If you want to see orangutans in Borneo, one of the best places to do so is Tanjung Puting National Park in Kalimantan, Indonesia.
The Tanjung Puting jungle is home to hundreds of Borneo animal species, some of which are rare and endemic, and you can see all this while staying on a houseboat “Klotok” that winds along the Sekonyer River.
We spent 3 days and 2 nights on a cruise ship in Tanjung Puting and it was awesome. It’s not one of the inexpensiveest places in Indonesia, but the whole experience is really unique and special.
In this guide you will learn how to get to Tanjung Puting and see the orangutans, which boat tour company to use and everything you need to know before you go!
How to get to Tanjung Puting National Park
Tanjung Puting is located on the Island of Borneo, in the Indonesian province of Central Kalimantan, and if you look at it on a map, it is actually at the southern tip of the Island.
The nearest city and airport is Pangkalan Bun (PKN), and there are daily direct flights from Jakarta, Surabaya and Semarang. If you are coming from Bali to Tanjung Puting, you will have to change at one of these airports on the way to Pangkalan Bun. You can buy flights on Skyscanner.
Once you arrive in Pangkalan Bun, it is a 15-minute drive from Kumai Port and, depending on your arrival time, you can usually drive directly to the port and start your visit to Tanjung Puting National Park.
Most tour operators will pick you up for free in the city or at the airport, then take you to the port where your boat will be waiting for you. From here you can reach the entrance to the Sekonyer River and the national park in less than an hour by boat!
River boat ride: what to expect
Tanjung Puting is usually reached by boat via the Sekonyer River, and this is done with an all-inclusive cruise ship called “Klotok”, which usually has a crew of at least 4 people: a boat captain, a deckhand, a tourist guide and a chef.
The river moves very slowly, so you don’t have to worry about seasickness, Rapids, waves or anything like that during your trip to the park.
In addition to enjoying the magnificent view from the boat, you will make several stops to get off the boat and see animals in the jungle, which includes a short shallow hike.
Klotok boats can usually accommodate up to 8 people in total, with the guests staying on the upper level while the crew resides on the lower level.
Our boat had a fairly comfortable bed and a bathroom with a flush toilet and shower, although the facilities were pretty basic overall.
Think of it as Glamping. It’s not a luxury, but it’s quite comfortable.
Meals are served on the boat every day, and the food was excellent from our experience, including Tempeh, omelets, toast, pancakes, fish, chicken, rice, noodles, soup and all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Everything we ate was fresh and good.
Some Klotok boats have A/C, but most don’t, and it’s not really necessary. You may feel hot and sweaty during the day, but at night the temperatures drop and it’s easy to cool off with a cold shower before bed.
In the evening, the electricity is generated by a generator, so we were able to use the sockets from time to time to repower our phones and other electronic devices. However, it’s always a good idea to bring a big power bank.
The boats have good rain covers, so you don’t have to worry about getting wet either. We experienced a massive storm and downpour on our first night at the park, but everything in the boat stayed safe and dry.
