August 2013INSIDE - 30 pages (max 6000 words)

East KalimantanOutstanding Borneo Adventure

Text: Rini Sucahyo, Photos: Doc. TAMASYA, The BOS Foundation, Berau Regency Government

A land of swirling mega rivers in the shadow of lush canopy, home of the orangutans, monkeys, gigantic snakes and crocodiles. I must admit that Borneo no longer fits my original imagination of majestic rainforest. But majestic it still is. Let’s start in the east.

Over the past two years, I have developed a close relationship with East Borneo, or East Kalimantan as the Indonesians like to call it. In addition to my work in travel journalism, I have also contributed a little bit of my expertise in communications to a local NGO, the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS Foundation). With them I have traveled to some of the remotest corners of East Kalimantan, witnessing many greatness but also experiencing many heartbreaks. This is my honest attempt to shed a little light on East Kalimantan not only in the hope that many of you readers will want to visit but also so that you will visit it with a deeper understanding and in a brand new attitude.

Borneo’s Commercial CenterThe sun was fierce when I landed in Balikpapan, the commercial center of Borneo on the eastern coast of the island and a region rich with natural resources such as timber, coal and petroleum. Forest was nowhere to be seen. Instead, I was welcomed by the all-too-familiar air of an ultra modern metropolitan and its concrete jungle.

Balikpapan is very well developed. The seaport city serves as headquarters for many international timber, palm oil, petroleum and mining companies as well as their related supporting industries. It has towering office buildings, great malls, restaurants, and an international airport connecting all major cities in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. It is just like Jakarta in a somewhat smaller scale. I was a bit discouraged. At that time, a visit to East Kalimantan seemed like a bad idea.

Other than stopping at a supermarket for a quick groceries shopping, I did not have to linger too long in Balikpapan, thank goodness. I was back in the BOS Foundation’s car that took me in an-hour northward inland ride through the city outskirt, passing several coalmines and humble suburbs, to a small town of Samboja.

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BOX 1:

Hotels in Balikpapan

Aston Balikpapan Hotel & ResidenceGrand Sudirman BalikpapanJalan Jendral Sudirman 7Ph: +62-542-733999www.astonbalikpapan.com

Hakaya Plaza HotelJalan Marsma IswahyudiSepinggan International AirportPh: +62-542-7578888www.hakayaplazahotel

Le Grandeur BalikpapanJalan Jendral SudirmanPh: +62-542-420155www.legrandeurhotels.com

Novotel BalikpapanJalan Brigjen Ery Suparjan 2Ph: +62-542-820820www.accorhotels.com

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A Forest in the CityThe asphalt road was smooth and quite large. I was getting sleepy and nearly dozed off. But the driver suddenly made a left turn. I almost missed the big wooden sign at the entrance that reads “Yayasan Penyelamatan Orangutan Borneo” – the Indonesian name for the BOS Foundation. “We’re here,” said Eman, the driver. “Welcome to Samboja Lestari.” Just as sudden, the city disappeared. The air felt cooler and a lot fresher. Only an hour or around 38 kilometers from the madness of Balikpapan, I was in a forest!

But a story that followed about how this little forest came to be was even more amazing than finding its existence. Over two decades ago in 1991, working together with the local forestry office the BOS Foundation established its first orangutan reintroduction program in Samboja. It was then called Wanariset. Their main activities were to rescue orangutans dislocated from their forest home due to various human distractions to their habitat and rehabilitate them in the attempt to reintroduce them back into the forest once they were ready.

All too quickly, the limited space of Wanariset got filled up with orphaned orangutans. They needed a bigger place. So they started to acquire little pieces of lands from various

owners, hectare by hectare, until finally they had in total around 1,700 hectares. But this land was desolate and severely damaged and had nothing on it but wild grass and reeds. Fortunately for these iconic orangutans, sympathy and much-needed support also came quickly from many organizations and individuals around the globe. They started planting the land with endemic trees, especially the ones that would provide natural food for the orangutans. By 2006, a small and very young forest began to flourish and Wanariset was relocated to this new piece of land and renamed “Samboja Lestari”.

