Orangutans, River Boats, and a War with Wasps in Indonesian Borneo
Three wild days and two buggy nights on an Indonesian Klotok
Hello from Antigua, Guatemala – we’re back where our travels first began in March 2023! Today, we're catching up with our 3-day/2-night adventure in Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo (Melbourne & Tasmania are on deck).
Getting from Malaysian to Indonesian Borneo wasn't straightforward – no direct flights meant a Jakarta pitstop. We’d planned for R&R, but Jakarta was a bit chaotic. Crossing streets was a stress- and sweat-inducing endeavor, so we Grab’d everywhere (SE Asian Uber). The food was insane, though; August, Indonesia's best restaurant, was a great culinary pause before flying to Pangkalan Bun, the gateway to Tanjung Puting National Park.
This whole orangutan boat trip idea came from Claire’s friend Yoshi, who popped over to the same part of Borneo during a nomadic stint in Bali a few years ago. We went with Orangutan Applause, and they were fantastic, seamlessly handling all logistics from airport pickup to a parting snack bag. We can’t recommend them enough, and you’ll soon see why…
Welcome Aboard the Klotok
The real adventure kicked off the moment we stepped onto our Klotok, a traditional Indonesian wooden riverboat. Getting onto the boat felt like a reality TV show, where contestants burst into a new house, and run around excitedly. We explored every inch of our floating home, from the rooftop viewing bench to the main deck where our mattress and dining table were already set up with a welcome breakfast.
Every Klotok trip is private, meaning a dedicated crew of four: Adin (our fantastic guide), a captain, his assistant, and a chef. These boats vary in size and can sleep up to 10 people — the main deck converts into a bedroom. Despite the luxury, the price of this whole experience wasn’t much more than a Holiday Inn would’ve cost back home.
Day 1: Meeting King Faldo
Almost immediately after settling in, we were off, cruising into Tanjung Puting National Park. Within minutes, we spotted our first wild orangutan – much quicker than in Malaysia and incredibly close!
Then our first stop, Camp Tanjung Harapan (a former rehab center, now a feeding station), brought an even bigger thrill: Faldo, a massive male orangutan, casually strolled right through the audience area on the ground, basically posing for photos. His size made us a tad nervous watching other tourists so close, but Faldo seemed unfazed. With about ten other orangutans there, we got a crash course in their social hierarchy, clearly ruled by a dominant "king."
We were immersed in the jungle for the rest of the afternoon on the Klotok. We saw a rainbow arching over the river and spotted over a dozen Proboscis monkeys (recently in the spotlight by Brr Brr Patapim for my fellow Italian Brainrot fans) with their big noses and hilarious honking calls.
As night fell, Adin led us on a night walk where we spotted vibrant Kingfishers, Pittas, and my new superpower: my headlamp perfectly reflected off spider eyes, revealing dozens in the dark. Back on board, our chef served another delicious candlelit dinner. Then, 11 hours of solid sleep under mosquito nets (after a very generous layer of bug spray), surrounded only by jungle sounds.
Day 2: The Even Bigger King Jacob at Camp Leakey
Our second day involved leisurely cruising, with naps, meals, and more monkey spotting (including adorable blue-tinted baby Proboscis monkeys and macaques). In the afternoon, we arrived at the legendary Camp Leakey, famous largely thanks to Dr. Biruté Galdikas, a Canadian primatologist who established it in 1971 as a pioneering center for orangutan research and conservation.
Adin warned us that the resident king orangutan, Jacob, was notoriously elusive. Naturally, no sooner had we found our viewing spots than Jacob himself made a spectacular entrance, swinging through the trees and even walking on the ground. He put Faldo's star power to shame with his sheer size and presence.
It was incredible to witness orangutan power dynamics again, from a mother teaching her child to grab food, to a sneaky gibbon named Bob coming by for a bite. We were captivated for almost two hours. By this point, we estimated we’d seen over 20 orangutans.
Feeling great after Camp Leakey, we settled in for dinner as dusk fell, only to find our ceiling swarming with an estimated 500,000+ bugs (I swear this isn’t an exaggeration and wish we had taken a pic during our panic). The ceiling looked like it was moving. Claire, understandably freaked out, hid on the roof. Even our crew, blaming our swampy parking spot, admitted they'd never seen anything like it.
In the dark, we pivoted to a new location — going on an eerie-but-cool cruise in pitch black. This forced relocation brought incredible rewards: the glowing eyes of our first and only crocodile sighting (they're nocturnal), more kingfishers hunting, and even a sleeping orangutan nestled in the trees – things rarely seen during the normal schedule. These amazing sightings almost made the bug nightmare worth it. Almost. We still could have done without that insect invasion, but it was worth it for the story.
Day 3: Farewell to Borneo
Our final morning involved more cruising and Proboscis monkey sightings. Before wrapping up, we participated in Orangutan Applause's tree-planting initiative, where guests plant native trees for the orangutans. I planted an Aru tree, Claire planted a Niato tree, and I managed to spot some lizards, making it a complete success.
Soon after, we were back at the dock where we started. But the jungle had one last surprise. While soaking in final views from the rooftop, Claire felt a sudden, sharp pain in her leg — a Bornean wasp sting. It started as a shooting pain, gradually lessening. Unfortunately, over the next few days, the sting site swelled to the size of a golf ball (I’m happy to report she's fully recovered now, though a tiny hole remains). It was no joke and solidified our feeling that 3D/2N was the right trip length.
Borneo Reflections
Our 3-day, 2-night Klotok trip was unforgettable; Adin confirmed it’s the most popular duration. A few final thoughts:
Different Tourist Origins: Even fewer Americans here compared to Sabah (Malaysian Borneo); Aden hadn't guided any in a year. Instead, lots of tourists from Spain, compared to mostly UK / Australian tourists in Sabah
US Support: Signs credited USAID/U.S. Dept. of Interior for foundational park support. This made us proud of past US conservation efforts, but also concerned, given that USAID no longer exists
Smooth Flying: We felt lucky that our flights on tiny local airlines (Nam Air, Batik Air – new for us!) to Pangkalan Bun were smooth, despite warnings online of frequent cancellations and delays
Overall, Kalimantan and the Klotok experience were truly once-in-a-lifetime. If you love animals, crave adventure, and can tolerate discomfort, we 1000% recommend it. The incredible wildlife, stunning nature, and the warmth of our guide and crew made every inconvenience (even Claire’s wasp sting) feel minor. It stands out as one of the wildest, most immersive travel experiences we’ve ever had.
