It is situated right on the banks of the massive Barito River and serves as a decent base for exploring the natural highlights in this part of Kalimantan.
Muara Teweh is the capital city of Barito Utara Province. The town itself is fairly busy and large. Although it offers little in the way of cultural attractions, the town is a good place to rest up, eat some interesting food and watch local life pass by. There are Dayak longhouses open to tourists at Orung Apat and Kunut Paraci.
However, most travelers simply use Muara Teweh as a base for deeper explorations into the lush countryside to search for wildlife or visit one of the many traditional Dayak villages. The Dayak longhouse of Makonjun is one of the easier cultural sites to reach by boat in about two hours.
Buntok is a nice town nearby where you can visit Liang Saragi, an amazing cavern network with 17 tunnels popular with travelers. Hot springs are another favorite found in nearby Ampah. Lake Melawen is also near Buntok, and is the perfect place for boating or fishing, as well as being a popular holiday resort for locals.
Near the town of Purukcahu, there are a couple of impressive waterfalls: Poran and Koloubesar. Both of them make great day trips. The wildlife preserves of Bararawan I and II are another natural highlight worth checking out.
Getting There & Away
If you are arriving from outside Borneo, it is easiest to fly into Panarung Airport at Palangkaraya. Weekly flights arrive here from Jakarta, Surabaya, Solo and Banjarmasin; all of which are short in length. There is a tiny airstrip in Muara Teweh that sporadically services small planes from around the province. Muara Teweh can also be reached via the Barito River from towns like Buntok.
Things to Do
Muara Teweh Attractions
- Dayak longhouses
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The cultural highlight here is a trip to see traditional dayak life at one of their villages in makonjun, orung apat and kunut paraci.
- Lake Melawen
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This is the place to hang out with locals at the lake, boating and fishing.
- Liang Saragi
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If caves are your thing, this system of 17 tunnels is the best in the region.