Central Kalimantan Indonesia

Central Kalimantan is a province in Indonesia which is located in the central island of Kalimantan. Its capital is Palangka Raya. The northern consists Muller Swachner mountain and hills, the southern is lowland and swamp. Bordered by three Indonesian Province of East Kalimantan, South and West and the Sea of Java. Humid tropical climate and crossed by the equator line.

Central Kalimantan is in the heart of the world. It is the lung of the world. It is the third largest province in Indonesia. Tropical rain forest covers about 94% of the land. The present tropical rain forest of Central Kalimantan is to be said as a biggest such kind of forest appearance in the Borneo Island.

Few and scattered population in small groups throughout the region. Dayak tribe in the Central Kalimantan Dayak tribe is Ngaju (dominant), other tribes who lived in the coastal area of the Tribe Banjar Malay. In addition, there are ethnic Javanese, Madurese, Bugis and others.

Dayak community is very high respect and uphold the customs in daily life, as an example is the Marriage Ceremony, Guest Receiving Ceremony, customary to honor those who died, especially for the Dayak people who still embrace Hindu Kaharingan religion.

Kaharingan is the native trust of Central Kalimantan, there are only in the Kalimantan region, so in order to be recognized as a religion then combined in the Hindu religion. The Hindu Kaharingan religion spread in the area of Central Kalimantan, and there are many in the upper river, among other upstream Kahayan river, Katingan river and other rivers.

Central Kalimantan is also popular with the rich cultural ‘Betang House’ a big house which is inhabited at the same time several families from generation to generation, in which a very close kinship to be the dominant element of the culture for this.

Have a variety of art music and musical instrument one intrumen music Kecapi or Kacapi shaped like a paddle with 2 and 3 string, made of lightweight wood material (wood Jalutung or Hanjalutung) and pitched minor, normal Kacapi used to accompany vocal art, one of them as art vocal pantun called Karungut art and dance Manganjan, also commonly used by people Kaharingan as a tool in the music-ritual ceremonies. Kacapi normal game called Mangacaping and more dynamic in the game.

There are many interesting tourism objects in Central Kalimantan. Long and big rivers are worth sailing. Natural Preserve of Tanjung Puting in Kumai (West Kotawaringin District) is an attractive place to visit for common and scientific tourism, because it has various panoramas with the miscellaneous of flora and fauna. Tanjung Puting is also a research centre of several animal species such as orang hutan (great ape), bekantan, kelasi etc. Next to Tanjung Puting, we can see Kubu Beach and Tanjung Keluang Beach which are good places for swimming, water skiing, fishing and very suitable for sailing.

Palangka Raya has a natural park and rocky hills Bukit Rawi are a sacred place where local people store the bones of deceased ancestors. Traditional Dayak’s longhouses are in the Tumbang Kurik and Tumbang Malahoi. Travelling through the rapid Mangkikit will be one of the unforgettable adventures. Palace of Kotawaringin Sultanate located in Pangkalan Bun, is still resided by royal family.

Peat land adventure is a new tourism attraction in Central Kalimantan. This is a type of tourism in a nature. Site of the object is in the remnant of the Thousand Hectare Peat Land project in Kuala Kapuas. The place provides natural tourism and research centre. A Dayak Rail is developing partially to 25 km. The rail will not harm the environment. It is also will be used for controlling peat land and swamp areas based on the conservation purposes.