Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
wooden craft come with captain, mate and cook, and serve as both home and viewing
platform. During the day you sit up top on an open deck, surveying the jungle with bin-
oculars in one hand and a drink in the other, as the boat chugs along its narrow channel.
Come twilight you moor on the edge of the jungle, listening to its primordial sounds as the
cook makes a fine dinner. Later you retire to your own mattress and mosquito net, with
stars twinkling overhead. Believe us when we say that you could get used to this life, par-
ticularly when its price is so reasonable. And that is why you won't be alone, especially in
July and August, when feeding stations get very crowded. But, apart from seeing other ra-
jahs passing by, this is still an authentic experience, as our own research trip confirmed,
when a rare clouded leopard swam right in front of the boat in broad daylight. More com-
mon sights include macaques, pot-bellied proboscis monkeys, darting kingfishers, majest-
ic hornbills and - if you're lucky - toothy gharials, a remarkable crocodile best seen at
low tide, and the reason why you should avoid swimming (a visitor was eaten at Camp
Leakey a decade ago).
Tanjung Puting is best visited during the dry season (May to September). The park's
200 varieties of wild orchid bloom mainly from January to March, but the abundance of
March fruit may lure orangutans away from feeding platforms. At any time, bring rain
protection and insect repellent. For an even more luxurious jungle cruise, consider the
Ra-
hai'i Pangun
(
Click here
)
in Palangka Raya.
Sights & Activities
The Sekonyer River is opposite the port of Kumai, where you meet your
klotok
. It is
largely muddy due to upstream mining operations, although it eventually forks into a more
natural, tea-coloured tributary that leads to Camp Leakey. The upriver journey contains
several noteworthy stops (listed here in order):
Tanjung Harapan
(Tanjung Harapan; feeding 3pm daily)
Feeding station with small interpretation
centre.
WILDLIFE
Sekonyer Village
A small village that arose around Tanjung Harapan but has since been relocated across the
river. There's a small shop and lodging.
VILLAGE
Pasalat
FOREST
