Highlights of Kalimantan

Kalimantan is the Indonesian name for Borneo, and almost three quarters of the island lies within Indonesian territory. The geography provides optimum conditions for rainforests and wildlife to flourish – a large landmass straddling the equator, with no volcanoes and location south of the typhoon belt. With only 12 million inhabitants in an area the size of France, and much of the interior being impenetrable, the infrastructure is basic. With a limited number of paved roads, the rivers become its highways, so for those with a restricted amount of time, the highlights are limited to the protected forests near the provincial airports of Pangkalan Bun, Balikpapan and Palangkaraya. There are a growing number of wildlife lodges and river cruises located in conservation areas that protect the islands abundant wildlife, which include the orangutans, gibbons, hornbills wild elephants and the elusive clouded leopard.