Today, the once barren and infertile land has transformed into a healthy beautiful forest and a sanctuary for around 230 orangutans in rehabilitation as well as 50 sun bears with the support of hundreds of highly devoted staff and experts in primatology, biodiversity, ecology, forest rehabilitation, agroforestry, community empowerment, communication, education and orangutan healthcare. I felt so small and at the same time was proud to be one of them, contributing what I could to this worthy cause.

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BOX 2:

The Orangutans Need You!

There are many ways to get involved with orangutan conservation and reintroduction efforts. Your generosity – big or small – goes a long way in ensuring the future survival for orangutans and their habitat. Keep the future safe now and for generations to come.

For more information on how you can help, contact:The Borneo Orangutan Survival FoundationJalan Papandayan 10, Bogor 16151, West JavaPh: +62-251-8314468, 8314469www.orangutan.or.id

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A Home in the ForestWhile an orangutan rehabilitation center should not be mistakenly viewed as a breeding ground, or a zoo, Samboja Lestari does open its doors to some of its facilities for public as I was about to find out during my short stay at the Samboja Lodge. Samboja Lodge is a venture of the BOS Foundation. Here, for the first time, visitors are able to gain first hand knowledge on what is required to rebuild a forest and protect its wildlife, especially the Bornean orangutans.

Uniquely designed based on local architecture, all interior and exterior walls are made of recycled materials. The cosmetic touches are traditional Kalimantan handicrafts and are produced by both local and Dayak communities around the area. Surrounded by

lush forest of indigenous tree species, flowers and fruiting trees, each room has its own patio or balcony in which to enjoy the forest. A glass door can fold open allowing guests to choose between having a barrier to nature or being completely open to it. Best of all, comfort is not neglected nor compromised. I simply loved it here!

Although most of my visit was mainly filled with work, I had the privilege to experience what a typical planned visitor activity would consist of. The day began at 7.30 AM sharp. The guide, provided by Samboja Lodge, led me on a two-kilometer Nature Trail through this remarkable regenerating forest of Samboja Lestari. Armed with my camera, there were many wildlife encounters – birds, lizards, insects, and even quick sightings of deer and mouse deer. The guide told me that no one knows where these animals came from, considering that the land used to be bare and empty. But as the trees started to grow, rebuilding a complete forest ecosystem, one by one animals strangely returned. He also said that there have even been sightings of wild boars and large pythons!

The Orangutan IslandsNext, we visited the Orangutan Islands. Just a few minutes walk from Samboja Lodge, these islands were man-made and intended for orangutans that cannot be released due to handicaps or other factors preventing their safe return to their natural forest habitat. At certain times every day, workers bring over all kinds of fruits, vegetables and leafy branches to feed them. And I arrived on time to witness it!

Although there is a strict “No Contact for Visitors” regulation, upon request guests can work with the BOS Foundation’s staff to help in making new behavioral enrichment devices for the orangutans, preparing their food and even taking observational data. The islands also erode quickly and are constantly in need of repair. Visitors are welcome to help out with that, too. Simply contact the Front Desk of Samboja Lodge for more information and assistance.

Visiting Winnie the PoohLater that afternoon, the Sun Bear Sanctuary was another highlight of my visit. This honey-eating bear with a bright yellow or orange crescent-shaped patch on its breasts is unique of tropical forests throughout Southeast Asia and its population has declined dramatically due to deforestation. While trying to stay true to its orangutan conservation cause, the BOS Foundation soon realized that these bears were just as victimized as the orangutans and something had to done about it. So they started a sun bear compound at Samboja Lestari that now has become known as one of the world’s largest sun bear projects.

It was like meeting Winnie the Pooh. Their fur is jet-black, short and sleek with two whirls on the shoulders. They were busy eating melons, papayas and other fruits, and constantly searching the woods for honey. Some were socializing, rolling around in grassy ground or cooling off in provided ponds. When they stood up, the golden patch on their breast was especially visible like a big sun around their necks; hence the name

sun bear. I felt like a six year-old observing them excitedly from the provided platform, grinning from ear to ear. They were so adorable! Just like at the Orangutan Islands, visitors here can also help out in the many daily activities such as creating behavior enrichment devices, food preparation and feeding.

