The discourse of moving the capital city of Indonesia from Jakarta to Palangka Raya has been widely heard again recently. Maybe you are wondering, what are the tourist destinations of Palangka Raya around it? Understandably, the nation's capital must not only develop, but also be lively in terms of tourism.
Make no mistake, the plan to move the capital city has been discussed by President Soekarno during his leadership. Palangka Raya, the capital city of Central Kalimantan province, is indeed worthy enough to be the center of state government. The area is wide and the people are multicultural. The surrounding Palangka Raya tourism is also quite diverse. Check out the list of must-visit tourist attractions below.
1. | Central Kalimantan-style Amazon adventure in Tanjung Puting National Park, Pangkalan Bun
Have you ever watched the movie Anaconda (1997) and was interested in walking along the river in the interior of the forest? No need to go all the way to Amazon, in Indonesia there is! Tour packages in Tanjung Puting National Park allow you to visit orangutan rehabilitation sites in Tanjung Harapan, Pondok Tanggui, Camp Pondok Ambung, and Camp Leakey; while exploring the Sekonyer River.
For 3 days 2 nights, you stay on a kelotok boat – a traditional Kalimantan boat – which has a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, dining area, and a viewing deck. The guide will share knowledge about the life of orangutans and their habitat in Tanjung Puting National Park. Along the way, you can see the proboscis monkey, a reddish-brown and long-colored monkey that has a distinctive big nose; and of course various other unique animal species.
At some point, you are allowed to go down and take a walk in the forest, then interact directly with the orangutans. Exploring experiences in areas without a cellphone signal will definitely make you appreciate nature more.
Location: Teluk Pulai, Kotawaringin Barat Regency Cost: Starting from 1,900,000 per person for a 3 day 2 night tour package (includes pick-up at Pangkalan Bun airport, meals and accommodation on board, and donations
2. | Along the Longest Bridge in Central Kalimantan: Kahayan Bridge, Palangka Raya
Exploring Palangka Raya can be started from the Kahayan Bridge which is about 14 km from Tjilik Riwut Airport. The bridge that spans the Kahayan River has a length of 640 meters and a width of 9 meters. Through this bridge, you can see the life of the indigenous people of Central Kalimantan who are still very dependent on the existence of the river.
After going back and forth to Kahayan Bridge, don't forget to stop by a tourist spot located right beside the bridge, namely Taman Pasuk Kameluh. This city park is one of the best places to wait for the sunset, of course with a view of the magnificent Kahayan Bridge.
In addition to having a luxurious mosque with a conical dome, in Taman Pasuk Kameluh there is also the Soekarno Monument. This monument is a sign that since 1957, Soekarno had considered Palangka Raya as an alternative capital city of Indonesia.
Location: Jl. S. Parman, Langkai, Pahandut, Palangka Raya City HTM: “Paying for parking
3. | Getting to know Dayak Culture at the Pasir Panjang Dayak Traditional House, Pangkalan Bun
Visiting Central Kalimantan is incomplete if you haven't seen the traditional houses of the Dayak people. Actually, there are still many 'Betang' traditional houses scattered in various areas, but in Pangkalan Bun there is a replica that was built and maintained to become a tourist spot. This house is also the center of traditional ceremonies, art events, and traditional dance performances that are often performed by the people of Pasir Panjang. Count, as well as introduce Dayak culture to tourists.
Rumah Betang is a stilt house large enough to accommodate up to six Dayak families. The philosophy of this house, so that there is a strong kinship between families. However, each family has its own rooms, even the kitchens between families are separate. The only access, namely the stairs at the front of the house, will be entered into the house at night. This is because, the Dayak people still believe in the existence of 'ngyau' or headless ghosts who often enter Betang's house when people are sleeping.
Location: Pasir Panjang Village, Pasir Panjang Main Street HTM: free (if no event
4. | Conquering Mount Usung, Murung Raya Regency
Other surrounding Palangka Raya tours are in Murung Raya Regency, or about two hours from Muara Teweh City. Although these cities may be less well-known to you, that doesn't mean the area is far from developed. Many gold and coal mines are centered in this area, so it deserves to be called an industrial city in Central Kalimantan. Not only the economy and education are stimulated, but also tourist attractions.
One of the tourist attractions in Murung Raya Regency is Mount Usung. Although the so-called Mount Usung is only a hill, climbing it is an adrenaline-challenging activity. Besides being steep, the terrain is quite heavy and filled with shrubs. But this does not reduce the public's interest to conquer it.
