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Kalimantan

Borneo is surrounded by the South China Sea to the north and northwest, the Sulu Sea to the northeast, the Celebes Sea and the Makassar Strait to the east, and the Java Sea and Karimata Strait to the south.

The remaining Borneo rainforest is the only natural habitat for the endangered Bornean orangutan. It is also an important refuge for many endemic forest species, and the Asian Elephant, the Sumatran Rhinoceros and the Clouded Leopard.

Images courtesy of Indonesian Culture and Tourism

In the Directory

• Accommodation [1]
• Liveaboards [1]

Photos

Traditional handicraft

Kalimantan carving

Farming

Climate

Kalimantan has a tropical climate with the average daily minimum temperature of 23 degrees C and a maximum daily temperature of 31 degrees C. The area receives a high annual precipitation, which provides cool evenings after the heat of the days. There are a light rainy season from March through May, and a heavy one from November through January.

Underwater Recommendations

You can sail to Randayan Island by boat from Pasir Panjang Beach in Sambas Regency, about 128 km from Pontianak. The island’s beach has clear water that’s marvelous for diving.

Karimata Islands: The beach forest, rocky mountainous forest, and shores make an ecosystem of flora and fauna that spreads about 77,000 hectares. Species to watch for include duyung sea cow, turtle (Dermochelelys Coriace), tutong (Batagus Baska), and kura gading (Orilitia Borneensis).

In East Kalimantan about 45 km from the Berau river estuary out in the Makassar strait lie several reefs ideal for scuba diving. The dive sites are famous for the large gatherings of manta rays and a jellyfish lake. But in the reefs in the Berau archipelago also live a lot of very interesting critters, beautiful nudibranchs, hidden crabs and shrimps and unusual fish such as ghostpipefishes, scorpionfishes and more.