There are many other fun yet educational activities offered by Samboja Lodge, including tree planting, composting and several optional tour packages such as a boat ride along the Black River, a visit to the protected forest of Wain River, and a canopy walk at the forest park of Bangkirai Hill. They also offer attractive meeting packages. All this in just an hour from Balikpapan! East Kalimantan wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

I had a great time at Samboja Lestari and Samboja Lodge. My only critique was that the guide appeared too shy and reluctant to say much. I had to persuade him a bit with a lot of questions in order to get him to open up and tell tales about the many things we saw. Perhaps a professional tour guide training would do him good.

Samboja LodgeJalan Balikpapan Handil Km. 44Samboja, Kutai KartanegaraEast Kalimantan 75273Ph: +62-82151333733, +62-85754088872Email: sambojalodge@orangutan.or.id

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BOX 3:

Samboja Lodge 2013 Pricelist*

Standard RoomComfortable room with two big single beds, AC, cold water shower only.Single occupancy: Rp1,140,000 per person per nightShared: Rp855,000 per person per night

Queen Suite RoomSuite with a double bed and a sitting area, AC, hot and cold water shower.Single occupancy: Rp1,330,000 per person per nightShared: Rp1,045,000 per person per night

King Suite RoomLarge VIP suite with a four-poster bed and panoramic view of Samboja Lestari, AC, bathtub, hot and cold water shower.Single occupancy: Rp1,805,000 per person per nightShared: Rp1,520,000 per person per night

All prices include three meals a day (B, L, D), a welcome drink, tea and coffee, tour programs to Orangutan Islands, Sun Bear Sanctuary and other sites of interests at Samboja Lestari, and a personal guide.

All prices are subject to 10% government tax and 5% service tax. Airport transfer can be arranged at Rp350,000 (per car for 4 people) each way.

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Heartbreaks Along the WaySince then I have traveled to other places in East Kalimantan doing various work for the BOS Foundation, including the Foundation’s extremely remote but incredibly untouched and pristine primary rainforest, the Kehje Sewen Forest. Unfortunately, I can’t say much about this magnificent forest because it is, for now, only dedicated for the purpose of releasing both rescued and rehabilitated orangutans and consequently is not yet open for public. The company established by the Foundation to manage the concession, PT. Restorasi Habitat Orangutan Indonesia, does have a plan for ecotourism but it is still in a distant future. I, for one, am eagerly waiting for that to realize.

However, on the many trips to Kehje Sewen, I came face to face with the harsh reality of deforestation. Each trip usually takes at least two whole days one way with an overnight stay in a tiny sub-regional town of Muara Wahau. Almost half of the way, for hours at a time in some parts, I was presented not with a view of the grand forests of Borneo but with thousands of hectares of oil palm plantations. And every time, no matter how many times I have gone through that route, my heart breaks over and over again.

It was a wake up call, a hard slap on the face, forcing me to take a long look at my own lifestyle. Am I also an actor of deforestation? What have I greedily required so bad as a human that has demolished the lives of so many innocent creatures, destroyed so much fertility, and devastated so much natural wealth? Palm oil plantations provide jobs; that is undisputed. Social schemes offered by these plantations look responsible and very seductive, even touching. But in reality most of these schemes do not benefit the people at all but rather give birth to new conflicts. Communities have to constantly deal with land ownership conflicts, cultural clashes, significant deficit of good quality freshwater, natural disasters such as landslides, draught and floods, and various serious health risks. Weak legal protection further aggravates the situation.

Needless to say I have made drastic adjustment to my lifestyle since then, which I won’t go into details. However, the experience has also made me even more determined than ever to contribute what I can to the preservation of rainforests and travel as much as possible to record the last remaining natural and cultural treasures of East Kalimantan, starting in the province’s only national park, the Kutai National Park.

