Friday, February 27, 2009

Calm waters and lush jungle









After heavy rains, the waters of the Kahayan and Rungan Rivers had risen quickly to give our guests the opportunity to glide by canoes in the flooded forests and jungles near the rivers.

Occasional rain speckles the waters and can pound on the boat covers, and freshens the already green landscapes.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Sebangau River and WWF replanting program






We picked a great day to take a speedboat trip to the WWF-Indonesia's tree planting and forest rehabilitation site on the eastern edge of the Sebangau National Park. Perfect reflections in the river, and a clear day, made this half day spin from Palangkaraya a real treat.

Over the past 7 or so years, WWF-Indonesia have constructed an earth dam, closing a major canal opened previously by loggers. This has allowed the water table to raise, thus permitting the reforestation of dangerously dried out areas at the park boundaries.

A view from lookout tower shows the vast area now being re-forested, and a glimpse of the tall forest perhaps 10kms beyond. The first trees replanted, including resin tress, are now up to 4 meters in height, and up to 100,000 have been planted or are in nurseries waiting to go out!

Friday, February 20, 2009

Indonesian National Daily KOMPAS features cruising on the Rungan River




KOMPAS, Nusantara, 15 February 2009 - Exploring Kalimantan


Orangutans beside the Rungan River, a memory….


Some orangutans were sitting in the trees be
side the Rungan River, their eyes gazing at us curiously. Sitting there on the wooden vessel, we captured the ancient face of Kalimantan ...

The rivers used to be important transportation routes in Kalimantan's past, but now roads are being built and land transport is used. 9 days on the Trans-Kalimantan Road starting from Nunukan in East Kalimantan, and ending in Palangkaraya, we did not meet the great jungle of flora and fauna, the old face of Kalimantan, but saw only oil palm plantations.

When we arrived in Palangkaraya we decided to stop for a while to rest and enjoy the smell of the forest and witness the local people’s activities on the river. With a vessel called the Rahai’i Pangun Jungle River boat, which is 20x6 meter, we cruised on the river to Pulau Kaja where the BOSF release orangutans after the first stage of rehabilitation. They are moved to Pulau Kaja to begin their journey to becoming independent in the wild.

Besides the sight of these orangutans, tourists are treated to river banks covered in the green jungle of Central Kalimantan and to seeing the life of local people. In the Dayak Village named Sei Gohong, for instance, many boats arrive carrying rubber to be delivered to trucks and sold in Banjarmasin. In the Rungan River, water transportation is still used by many people. At sun down, we watched people fishing on the river banks, so we waved to them as a greeting.

KTD tour operator offers a 5 Day 4 Night Jungle River Cruise where the guests relax on the viewing decks, and overnight in comfortable cabins, with bathrooms and toilets. The guests are taken to other Dayak villages upriver to see the culture and the local livelihoods. The Rahai’i Pangun’s guests come from all over the world, from America, Australia, South Africa, England and the Netherlands as well as Indonesia. If the guests want a more adventurous water experience, they can hire canoes for Rp 150.000 to 250.000 for 2 to 4 hours.

The Partnership

Lorna Dowson-Collins and Gaye Thavisin have been operating the cruise on Rungan and Kahayan Rivers for 2 years. They believe that the river as a way of journeying has a spectacular future for eco-tourism where it is hoped to help the local people by giving the profit and to protect the forest and its animals from damage.

This dream of Lorna and Gaye is like an oasis in the environment, where the Indonesian government and the wealthy business men are converting the forest to palm oil trees plantations! Lorna and Gaye have to work hard to make their dreams come true because the rivers in Kalimantan are being degraded as gold mining activities pollute the river water.



Monday, February 16, 2009

Palangkaraya crafts

Visiting the Museum 'Balanga' and the handicraft market are must do's during your stay in Palangkaraya.
The Museum is a storehouse of fascinating Dayak artifacts, ranging from finely woven antique rotans and cloths, the threatening masks used to frighten away evil spirits, funeral 'totem pole' carvings, giant swords and blow pipes, objects used in birth and wedding ceremonies, and ancient bark garments and gemstone jewellry.
A trip to the handicraft markets is alive with the modern day versions : rattan hats, rainbow selections of gemstones, furled bamboo blinds and the wavy roots of a traditional medicine tree, good for the liver : so bitter that if you put a twig in your palm, you can taste the bitterness on the other side of your hand!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

A weekend cruise in January





Flying in from Jakarta for a weekend away from the big city, our guests enjoying a very relaxing break. From the comfort of the deck they enjoyed seeing orangutans and scenery perfectly reflected in the waters and lakes of the Rungan River.

Enjoying meals and snacks freshly cooked by the on board chef, and served on deck, their days gently unfolded. Interspersed by excursions from the boat to explore the flooded forests and lakes in small canoes, or to see the Dayak spirit houses, they stretched out on the sofas to catch upon reading or conversation.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Boardwalk faces in Palangkaraya


Recently a photographer spent an afternoon with a camera in downtown Palangkaraya, capturing an array of faces framed in the head scarf, with the long boardwalks over the flooded river flats stretching behind them. Capturing the colour and vibrancy of the scene, as well as the poignant and direct looks, to produce a series of timeless images.