Tanjung
Puting National Park is a national park in Indonesia located in
the southeast part of West Kotawaringin Regency in the Indonesian
province of Central Kalimantan (Central Borneo). The nearest
main town is the capital of the Regency, Pangkalan Bun. The Pangkalan Bun City
is the main gateway to get the Tanjung Puting National Park.
Tanjung
Puting sits on a peninsula that juts out into the Java Sea. The peninsula is
low lying and swampy with a spine of dry ground which rises a few feet above
the omnipresent swamp. The north of Tanjung Puting is characterized by gentle
hills and gold-bearing alluvial plains. In the past maps of the region commonly
portrayed a ridge of mountains coming down into Tanjung Puting. This
mountainous ridge does not exist; in fact, nowhere does the altitude rise above
100-200 feet in Tanjung Puting.
Tanjung
Puting National Park (TPNP) is famous for its Orang Utan ( Pongo pygmaeus)
conservation, Certainly, the world's
largest Orang Utan conservation. The population of Orang Utan is estimated at
30,000 to 40,000 Orang Utans are scattered in national parks and also outside
the national park.
Tanjung
Puting National Park is the first location in Indonesia as an Orang Utan
rehabilitation center. There are three locations for the rehabilitation of
Orang Utans in Tanjung Harapan, Pondok Tanggui, and Camp Leakey.
Tanjung
Puting National Park are also a place of
endemic and endangered species protected in the Tanjung Puting National Park
such as Orang Utan (Pongo Satyrus),
proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus), red leaf Langur (Presbytis rubicunda
rubida), bear (Helarctos malayanus euryspilus), deer (Tragulus klossi
javanicus), clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), and cats (Prionailurus
borneoensis bengalensis).
Tanjung
Puting National Park is covered by a complex mosaic of diverse lowland
habitats. It contains 3,040 km2 (or 1,174 square miles) of low lying swampy
terrain punctuated by blackwater rivers which flow into the Java Sea. At the
mouth of these rivers and along the sea coast are found nipa/mangrove swamps.
Mangroves teem with animal life. Tanjung Puting also includes tall dry ground
tropical rain forest, primarily tropical heath forest, with a canopy of 30
meters (approximately 100 feet) with “emergents” exceeding 50 meters
(approximately 165 ft) in height, seasonally inundated peat swamp forest with
peat in layers two or more meters (approximately 7 feet) deep, open depression
lakes formed by fire, and open areas of abandoned dry rice fields now covered
with elephant grass and ferns. The tropical heath forest which is called
“kerangas” in parts of Borneo, is only found on very poor, typically
white-sandy soils and is characterized by medium-sized trees.
Even
The
International Ecotourism Business Forum
to 9 in September of 2013 was held in West Kotawaringin. The event was
attended by 14 international travel agencies and 19 national tourist agency.
How to get
there
Tanjung
Puting National Park is located in District Kumai, West Kotawaringin the
capital of Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan. To get to Pangkalan Bun there are
a number of ways;
- For those who start from the city of Banjarmasin (South Kalimantan) can ride the bus to Palangkaraya and then to Pangkalan Bun
- Also there are a Pelni ship directly to Kumai port from Surabaya and Semarang, usually go 2 times a week, to make sure the schedule can directly contact Pelni.
- You can also take a flight to the Iskandar Airport at Pangkalan Bun from Jakarta or other main Indonesian cities. Now there are Trigana Air and Kalstar flight served toward Pangkalan Bun City.
- From Kumai to Pangkalan Bun you can ride taxi ride (about Rp. 160,000), or ride motor rental (IDR 25000-40000) and public transportation (Rp 5,000).
- The trip down the Tanjung Puting National Park should use the boat (called kelotok by people in Kalimantan) for a few days. You will live there on klotok, and there you shower, eat and sleep and everything was done above your board. You will get an amazing experience during this trip to the Tanjung Puting National Park.
The important
thinks you should know:
- You could also hire speedboad from Kumai for saving time. And better start in early morning.
- Do not forget to buy tickets at the National Park office in Kumai before entering, there will be an additional charge for camera, boat parking etc
- Entrance to Tanjung Puting National Park is start at Kumai River then into the Sekoyer River and Lakey River with black watery, and be careful of crocodile.
- Travelers who wants to try jungle track have to be accompanied by a travel guide.
- There are three camp is usually used to see Orang Utan at the feeding hours, at Camp Tanjung Harapan, Pondok Tanggi and Camp Lakey.
- Feeding Hours at Camp Tanjung HArapan at 14.00, at Camp Pondok Tanggi at 9:00 and at Camp Lakey 14.00.
- Discuss which your guide traveler first before continue your journey.
- Do not forget to bring mosquito repellent
Hotels
There are some nise hotels in Pangkalan Bun, Such
as:
- Swiss-Beli Hotel Pangkalan Bun Jl. Ahmad Yani KM.02, Pangkalan Bun, Kalimantan Tengah, 74113 Pangkalanbun
- Grand Kecubung Hotel Jalan Domba No. 1, 74111 Pangkalanbun.
- Hotel Tiara Jl.Pangeran Antasari no. 16, 74115 Pangkalanbun
- Hotel Bahagia Jl. Pangeran Antasari No.100, 74115 Pangkalanbun
- Hotel Mahkota Jalan Pangeran Antasari no 303, 74114 Pangkalanbun