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Dense jungles, steaming swamps, and primitive people that may
rise frightening images were often associated with this immense
island. However, Kalimantan today is not the God-forsaken outspot
it once was. The island is now popular for its vast reserves of
oil, natural gas, gold, diamond and even major producer of timber
and oil. Kalimantan (the name is derived from Malay word meaning
diamond river) has drawn a great deal of attention in recent years
since it’s responsible for a hefty chunck of Indonesia total foreign
exports.
Basically this island can be devided into two parts, East Kalimantan
and West Kalimantan. East Kalimantan are is dominated by forest,
for more than 27 million hectares or 80 percent of the area is
covered by forest. This is where the Black Orchid and many others
grow within the sheltered confines of nature reserves. There are
three different tribes inhabiting this area, Banjarnese and Kutainese
are mostly the coastal population, living in the town and cities.
Other is Dayaknese form the overwhelming majority of the population
of the hinterlands, live in long houses called “Umag Daru”.
This region is at present the most industrially advanced province
of the island, for it is a major producer of oil and timber. West
Kalimantan comprises an area of some 146,700 square kms consists
of lowplains which are swampy and more than 100 rivers which play
a vital role in communication and in the economy. A city in this
area called Pontianak lies exactly on the equator so it bears
the name as "The city of the Equator".
Ethnics living in this region are Dayaknese, Malays and Chinese.
Ethnics such as Malay, Javanese, Chinese and other groups whose
ancestors came to Kalimantan centuries ago were miners, traders,
fishermen or pirates. Despite of the progress, to a different
degree, it affects the people life throughout this country, you
will still find primitiveness in this island.
Much further up in the remote and wild hinterlands live some one
million or so member of more than 200 indigenous Bornean tribes
who live in small shifting villages practising slash and burn
agriculture who are known by outsiders as Dayaks. Explorers can
discover this remarkable tribes with their marvelous life-style,
their art & culture by joining Magnificent Mahakam River Tour.
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5 DAYS MAGNIFICENT MAHAKAM RIVER
TOUR
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