Pristine Ironwood Forest

With the promise of exotic wildlife and superb rainforest, the Kutai National Park does offer a different world. Covering 198,629 hectares, this vast lowland forest is dominated by mixed species of tropical dipterocarpaceae, ironwood and mangroves. In fact, it is known as the largest relatively pristine ironwood forest in Indonesia. It also functions as one of the last remaining natural habitats for the endangered Bornean orangutans as well as other wildlife including hornbills, proboscis monkeys, gibbons, antelopes, sun bears, deer and crocodiles.

The Park Authority does not offer tourism packages so I had to look for a private travel operator that provides a jungle trekking package into the park. Luckily, several operators do exist in Balikpapan and Samarinda.

One of the most well known part of Kutai National Park is best accessed through the city of Bontang, around four hours from Samarinda, the capital city of East Kalimantan. The entrance can be reached in an hour by car from Bontang on the main road to Sangatta. This part of the Park is called the Sangkima Forest that features gigantic primary forest trees aged hundreds of years including the famous giant – the biggest ironwood tree in the world – that has aged more than 1,000 years old with a diameter of 2.47 meters.

I got down to business and started trekking through the thick forest on the 800-meter boardwalk and on the canopy bridge. I also visited the Prevab (or Kamp Kakap), which can be reached from Papa Charlie Crossing in East Kutai or from Bajo Village in Sangatta. It is an orangutan research center that has studied wild orangutans in the Park for more than 25 years. Spotting them, however, was not easy. Wild orangutans naturally avoid humans. Visitors are urged to spend two to three days in Prevab, trekking everyday and patiently waiting for their appearance. Only by sheer luck that I caught a glimpse of two orangutans eating fruits in the canopy. I’m floored, delightedly, by all of the Park’s wildlife scene and the unexpected encounters with the men of the jungle.

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BOX 4:

Borneo Adventures

Borneo Tour GuideJalan Siaga 28/58Balikpapan, East Kalimantanwww.borneotourguide.com

De’Gigant ToursJalan Martadinata Raudah 1/21Samarinda, East Kalimantanwww.borneotourgigant.com

OrangHutanTours.comwww.oranghutantours.com

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The City of ImmigrantsBack in Samarinda, I decided to explore more of the city. While it still has some traces of a ‘Third World’ slapdash structures and generic sprawl, it is a more topographically impressive city than it often mentioned, with a huge river running through it and peaks and ridges of hills all around it.

Samarinda was ‘born’ in early 1668 with the waves of migration of the Bugis-Bajo tribes from South Sulawesi. A couple of months before that, the Gowa Kingdom in South Sulawesi was defeated and taken over by the Dutch, an event marked by the signing of the “Bongaya Treaty” on November 18, 1667. But not all of the Bugis-Bajo communities surrendered to the rule of the Dutch. Some of the loyal followers of Sultan Hasanuddin, the king of Gowa, chose to escape to other islands in Indonesia such as Java, Sumatra and even Sabah and Selangor in Malaysia.

On January 21, 1668 some of these Bugis-Bajo tribes decided to anchor their boats on the eastern part of Kalimantan, which at that time was a territory of the Kutai Kingdom. They were welcomed by the king of Kutai and permitted to stay on one condition: they had to be ready to fight and help defend the kingdom against attacks from enemies. Once they expressed their willingness to meet this requirement, these immigrants were given a land to rebuild their lives in an area called Kampung Melantai.

But many of them did not like this area and preferred to in Muara Karang Semumus on the banks of the Mahakam River, one of the longest rivers in Indonesia. Surrounded by the mountains of Selili, the river waters in Muara Karang Semumus are often affected by vortexes or spinning underwater currents, which sometimes thwarted shipping activities along the river. But the area was great for fishing, trade and agriculture.

More importantly, the Bugis-Bajo people found their freedom and independent living in this new hometown. They built their houses at the same height, both the houses on the water as well as the ones on land, giving birth to the name ‘sama rendah’, which loosely means the same height. The name later became Samarinda as we know it today. Until now, January 21 is celebrated as the birthday of Samarinda.

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BOX 5:

Samarinda & Mulawarman University Botanical Garden

Only five kilometers from the city center on the main road connecting Samarinda and Bontang, this botanical garden boasts a small forest of agarwood, ironwood and meranti and a zoo with a collection of birds, fish, mammals and primates. The zoo’s residents include hornbills, sun bears, proboscis monkeys, orangutans, boars and anteaters. The garden is open every day from 8 AM to 4 PM, except on Fridays.

