Pangkalan Bun

Welcome to Pangkalan Bun

Pangkalan Bun, situated along the Arut River in West Kalimantan, is a historic river town that serves as the entry point to one of the world’s most critical wildlife conservation areas. It is where urban development quickly fades into the deep, swampy peat forests of Borneo. The town itself features historic wooden stilt houses along the riverbanks, where traditional life revolves around the daily rise and fall of the tides.

Winding Rivers and Traditional Klotoks

The journey into the deep jungle starts on a Klotok—a traditional two-story wooden riverboat powered by a slow, chugging engine. Travelers live and sleep on the open upper deck, gently drifting down the quiet, tea-colored rivers of Tanjung Puting National Park. Floating under a canopy of ancient trees, you can listen to the chatter of proboscis monkeys, wild gibbons, and tropical hornbills feeding along the riverbank.

Babasal Kuliner & Tanjung Puting Eco-Fest

Pangkalan Bun hosts the annual Babasal Kuliner Festival, celebrating the unique, rich culinary heritage of the local Kutai and Dayak cultures. Food lovers can try exotic forest delicacies, including freshwater fish cooked inside hollow bamboo logs. Additionally, the Tanjung Puting Eco-Festival brings together conservationists, tourists, and local communities for wildlife marathon runs, reforestation tree-planting events, and Dayak ritual dances performed to thank the forest spirits for their protection.

Camp Leakey and Orangutan Preservation

The river channels lead deep into the forest to the legendary Camp Leakey, a historic research station established in 1971 to study and protect endangered wild orangutans. Visiting the forest feeding platforms allows travelers to see these highly intelligent, gentle red giants swing down from the high canopy. It is a profoundly moving experience that highlights the importance of protecting Borneo’s ancient forests.