Borneo

Borneo

Borneo is the second largest Island in the world after Greenland. It is anchored halfway between Singapore and the island of Java, and its southern province of Kalimantan belongs to Indonesia, while the north is made up of Sabah and Serawak, both part of Malaysia. From the air, Borneo looks like a giant snake winding its way through a landscape frozen in time. Head hunting ( it is not practiced anymore), wild man, the use of blowpipes, haircuts, body decoration (tattooed), long ears, ritual and religious belief, all bear a striking resemblance to culture found on the opposite of the globe, yet nowhere else on earth. Borneo is now divided into five provinces, East, South, Center, West and North.

East Borneo

East Kalimantan (Indonesian: Kalimantan Timur), is a province of Indonesia. Its territory comprises the eastern portion of Borneo. It has a population of about 3.5 million, and its capital is Samarinda.
East Kalimantan has a total area of 129,066.64 square kilometres (49,832.91 sq mi) and is the second least densely populated province in Kalimantan. The majority of the region shares a maritime border to the east with West Sulawesi and North Sulawesi; its coastline faces the Makassar Strait and the Celebes Sea. Its former northernmost region is now North Kalimantan; to its south, East Kalimantan borders the South Kalimantan province. The province bordered Sabah before the split, but still borders Sarawak.
This province is the location of the oldest Hindu kingdom in Indonesia, Kutai, the existence of which is attested to by a stone manuscript, or Prasasti, which is now kept in the National Museum in Jakarta. The manuscript is written in the Pallava alphabet and the Sanskrit language. The replica of this manuscript can be seen in the Governor’s Office in Samarinda.
Until 2012, East Kalimantan was divided into ten regencies (kabupaten) and four cities (kota). On 22 October 2012, the Indonesian House of Representatives agreed to the creation of a new province out of the four most northerly of the Regencies in East Kalimantan, namely Malinau Regency, Nunukan Regency, Tana Tidung Regency and Bulungan Regency, together with one city, Tarakan. Accordingly, these were split off to form the new province of North Kalimantan on 25 October 2012, leaving the following regencies and cities to comprise the reduced East Kalimantan.

Balikpapan

As Kalimantan’s only cosmopolitan city, Balikpapan is almost worthy of being considered a destination unto itself. A long history of oil money and foreign workers has had a tremendous impact, bringing Western aesthetics to this Eastern port town. The city is clean and vibrant, with several enormous shopping areas and some decent beaches. High-end hotels with reasonable rates abound, and the nightlife surprises. The city sprawls in all directions, but most of the action takes place in the centre off Jl Sudirman, which comes alive at night. Overall the city makes a fine weekend break, and a great place to begin or end more adventurous travels. See how many sun bear motifs you can spot.

Samarinda

The very name oozes exoticism. And happily, you will find some of that here in this sprawling riverfront city, including the enormous mosque of the new Islamic Center, which stands like a sentinel at the gates of the mighty Sungai Mahakam (Mahakam River), a most impressive sight. But as with many fairy tales, there is a dark side to this story. Over half of Samarinda’s land has been opened for coal mining, resulting in numerous health and environmental effects, and causing hotels to advertise their ‘flood-free event halls.’ Meanwhile, a proliferation of monster malls has been gutting downtown, leaving some streets eerily vacant; take a taxi after dark.

Mahakam River

The second-largest river in Indonesia, the mighty Mahakam is a microcosm of Kalimantan. As you float upriver in search of the ‘Heart of Borneo’, you’ll pass countless barges hauling it downriver to sell to the highest bidder. You’ll see centuries-old villages just around the bend from coal mines and logging camps, and impossibly tall trees looming next to oil palm plantations. You’ll pass imposing government offices with flash SUVs parked out front on your way to haggle over the price of a hand-carved mandau (machete) with a man who’s barely keeping his family fed. This is Kalimantan in all of its conflicting, powerful, confusing and compelling beauty. And, there is no better way to see it than a trip up the Mahakam: a journey you’ll remember for a lifetime.

Kutai National Park

Kutai national is located in Sangata District. Sangata it itself is one of the regencies and cities in East Borneo (Kalimantan). Kutai National Park is one of the favorites destinations in East Borneo. It is where visitors can enjoy the primary jungle and sleep in the nature. Visitors can also witness the way of life of the jungle man (Orang Utan) in the wild.

Berau Regency

Berau Regency (Indonesian: Kabupaten Berau) is one of the six regencies in East Kalimantan province in Indonesia.[1] The capital is Tanjung Redeb. It has an area of 34,127.47 km² and a population of 179,444 at the 2010 Census.[2]
Berau was formerly the name of a local sultanate that existed during the Dutch colonial period. In the early 19th century, it was divided into two separate sultanates: Gunung Tabur and Sambaliung
Berau regency is well-known with its tourist objects, especially for the islands of Derawan, kakaban, Sangalaki, and now the most prospective one of Maratua.