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Shopping for SarongSamarinda is mostly known for its sarong. The checkered sarong is typically dominated by five colors – blue, red, white, black and purple – and woven manually by local women using a traditional weaving equipment called ‘gedokan’. But as I sat and watched Zubaidah, a weaver in Baka Village, painstakingly weaved a piece of sarong, I was astounded to learn that the craftsmanship is not of Kalimantan’s origin. Again, it was the Bugis-Bajo people who brought and popularized this intricate artistry in Samarinda.

With time however, as the new settlers got more adapted to their new land and started to mix and mingle with various indigenous Dayak communities around the area, their sarong artistry also evolved. They began to use silk and gold threads, and incorporate emblematic Dayak patterns on the sarongs. Today, they also produce scarves and other items as well.

Zubaidah explained that a checkered sarong usually takes one to two days to make. But a Dayak-patterned sarong takes longer, around four to seven days per piece. The prices are relatively cheap, around Rp175,000 for a cotton checkered sarong and Rp350,000 for a Dayak sarong. The price is considerably more expensive for a silk sarong, starting at Rp1,000,000 depending on size and motives. As a big fan of time-honored fabrics, I of course spent quite a bit particularly on the Dayak sarongs and scarves because I personally think the motives are more mystical, ethnic and chic at the same time. A mistake that I realized a little too late as the place I visited the next day offered an even more mystical pieces of fabrics!

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BOX 6:

Hotels in Samarinda

Aston Samarinda Hotel & Convention CenterJalan Pangeran HidayatullahPh: +62-541-732600www.astonsamarinda.com

Bumi Senyiur HotelJalan Pangeran DiponegoroPh: +62-541-741443www.senyiurhotels.com

Mesra Business & Resort HotelJalan Pahlawan 1Ph: +62-541-732772www.hotelmesra.com

Swiss-Belhotel Borneo SamarindaJalan Mulawarman 6Ph: +62-541-200888www.swiss-belhotel.com

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The Last Stop of the Dayak KenyahThe following day, I met a friend from Jakarta who just returned to Samarinda from a caving expedition. Intrigued by her caving adventure and the amazing shots she had on her camera, I ended up venturing the city, accompanying her on a souvenir hunt while fishing for a caving story. The most popular place to shop for anything Borneo is actually in Balikpapan, at a place called Kebun Sayur. Kebun Sayur means vegetable garden and to this day I have no clue as to why it sells various mementos from Kalimantan instead of vegetables. Wouldn’t it be easier to shop at Kebun Sayur, I asked her, since she would have to go to Balikpapan anyway to catch a flight home to Jakarta. But this particular friend of mine is not into anything popular. “Kebun Sayur is too mainstream,” she said. “I’d rather shop at Pampang.”

Located 20 kilometers north of Samarinda, Pampang is a cultural village inhabited by mostly Dayak Kenyah tribe. These nomadic dwellers of the forest were forced to migrate when most of their forest was cleared between 1969 to 1973. I had another heartbreak learning that the victims of deforestation include humans, too. After a long journey from the Apo Kayan region in the north (now Bulungan Regency), Pampang was their last stop and they decided to settle there.

While many of the Dayak’s ancient wisdoms have washed away with time and with the disappearance of their ancestral forests, the residents of Pampang still strive to preserve most of their old ways, especially on Sundays and during certain events. Every Sunday, they go about their normal Sunday activities such as going to church, visiting families and friends, and hanging out, but in their traditional costumes. They also open the lamin – a traditional Dayak long house – for public where children and young people perform Dayak dances starting at 2 PM. These cultural attractions usually last for an hour but can be extended when there are a lot of visitors.

My friend, however, stayed to true to her course and immediately looked for souvenirs at the local shops. The variety was simply astonishing but I had spent most of my money buying sarongs yesterday. I could only observed with envy as my friend bought beaded necklaces, an ornate purse, mandau – a Dayak machete, a traditional backpack called belayat, and delicate fabrics made of the wood fibers.

