Gunung Palung National Park in the southern reaches of West Kalimantan is a little visited reserve known for its conservation and orangutans. It lies 200kms south of the provincial capital, Pontianak, and is accessible by bus and boat.
Most people heading for the national parks of Kalimantan generally head for the more accessible and larger ones in East Kalimantan. Yet those who venture to Gunung Palung National Park are generally stunned by the diversity of the land and animals. Kayaking, climbing, swimming and camping are all available to visitors in Gunung Palung National Park.
The park features freshwater swamp forests and mangroves along with montane forest. Some of the animals here include orangutan, deer, monkeys, a range of gibbons, giant squirrels, flying foxes, huge pythons and sea eagles. The park also has a research station.
Getting There & Away
Rahadi Osman Airport in Ketapang is the closest airport to Gunung Palung National Park and the fastest way in if coming from Pontianak. There are regular flights from the provincial capital as well as from Semarang in Central Java (90 minutes) where the nearest major airport is. A combination of minibus and boat via Rasau from Pontianak is one of the most common ways to the park; a 5 to 10-hour journey.