will never change our services! Should you have any questions or
further queries, please don't
hesitate to contact our professional and friendly staff for your
questions. We will give you the best quotation for the competition and
we assure you that the extraordinary variety of tours, friendly
service, attention to detail and excellent value you have come to know
and expect from Degigant Tours™, Travel
Service.
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