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- Tanjung Puting National Park (Camp Leakey klotok cruises) — The classic Borneo wildlife encounter: slow wooden riverboats (klotoks), swamp forest and habituated wild orangutans coming down to feeding platforms. It’s where conservation, research and real, up-close animal behaviour meet — far more personal than a zoo, and you’ll remember the smell of the river for days. (Personal favorite.)
- Derawan Archipelago (Derawan, Maratua, Sangalaki) — Transparent water, massive turtle nesting beaches, manta ray cleaning stations and easy wreck/reef diving. This is Borneo’s best marine scene: warm seas packed with megafauna and low-key island life that feels nothing like mainland tourist circuits.
- Mahakam River longhouse trails (East Kalimantan) — Longhouse culture along Indonesia’s big river: boat
- Tanjung Puting National Park (Camp Leakey klotok cruises) — The classic Borneo wildlife encounter: slow wooden riverboats (klotoks), swamp forest and habituated wild orangutans coming down to feeding platforms. It’s where conservation, research and real, up-close animal behaviour meet — far more personal than a zoo, and you’ll remember the smell of the river for days. (Personal favorite.)
- Derawan Archipelago (Derawan, Maratua, Sangalaki) — Transparent water, massive turtle nesting beaches, manta ray cleaning stations and easy wreck/reef diving. This is Borneo’s best marine scene: warm seas packed with megafauna and low-key island life that feels nothing like mainland tourist circuits.
- Mahakam River longhouse trails (East Kalimantan) — Longhouse culture along Indonesia’s big river: boat travel between Dayak communities, communal feasts, carved woodwork and simple village rhythms. It’s an immersive cultural trip — stay in a longhouse, swap stories with elders, watch children fish from bamboo rafts.
- Danau Sentarum National Park (West Kalimantan) — Hidden gem — A huge seasonal lake system that floods and empties with the rains, turning forests into islands. You’ll see fish migrations, stilt houses, and a way of life adapted to changing water levels. Quiet, otherworldly, and still mostly off the main tourist map.
- Gunung Palung National Park (Cabang Panti research area) — One of the most intact lowland rainforests in Borneo, with a solid chance of seeing wild proboscis monkeys, gibbons and orangutans plus jungle trails that feel genuinely primordial. The research station vibe gives extra depth if you’re into wildlife science.
- Loksado & the Meratus Mountains (South Kalimantan) — Bamboo-raft down narrow rivers, hike to isolated Dayak villages and camp in jungle terraces. Loksado is a compact taste of mountain-Borneo culture and scenery — great for short treks and people who prefer local homestays to polished lodges.
- Lok Baintan Floating Market (Banjarmasin) — Early-morning chaos on the river where traders sell fruit, grilled fish and spices from paddleboats. It’s tourist-accessible but still very authentic: great food, good photo angles and a real slice of riverine commerce that’s distinctly Kalimantan.
- Wehea Forest (East Kalimantan community-conserved forest) — Hidden gem — A community-led conservation area that’s quietly impressive: intact montane rainforest, hornbills, sun bears and small, expertly guided treks. It’s the kind of place where local guardians still know every trail and every tree’s story.
- Betung Kerihun / Kapuas Hulu border forests (West Kalimantan) — Remote, big-river landscapes and cross-border Dayak culture near the Malaysian frontier. You’ll find old-growth forest, traditional shifting gardens and villages that rarely appear on mainstream itineraries — great for real off-grid trekking and cultural exchange.
- Kayan Mentarang National Park & Kenyah longhouses (North/Interior Kalimantan) — Hidden gem — Massive, rugged parks with steep rivers and highland Kenyah and Kayan longhouse communities. The trails are tougher but the payback is deep: dramatic rainforest, ancient trade routes and one-of-a-kind longhouse hospitality that you won’t get elsewhere.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.