Birdwatching in the Mahakam (Kalimantan)

The Mahakam

Visitors can choose from several travel options: either join one of the many organized tours, which range from 2-day up to 3-week trips, or travel upriver independently by local transportation. Some stretches can be traveled by bus or car, but most of your time will be spent on one of the large boats that ply the river between Samarinda and Long Bangun. If you are in a hurry or want to visit remoter parts, it best to charter a motorized canoe (ketinting). Flying directly to the upper Mahakam above Long Bangun by small airplane is another option.

Key species

White-shouldered Ibis upriver of Long Iram; Storm’s Stork possible along the Ratah tributary. Lesser and Grey-headed Fish Eagles along the river. Wide variety of river and waterbirds.

Other wildlife

Proboscis Monkey, Irrawaddy Dolphin, Estuarine and False Gharial Crocodiles, Monitor Lizards, freshwater turtles and dolphins.

Getting there

By boat from Samarinda the most common way to travel inland is on ordinary passenger boats leaving from the ferry landing (Pelabuhan Ferry) past the bridge, on the outskirts of town. Speedboats for 4-6 passengers can be chartered from the Sapulidi Company. All the boats heading upriver stop at Tenggarong, but many also stop at many other places beforehand, stretching the 45 km journey to Tenggarong leave from the Pasar Pagi dock (2-3 hrs, 50 cent) and you can get there even faster on chartered speedboat, good for 4-6 passengers (1 hr each way, $50 round trip).

Samarinda to Long Bagun takes 3 days and 2 nights in good conditions. Going upriver, boats spend a night at Data Bilang to avoid running into logs or sandbanks in the dark. $12. from Long Bagun to the Upper Mahakam past the rapids by chartered Longboat: $750, or share one as far as Tiong Bu’u or Long Apari: $40. tiong Bu’u back to Long Bagun $15-20.

If you want to go past the rapids, you need to come back by light plane. Try to get a seat on a MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) plane.

By bus to Kota Bangun: every 30 min from Jl Untung Surapati terminal 2.5 hrs/$1.50.

By car from Melak to Tering (1hr); $2.50.

By air DAS flies on Tuesday and Thursdays to Datah Dawai, above the rapids; $29, max 5 passengers, flights are regularly cancelled because of the poor condition of the Datah Dawai airstrip.

taken from Birding Indonesia. Periplus Publishing. Singapore

Birdwatching in Tanjung Puting Reserve

Tanjung Putting Reserve

Tanjung Putting reserve in Central Kalimantan province covers 3,040 sq km of low-lying terrain characterized by blackwater rivers that flow into the Java Sea. The river mouths are bordered with nipa palm and mangrove swamps. In the remote centre of the reserve are “bird lakes”, where thousands of herons and cormorants nest. There are seasonally in undated peat swamp forests, and heath forest on the drier ground. Most visitors come to see the orphaned Orang-utans at Camp Leakey, where there is a 200-m boardwalk and an extensive trail system. Over 220 species of bird have been recorded, including several species of hornbill and pheasant. The park is best explored by boat from the coastal town of Kumai.

Key species

Excellent range of rainforest and wetland species including; Storm’s Stork, Blyth’s Hawk-eagle, Leuser and grey-headed Fish-eagles, Bulwer’s Pheasant, Bay Owl, 7 species of hornbill, 10 species of woodpecker, Blue-headed Pitta, Black-and-white Bulbul and Rufous-tailed Shama.

Other wildlife

Forty species of mammal including Western Tarsier, Proboscis Monkey, Agile Gibbon and Clouded Leopard.

Getting there

All inclusive tours can be organized through Indonesia Expeditions, Jakarta. A visit to the park starts at Pangkalanbun. There are daily flights from Jakarta, Pontianak, and Banjarmasin. Taxis can be chartered from the airport to the coastal town of Kumai ($20). Alternatively, take a colt from the market in nearby Sungai Arot to Kumai (IDR 5,000, 30 min). Pelni ships from Semarang and Surabaya call at Kumai every 2 weeks.

General information

A surat jalan for the park is required from the police office in Pangkalanbun (you will need a photocopy of the photo-page of your passport and visa stamp). This must be handed to the PHPA office on Jl Idris (the coast road) in Kumai to get a park entrance permit. The PHPA office is open 8.00 am to 2.00 pm except Friday (8.00-11.00 am) and Saturday (8.00-12.00 am). Closed Sunday. The paperwork sometimes takes an hour. Local hotels will arrange the permit for a nominal charge. Entrance fee to the park is IDR 2,500 and there is a $1-2 boat toll.

The PHPA office can arrange excursions; PHPA guide rate is IDR 25,000 per day. There are also numerous travel agents in Kumai.

Rivers provide the major travel routes into the park. The most economical means is to take the daily public water taxi from Kumai upstream to Aspai (IDR 15,000). Most visitors charter a longboat or kelotok. Hire charges are $35-40 per day.

source Birding Indonesia. Periplus Publishing. Singapore