Backpacking Kalimantan Independently

A trip to the Malaysian side of Borneo in June, sparked an interest for this island of human and cultural diversity. Not long after, I was entering the Indonesian side of the island, Kalimantan. Arriving Pontianak with an aim of backpacking the island in its entirety, I soon discovered that travel here is quite different from that of other destinations in South East Asia(SEA)

What to expect from Kalimantan

Kalimantan is not a typical destination for the backpackers roaming the region. Perhaps for good reasons. The infrastructure having simplified travel in more traditional SEA destinations is yet to be developed here, and, as far as catering to English speaking travelers’ needs go, the industry has improvements to do. With the exception of some official and tour agencies’ websites, information is hard to come by. Add to that a people struggling with said language, with sights few and far between as well as of things to do, poor road conditions, pollution and a scarcity of online accommodations, it becomes clear why it’s not a hot backpacker destination.

They have something to make it worthwhile, though. They have people. Utterly great people who will take you on unforgettable adventures.

As such, the island lends itself as a staging point for adventure travel and getting off the beaten path. A desire for novel experiences, to connect with people, their culture and place in the world ought to be primary reasons for coming here. Kalimantan is also a looking glass into the environmental destruction the world is facing in its quest for resources and profits.

The island’s greatest asset is its friendly and hospitable people who unlike the Malaysian counterpart have not yet had much exposure to foreign travelers. As such Kalimantan serves as a place for meeting people of different backgrounds, some eager to learn about your world and teach you about theirs. Great place for cultural exchanges, in other words.

How to backpack Kalimantan

A lesser traveled destination, backpacking this island required some adaptations in how I’d usually done my travels in the region. While hostels are commonly the norm for backpackers in the region, this is less often an option for Kalimantan. Hotels serving mostly a domestic business and tourist audience are widely available, but not ideal for a backpackers wanting to socialize. Thus, one needs to become flexible. In my case, flexible meant turning to Couchsurfing.

Having tried them both during my Kalimantan stay, the best experiences comes from interacting with the locals. For the uninitiated, the prospect of staying with Couchsurfers could be a daunting one. In hindsight, however, the prospect of having backpacked Kalimantan without their aid would be even more so. True, it is exhausting to immerse oneself to a different culture, but, if easy is your goal you wouldn’t be coming here.

An active and energetic Couchsurfing scene exists in Kalimantan, ready to take you in and show you what they’re about.