Kalimantan is the Indonesian section of the island of Borneo. Borneo is earth’s third larges island, and Kalimantan occupies the majority of it. The dense jungle clinging to the precipitous mountain drop-offs make large expanses of Borneo impenetrable to all but the most experienced and prepared wilderness survivalists. Luckily other areas are more easily accessible and provide fascinating destinations for less weathered adventure tourists.
In the dark reaches Kalimantan dwell the once feared Dayak people, known for their now defunct pastime of collecting the dessicated heads of their slaughtered foes. Quaint as that tradition might sound, it has been discontinued and now remains but a fond memory of a more innocent time. These days the Dayaks are a downright gregarious folk, and river boating excursions to visit them in the communal longhouses of their jungle villages are popular amongst visitors to Kalimantan. Freshwater dolphins cavort in the Mahakam River, Kalimantan’s longest waterway. The jungles of Kalimantan are the domain of orangutans, orchids and rare birds. Kalimantan is the gemstone center of Indonesia. In Martapura one can haggle with road-side merchants for bargains on diamonds, topaz, sapphires and jade.