Young people love to spend weekends here, camping in the clearing at the foot of the hill. Midnight, then they went to the top to wait for the sun to rise. From the top of Mount Usung, you can see the Barito River stretching for 900 km, and the villages around the hill. The view is stunning!
Location: Muara Sumpoi, Murung, Murung Raya Regency
5. | Finding a Hidden Gem in Tosah Waterfall, Murung Raya Regency
The natural characteristics of Murung Raya Regency are dominated by mountains and hills as well as upstream rivers, which causes the air to be quite cool. If you move away from Puruk Cahu (district center), you will find various beautiful waterfalls that have not been touched by many people, such as Diggie 2 Waterfall, Epat Lime, Babuat, Puruk Kawuk, Lopus 2, and many more. The terrain is indeed a bit difficult to reach, so you have to be curious about the local community.
Well, when you arrive at Murung Raya, at least you have to stop at Tosah Waterfall. The distance is quite close from the city center, so it is quite popular among the public. Under this 15 meter high waterfall there is a natural pool with terraces. On Saturday-Sunday or holidays, Tosah Waterfall will be visited by hundreds of visitors.
Location: Muara Jaan, Murung, Murung Raya Regency Entrance Ticket Price: 10,000 IDR per person
6. | Evidence of Central Kalimantan Community Harmony in Tangkiling Hill, Palangka Raya
Palangka Raya is a city where religious adherents live side by side in harmony. You can prove it at Tangkiling Hill, a tourist destination located between Palangka Raya City and Kasongan (the capital of Katingan Regency). On this 500 meter high hill, there is a hermitage monastery (Bukit Doa) of Carmel as well as the buildings of the Hindu Kaharingan Temple and the Sali Paseban Temple. The three are close together, giving the impression of peace and comfort for the pilgrims.
For those of you who are not interested in religious tourism, no problem. Tangkiling Hill offers views of the expanse of green hills. The right place for trekking and also refresh your mind.
Location: Bukit Batu District, Palangka Raya City
7. | Weekend Nature Tour at Lake Tahai and Nyaru Menteng, Palangka Raya
Part of the Palangka Raya area is peat lake land, and you can take a walk in the peat forest of Lake Tahai. What is unique about Lake Tahai is that the water is red in color, caused by the roots of peat trees. Around the lake there are wooden bridges and floating houses called 'lanting houses'.
After walking around Tahai Lake, you can head to the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Hatchery which is only one kilometer away. Here, you can get acquainted with orangutans who are being trained to return to their natural habitat. Please note, this breeding place is only open on Sundays or national holidays.
Location: Tumbang Tahai, Bukit Batu, Palangka Raya City Entrance Fee: 5,000 IDR to Tahai Lake; Free to Nyaru Menteng (Please Donate for Orangutan Captivity or Buy Merchandise
8. | Exotic Bogam Bay Beach, West Kotawaringin
Teluk Bogam Village is a coastal village located in Kumai District, West Kotawaringin (Kobar) Regency. The uniqueness of Teluk Bogam Beach lies in the stretch of white sand in the middle of the sea, which is called Gosong Baras Basah. The tourists need to take a kelotok boat from the beach to reach this place.
Some distance off the coast, there is a seagrass meadow which is a dugong area foraging for food. In the past, many dugongs were hunted by fishermen in Bogam Bay. However, currently public awareness is high so that the seagrass is actually bred for dugong food. To be able to see the dugong requires a struggle, but try asking the fishermen. Who knows, you might be lucky to capture the activities of this cute creature in the waters of Bogam Bay.
Location: Kumai, Kotawaringin Barat Regency Entrance Fee: 5,000-10,000 IDR depending on the day; 10,000 IDR per person for kelotok boat ride
9. | Exciting Nature Exploration Activities at Jurung Tiga Nature Park, Pangkalan Bun
One of the entertainments for the people of Pangkalan Bun and its surroundings is the Pasir Panjang Village Forest. In collaboration with local villagers, recently a private agency managed the forest to become a tourist attraction for the Jurung Tiga Nature Park. The manager built this place with various facilities such as camping grounds, tree houses, and trekking trails. The manager also provides bicycles and ATVs for visitors to get around.
Jurung Tiga Nature Park was only opened late last year, but is already crowded with visitors. Some take advantage of Instagrammable platforms for pre-wedding photo sessions. In the future, the manager hopes that this destination can become an educational tour for environmental conservation.
Location: Batu Belaman, Kumai, Kotawaringin Barat Regency Entrance Ticket Price: 10,000 IDR per person (not including other facilities such as bicycles, ATVs, and so on
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