Tanjung Puting National Park

The Tanjung Puting National Park is a conservation area that protects a large variety of plants, animals and their associated ecosystems. The Park has several ecosystem types such as lowland tropical rain forest, dryland forest, freshwater swamp forest, mangrove forest, coastal forest, and secondary forest. It is the largest and the only protected area in South East Asia that provide breeding grounds for a wide population of waterfowl.

The Tanjung Puting National Park was established primarily for the protection of the Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus). The orangutan of Kalimantan has dark reddish fur and no tail. As they get older, the adult males cheeks flesh out, resembling cushions. The older they get, the bigger these cheek flanges grow, giving them a fierce look. When this area become a national park, Tanjung Harapan moved to the other side of the Sekonyer River (across the original area). The original width of the park was 3,000.4 km². In its new location, it increased to 4,150.4 km².

Tanjung Puting occupies most of the peninsula between Teluk Kumai and the Seruyan River. The peninsula is low lying and swampy with a spine of dry ground which rises a few feet above the omnipresent swamp and consists of varied habitats. The Park is drained by several black water rivers that flow from the northern and eastern regions 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 40 meters with emergents exceeding 50 meters in height, seasonally inundated peat swamp forest with peat in layers two meters 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.

Tanjung Puting National Park is divided into four areas, each highlighting a different set of natural resources.
First, Camp Leakey. Camp Leakey area is devoted to the research and rehabilitation of adult orangutans. It is suitable for witnessing pre-wild or wild orangutan rehabilitation. Other species that can be seen in this area include the Owa-owa, White-head eagle, Sesep Madu bird, and – the bird of paradise - rhinoceros hornbill bird (Enggang and Rangkong).
Second, Tanjung Harapan. Tanjung Harapan area was developed for ecotourism, and hosts the information center, guest house, watch tower and camping ground. By traveling along the edge of the river, visitor can see the nipah formation, screw pine and bog forest. Hiking and bird watching are so attractive here.
Third, Pantai Sungai Cabang. Pantai Sungai Cabang area is located alongside a white sand beach. The working and maintenance huts are located here, along with guest houses, an information center, shelter, watch tower, camp ground, dock and various other tourist activities.
Fourth, Pondok Tanggui. Pondok Tanggui area is home to pre-wild and adolescent orangutans. It hosts various kinds of animals like deer, pig, the rangkong bird, Raja Udang bird and Sesep Madu bird. During journeys from Tanjung Harapan to Pondok Tanggui, one passes through the habitats of the bekantan monkey and the estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus dan Tomistoma schlegelli).

The types of plants that can be found in Tanjung Putting National Park is ulin (Eusideroxylon zwageri), jelutung (Dyera costulata), meranti (Shorea sp.), ramin (Gonystylus bancanus), gaharu, kayu lanan, keruing (Dipterocarpus sp), tengkawang (Dracomentelas sp.), Pandanus, Castonopsis, Dacrydium, Imperata cylindrica, Lithocarpus, Schiima, Hopea, Melaleuca, Dyospyros, Beckia, Licuala, Vatica, Tetramerista, Palaquium, Campnosperma, Casuarina, Ganoa, Mesua, Dactylocladus, Astonia, Durio, Eugenia, Calophyllum, Crinum sp., Sonneratia, Rhizophora, Barringtonia, Nipah (Nypa fruticans), Podocarpus, and Scaevola. While the bottom layer to plant forests consist of the types of rotan and anakan trees.

In addition to various species of reptile and bird that is unique, Tanjung Putting National Park is inhabited by various species of mammals. Among them is the best known species that makes the National Park best known, orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), bekantan (Nasalis larvatus) - a large monkey which is found only in Borneo, long tail macaque (Macaca fascicularis), maroon leaf monkey (presbistis rubicunda), Agile gibbon (Hylobates agilis), grey gibbon (Hylobates mulleri), and Malayan sun bear (Helarctus malayanus). The types of large mammals such as kijang sambar, deer (Muntiacus muntjak), kancil (Tragulus javanicus), and wild lige (Sus barbatus) can be found in this area. In fact, several species of mammals such as water cow (Dugong dugong) and dolphins (the locals call it as Pesut) seen in the waters around the Park area.

Furthermore, the living fauna can be found in the Park is fortune-bringing and highly endangered dragon fish known as the Arwana (bony-tongue).

Location of Destination
Tanjung Puting National Park is geographically located between 2°35’–3°20’ LS dan 111°50’-112°15’ BT.
The Park is located in Kotawaringin Region, Province of Central Kalimantan, Borneo Island, Republic of Indonesia

Route to Get Destination
By plane to Sukarno-Hatta Airport (Jakarta). Then by regular domestic flight about 40 minutes from Sukarno-Hatta Airport (Jakarta) to Ahmad Yani Airport (Semarang, Central Java). Then by domestic flight about 1 hour from Ahmad Yani Airport (Semarang) to Iskandar Airport (Pangkalanbun, Central Kalimantan), or by ship approximately 20 hours from Semarang to Pangkalanbun.
Then by car from Pangkalanbun to Kumai approximately 3 hours. Then by motor boat from Kumai to Tanjung Harapan approximately 1 hour, from Kumai to Camp Leakey approximately 2 hours.

Best Time to Visit
April to November

Accommodation for Traveller
There are saveral good hotel in Pangkalan Bun and many of them over inexpensive price if you want spend a night at Pangkalan Bun.