The fabric caught most of my attention. A form of artistry of the Dayak Banuaq tribe, it uses the fibers of a tree locally known as the Doyo tree. The fibers are crushed, twisted and transformed into strands of yarn and knitted into a beautiful piece of textile.

Nowadays the Doyo fibers are often mixed with pineapple fibers and other materials for a faster turnover. Nevertheless it was the most unique and most ‘Borneo’ item I had come across so far. Quickly recalculating my remaining travel funds, I finally bought a piece anyway. I had to.

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BOX 7:

Dayak Kenyah Dances

Nyelama SakaiPerformed to welcome honorary guests.

Pamong TawaiSymbolizing one heart, one word, and one goal of the Dayak Kenyah people.

AjaiPerformed by young men, it portrays the great preparation before a war.

TopengA mystical mask dance representing various characters of humans and spirits.

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BOX 8:

Photographing the Dayaks

Prepare extra funds to take snapshots of the Dayak people in Pampang! In addition to a small entrance fee, they also charge for every photograph you take of them, usually around Rp15,000 to Rp25,000. Don’t be too quick to judge their commercialism. After all that small ‘gift’ will help them preserve their truly amazing culture. Be generous.

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In the Gut of the KarstBack at the hotel, that night my friend finally told the tales of her caving adventures in details. It was quite an extraordinary journey, one that needs true adventurer blood to take on as these multifaceted caves are East Kalimantan’s best kept secret. Deep in the gut of remote forested karst mountains almost at the easternmost tip of Borneo, it took her three days to reach the Sangkulirang Caves, with one night stay at a sleepy village of Pangadan, around seven hours from Samarinda by car, and another overnight at a tiny deer hunter’s hut in a dense forest after a 31-kilometer journey on foot from Pangadan.

She then had to endure another long walk the next day before finally reaching a shady and comfortable plain at the mouth of Ambulabung Cave. Part of the Baay River flows through the cave’s mouth so getting wet was inevitable. Luckily, there was a provided bamboo raft to put all of the team’s dry bags in, making it easier to move and thrust through the water until they reached a large hollow chamber of more than 1,000 m2.

The ground was sandy and the sky was clearly visible, indicating that the chamber provides another direct entrance – a vertical one – into the cave. They also found many mysterious tunnels on the cave’s slippery walls leading to unknown places, making up an interlocked network of alleyways and indicating that Ambulabung Cave is not a single cave but a complex structure of interconnecting caves. In fact, one of tunnels that they traced eventually led them to another popular cave in the area, Embun Cave.

For the next few days, she and her team explored as many caves as possible, including Bejo, Kedulang, Kecabe, Mapala, Juned, Terusan Pendek and Liang Mato. “Juned Cave was especially striking,” she said. “It is a giant cave with a fossil stream running through it, an ankle-deep desert and huge flowstones adorning the ceilings. It was mesmerizing.” Sangkulirang is indeed a thrilling mystery waiting to be further exposed. Unknown to many, these intricate caves with priceless environmental value are simply sensational.

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BOX 9:

Sangkulirang By Land or Water

By land:Hire a car in Samarinda (with a driver and an experienced guide) and travel to Sangkulirang via Sangatta.

By water:

With an experienced guide, charter a boat in Samarinda and embark on a stunning 2-day river cruise to Sangkulirang.

For more information, contact:

East Kalimantan Tourism OfficeJalan Jendral Sudirman 22Samarinda, East KalimantanPh: +62-541-736850, 747241

Trans Borneo Adventure Tours & TravelJalan Jendral Sudirman 21Balikpapan, East KalimantanPh: +62-541-762671www.borneo-indonesia.com

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Visiting An Ancient CapitalUpriver on the Mahakam lies what was once the ancient capital of the Kutai Kartanegara Kingdom, Tenggarong. Today, Kutai Kartanegara is a thriving regency in East Kalimantan and Tenggarong still serves as its capital. Functioning as a mirror into the past, the Royal Palace of Kutai Kartanegara and the adjacent Museum Mulawarman store magnificent historical evidence of the two great empires that had ruled the area, Kutai Mertadipura and of course, Kutai Kartanegara. Kutai Mertadipura was the oldest Hindu Kingdom in Indonesia, led by King Mulawarman back in the 5th century. And Kutai Kartanegara is an Islamic kingdom that dated back from the 13th century.

