Tanjung Puting National Park
Tanjung Puting National Park located in the Kotawaringin Barat Regency, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. This place offers you the amazing Central Borneo through superlative natural beauty, diversity of species and habitats, as well as indigenous cultural attractions.
Nowadays, Tanjung Puting National Park is also called as the world’s capital of orangutans which has the biggest population of orangutan in the world.
Your journey will start from Pangkalan Bun City and then do river cruise using Kelotok (wooden house boat) from port Kumai heading to Camp Leakey which is the famous camp compare to any other camps on Tanjung Puting National Park area. You will enjoy the river cruise by seeing orangutans, proboscis monkey, and wild birds in the wild nature to discover truly rare moments you can’t find elsewhere.
Tanjung Keluang
Tanjung Keluang Beach also located in the Kotawaringin Barat Regency, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. This place is a home of a small conservation project by Indonesian Nature Conservancy Agency to preserve and release Green & Hawkbill Turtles.
In this area you can enjoy sunrise and sunset at the same spot, camping with your family, and doing water activities like riding banana boat, swimming, and fishing.
Just drive your car for 50 minutes from Pangkalan Bun City to Kubu Beach and continue with Kelotok or speed boat for 15 until 30 minutes directly to Tanjung Keluang Beach.
Arut River
Arut River is the artery of Pangkalan Bun City, located in the downtown. This is the first settlement for the people who came to Pangkalan Bun City. These people are the origin tribe we called Banjarnesse. They live in stilt house on the riverside.
Spending your afternoon by cruising Arut River to enjoy sunset and seeing local people activities who live in the riverside are worth activities to do. Try to stop over at the traditional market area for shopping local handicraft and taste the deliciousness of “Coto Manggala”, the authentic Banjarnesse soup made with Cassava, before going back to the hotel.
Istana Kuning
Istana Kuning is the second palace built by The 9th Prince of Kutaringin Kingdom in Central Kalimantan, Prince Immanudin. It is located at hilltop on Prince Antasari Street in downtown of Pangkalan Bun. Previously, there was Istana Al-Musari located in Kotawaringin Lama Area.
Kuning means yellow and this is the sacred color to people of Kotawaringin. This Historical Palace is one of the important relics that mark the development of Islamic Culture and Empire in Central Kalimantan.
You only need a 4 minute driving a car from Arsela Hotel Pangkalan Bun to visit the Istana Kuning. Arut River Cruise is best activity afterward, only 3 minutes walking downhill.
Rumah Betang
Rumah Betang or Longhouse is a Dayak traditional house. The house is built using the Ulin wood or the Ironwood. This wood is well known for its durability for over a hundred years. This house is located in Pasir Panjang Village, Pangkalan Bun City, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.
This house is built in high position from the ground, using iron wood pillars which is usually up to 5 meters height. In front of the house, there is a staircase to enter the house. This unique architecture was aimed to avoid the flood, wild animal attacks, and enemies in the ancient time.
Dayak Tribes are known to live together in a large group. The size of the Betang House can reach 10-30 meters wide and 30-150 long. This house can accommodate 5-7 families. Large groups living under the same roof is a symbol of unity and intimacy for its inhabitants.