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Voykit pocket guide · Indonesia
Pangkalan Bun
One full day for the town, two nights if you add Tanjung Puting National Park: the park is the reason to come.
Pangkalan Bun is the gateway to Tanjung Puting National Park, home to one of the largest orangutan populations in Borneo. The town itself is a quiet riverside settlement with a handful of hotels and warungs. Most travellers arrive by air, sleep one or two nights, and spend a day or two on a klotok boat in the park.
- Country
- Indonesia
- Best months
- Apr–Oct (dry season)
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (heavy rain, some trails close)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- IDR
- Money
- Rupiah (Rp) in small notes for warungs, parking, offerings and drivers; large cards are common in tourist restaurants but not everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rp 150,000–300,000 excl. bed · Mid Rp 400,000–700,000 excl. bed · High Rp 1,000,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telkomsel, XL and Indosat sell tourist SIMs at airports; foreign phones must be IMEI-registered if staying over 90 days — check.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Ambulance 118 · Fire 113
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European round pins.
- Tipping
- Warung: Nothing.; Restaurants: Often 10% service + tax on the bill; nothing more needed.; Drivers and guides: Rp50,000–100,000 a day.; Spa: Rp20,000–50,000.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; refill stations common in Bali.
- Toilets
- Western in hotels and cafés; squat toilets with a water scoop elsewhere; paper in the bin.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Nasi goreng at a warung | Rp 15,000–25,000 |
| Bottle of water (600 ml) | Rp 5,000–10,000 |
| Ojek ride within town | Rp 10,000–20,000 |
| Taxi from airport to town centre | Rp 50,000–80,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PKN · Iskandar Airport
- Flights from Java and Kalimantan cities; about 15 min by taxi to the centre
Typical fares
- Airport → town centre, taxi
- Rp 50,000–80,000, about 15 min
- Town centre → Kumai harbour, taxi
- Rp 50,000–70,000, about 20 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Taxis and ojeks (motorcycle taxis) from the airport; within town, walking or ojek. For Tanjung Puting, arrange a klotok boat through a tour operator or hotel.
See and do
Known for
- Tanjung Puting National Park
- Orangutan watching
- Klotok boat trips
- Riverside atmosphere
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tanjung Puting National Park | Klotok boat from Kumai harbour (20 min taxi from Pangkalan Bun) | About 1 h from town centre to park entry |
| Palangka Raya | Bus or car, about 4–5 h | About 5 h |
Sleep
- Town centre (Jalan Pangeran Antasari area)
- Most hotels and warungs; walkable to the river and port for Tanjung Puting trips.
- Near Iskandar Airport
- A few hotels; quieter but requires transport into town.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Halohah-loh |
| Thank you | Terima kasihtuh-ree-mah kah-seeh |
| How much? | Berapa?buh-rah-pah |
| Where is the toilet? | Di mana toilet?dee mah-nah toy-let |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Light handshake then hand to chest; smile; avoid: Firm grips
- Left hand: Give and receive with the right; avoid: Passing anything with the left
- Temples: Sarong and sash; step around offerings; avoid: Standing higher than priests
- Keeping calm: Patience; indirect requests; avoid: Anger in public
- Pointing: Thumb; avoid: Index finger
Scams and watch-outs
- Book Tanjung Puting permits and boat in advance during peak season (June–August).
- Mosquitoes are heavy year-round: bring repellent and a mosquito net if you sleep on the boat.
- ATMs are limited; bring enough cash for park fees and boat hire.
Pangkalan Bun is safe for tourists. Usual precautions: avoid walking alone after dark in quiet streets, keep valuables out of sight, and negotiate ojek fares before riding.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Pangkalan Bun yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tanjung Puting National Park
- Orangutan watching
- Klotok boat trips
- Riverside atmosphere
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Pangkalan Bun, revision 4492605 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4492605
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/pangkalan-bun). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.