I discovered many interesting collections at the museum including the sultan’s throne, antique silver ceremonial equipment stored in a crystal closet, jewelries and a rehal – an adjustable stand used by the kings of Kutai Kartanegara to read the Muslim’s holy book of Al Quran. Interestingly, the rehal is not made of wood like most that we find to today in the market. Instead, it is made of a mixture of Siberian and Bornean deer antlers.

The museum also displays various archeological artifacts, traditional weaving equipment used by the Dayak Banuaq, Dayak Kenyah and Dayak Punan to weave Doyo fibers into lovely fabrics, vintage ceramics, as well as a myriad of other antiquities. The museum is open every day, except on Fridays and Mondays.

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BOX 10:

Around Tenggarong

Kumala IslandThe island is accessible from the banks of the Mahakam River using cable cars. Another alternative is renting one of the dragon-shaped tourist boats usually parked in front of the museum. Enjoy lunch or dinner on the boat while touring around Kumala Island. The place is barren, dry and can get very hot during the day. Bring hats and sunglasses.

Erau FestivalTenggarong also holds an annual festival, Erau International Folklore and Art Festival. Usually celebrated in July, it is the best opportunity to get to know East Kalimantan’s exceptional cultures in one go. Contact the local Tourism Office for more details.

Tenggarong Tourism OfficeKutai Kartanegara Regent’s Office ComplexJalan Wolter Monginsidi 1, Building B, 3rd FloorTenggarong, East KalimantanPh: +62-541-661042, 661093

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Magical Cape IsuyAll of these experiences and stories got me stoked and keen to discover more. While it is impossible to explore this vast province in just one visit, on a subsequent visit I set aside some time to travel to an almost magical part of East Kalimantan. Accompanied by six hardcore globe-trotting friends, I skipped Samarinda and went straight to Kota Bangun, a small transit town around four hours from Samarinda. Here, we chartered a longboat and sailed upriver on the glorious Mahakam River.

Several freshwater dolphins escorted our boat in some parts of the river, providing a great entertainment on our long river journey. Monkeys and proboscis monkeys were also sometimes seen playing in the trees along the river. A couple of hours later, after passing a large, seemingly endless lake – Lake Senayang – we finally arrived in a serene floating village at Tanjung Isuy or Cape Isuy.

Cape Isuy is a settlement dominated by the Dayak Banuaq tribe. We came upon learning that a magical traditional healing ceremony was going to be performed that night. Much to our relief, an elderly who warmly welcomed us confirmed it. The elderly also helped us settled in a lamin where we would be spending the night. I of course used the rest of day shopping at the local handicraft shop, buying sahuk (a conical hat made of a type of blue wood fibers), some Doyo sarongs, a traditional blade or mandau, ketika (a Dayak calendar), a couple of bisung butat (woven bags) and a snup (carved wooden spoon).

The Dayak Banuaq believe that a disease is caused by a lack of balance between body and soul and can be stabilized by conducting the Belian Ceremony, a ritual to heal a sick

person. That blissfully balmy night, the entire tribal community were dressed in their traditional costumes. Twinkling stars were all around us. Hypnotizing music was played, sending spectators into a trance-like, whirling and dreamy state. A shaman delivered mantras for the recovery of the sick person. I stared at a pile of ancestral bones that had been dug from a nearby sacred graveyard several days earlier. Tonight the bones were carried to the lamin (yes, where we were staying!) for a further ceremonial service by the people. The ceremony was completed with a setinggih or an invitation to the spirits of their forefathers.

Naturally, I had troubles sleeping that night. But on the boat ride back to Kota Bangun the next day, I accidentally caught my reflection in the calm waters. When did I ever smile this widely?

Turtle Capital of Southeast AsiaI saved the best for last. In fact, I highly recommend that every trip to East Kalimantan should end here: the Derawan Archipelago. This compound of four major islands – Derawan, Sangalaki, Kakaban and Maratua – and a number of submerged atolls in the Celebes Sea has quickly become the icon of East Kalimantan’s tourism industry.

