Banjarmasin - river explorations

Banjarmasin and Banjar Baru, side by side, are centres for the Province of South Kalimantan. Named the Venice of Kalimantan, Banjarmasin is built over the 2 deltas of the Barito and Matapura Rivers. A network of more than 60 canals criss cross the city, and are highways for river traffic and also give the venue for small farmers to sell their produce.

The floating market on the Barito in the early morning jostles with women dressed in their colourful sarongs and headscarves, carrying loads of garden produce, rattan baskets and sweet hot cake making. As the swft river pushes us all down river, intense bargaining is carried on among the gossiping, bartering and paddling.

Kalimantan means 'river of diamonds', and gems which are washed from the mountainous hinterland and lodged under the wide delta plains are mined at Matapura, a short distance from Banjarmasin.

Travelling further into the hinterland, a little known and vast marshy area is home to buffalo herders who keep their animals in stalls above the wet seasaon marshes. Daily, the buffaloes swim off to graze among the maze of canals. At dusk, the herder calmly poles through the area, calling his animals home.

This is another world from the bustling river market, irridescent and timeless.

Orchid and jungle trekking eco tourism was on the agenda last night when Upik came to talk about his activities in a small community of the Barito Timur region of Central Kalimantan, adjacent to the Barito River. He is working for the regional government in a community which maintains an 'adat' forest, one that is traditionally managed and utilised. In effect, this gives the forest protection from development or logging or other activities that would destroy it.

The forest is some 60 square klms in size, and contains potential for forest walks, peaceful canoe rides through proboscis monkey habitat, and seeing the famous black orchid of Borneo in situ. The latter flowers in June and July, and this would be a perfect time to visit, between the rainy and dry, hot seasons.

We talked about planning a trip which included some time within the community to learn about what exactly the 'adat' forest is, and how they maintain and control its use. Staying first in a home stay, and then having 2 nights in a jungle camp, would give a real experience of this surviving traditional forest usage. The problems we have are simply getting there. The roads are very poor from Palangka Raya to this region, so we are looking at usage of float planes - an adventure in itself!