Aptly nicknamed the “Turtle Capital of Southeast Asia”, the Derawan Archipelago is a stunning marine paradise where hawksbill, leatherback and green turtles regularly swim ashore to lay their eggs. They are numerous, especially in the waters around Sangalaki and Maratua Islands. Due to its remote nature, most sites in the region can only be accessed on a liveaboard. But a luxurious resort has opened its doors in Maratua Island for the past several years, providing an easy and comfortable alternative for travelers. Maratua Paradise Resort (www.maratua.com) is surrounded by dozens of fantastic dive sites characterized by gentle drifts along plunging walls festooned with hard and soft corals and a multitude of marine lives.

Apart from the turtles, underwater residents in the archipelago include sharks, manta rays, barracudas, blue spotted eagle rays and many other pelagics. There are also plenty of sites for micro lovers looking for pygmy seahorse, nudibranch, porcelain crab and other wonderfully weird creatures.

The highlight for me, however, is the freshwater lake on Kakaban Island that harbors stingless jellyfish! It is one of only two places on earth with this rare type of non-stinging jellyfish. Following a short boardwalk, I was led by my guide straight to a large lake that takes up the bulk of the interior of the island. Diving here is not permitted due to the fragility of the jellyfish bodies. But snorkeling is allowed so I took this chance of a lifetime to swim amongst wonderful jellyfish, sometimes letting them rest on the palms of my hands. Do take great care when snorkeling in the lake as the jellyfish can easily be chopped to pieces by a careless flick of the fins.

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BOX 11:

Flying to Derawan

Travelers can now fly from Balikpapan to Tanjung Redeb, the capital of Berau Regency where the Derawan Archipelago is located. From Tanjung Redeb, hire a speedboat to Derawan Island, the main island in the archipelago, or arrange with a travel operator or with the Maratua Resort.

Soon there will also be an airport on Maratua Island. Construction is now underway and travelers can look forward to an even easier access to the fabulous archipelago.

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While It Lasts…I have heard semi-deranged ideas of making East Kalimantan like Venice – you know… traveling on the waters and stuff – but without the haunted Victorian buildings. But I have come to love East Kalimantan just the way it is, preferably with more restored forests in the future.

Taking a couple steps back to reassess reality however, as time is ticking away and sickening unsustainable development continues, do travel and set foot on East Borneo and enjoy its outstanding natural and cultural beauty, while it lasts…

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BOX 12:

A Little Taste of Heaven

Before returning to your hometown from Balikpapan, do remember to taste the huge and highly celebrated East Bornean crabs at Kepiting Kenari Restaurant. Located on the way to the airport, recommended dishes include black pepper crab and deep fried crab.

Kepiting Kenari RestaurantJalan Marsma Iswahyudi 5Balikpapan, East KalimantanPh: +62-542-764018

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BOX 13:

For Unfortunate Moments

Have these numbers ready for those unexpected unfortunate moments during your travel in East Kalimantan.

BALIKPAPAN

Hospital

Balikpapan BaruJalan MT Haryono Blok A-3A / 7-9Balikpapan BaruPh: +62-542-877330

Pertamina BalikpapanJalan Jendral Sudirman 1Ph: +62-542-421212

Restu IbuJalan A. Yani 6Ph: +62-542-734181

Siloam Hospital BalikpapanJalan MT Haryono 9 (Ring Road)Ph: +62-542-7206509

Pharmacy

Kimia FarmaJalan A. Yani 26Ph: +62-542-739032

PanaceaJalan MT HaryonoKomplek Mal Fantasi Blok AB 2Ph: +62-542-877898

SAMARINDA

Hospital

Bakti NugrahaJalan Basuki Rahmat 50Ph: +62-541-741363

H.A. Wahab SyahraniJalan Dr. Sutomo 1Ph: +62-541-738118

Pharmacy

Dua EmpatJalan Dr. Sutomo 34Ph: +62-541-738173

Kimia FarmaJalan Dr. Sutomo 36Ph: +62-541-741639