Tanjung Puting is quite a detour from most people’s holiday itinerary, because there is not much else to do around Pangkalan Bun. So you want to make sure that the Borneo Orangutan Tour is worth the hassle to get here.
Here a few tips to help you choose a reliable tour operator and get a high-quality boat, and some thoughts on useful things to bring beyond the obvious (e.g. insect repellent, good shoes, long sleeves and sun cream) that will make your Orangutan Tour even more special:
- Do these boat checks. Ask the tour operator whether their boats have Western showers (as opposed to a Mandi) and Western toilets (as opposed to a squat toilet). Check that they use fresh water in the boat and not river water (toilets are flushed into the river).
- Ask for a Licensed Guide. Make sure that the tour operator only works with licensed guides, because these do not only know about the animals and flora and safety rules, but they are also trained in the English language.
- Do a Night Trek. If you book a 3D2N Orangutan Tour, usually a night trek is not in the default itinerary, but chances are the tour operator provides this for free on demand. Night walks are very special and you may witness beautiful glowing mushrooms. Let your guide know even before you arrive in Pangkalan Bun that you wish to do a night trek.
- Be the first to leave the feeding station. You will visit 3 feeding stations where you will see orangutans been fed on a platform. The feeding typically takes an hour or so, and the highlight is usually the beginning when orangutans arrive swinging from tree to tree. If you leave just before the crowd does, you will have no other boat in front of you as you cruise to the next stop and will enjoy the serenity of the river and jungle even more.
- Bring Coffee & Beer. As part of the orangutan tour, you will be served with standard, local coffee, which is basically hot water with filter coffee, but then unfiltered. You may want to consider bringing your own instant coffee (or French Press) if you are sensitive for a good coffee. You may also want to consider bringing your own white wine or alcohol beverage to optimally enjoy the beautiful and romantic setting from the Klotok. You cannot buy alcohol in Pangkalan Bun because of the muslim customs, but you can bring it with you to Pangkalan Bun and consume it during the tour.
- Mobile Charger. Although there are sockets aboard, we do not recommend to use these to charge electronic devices because the power engine of the boat does not supply a constant voltage (this holds for ALL boats). Please consider to bring an external battery charger, which can be bought at any outdoor store.
- Hammock. If you have a hammock, bring it! The ultimate chill experience is to lay down in your hammock in the klotok as you cruise through the lush jungle.
We are obviously biased, but we believe that our Tanjung Puting Orangutan Tours are among the best. We use boats with Western facilities, we are known for working with licensed guides that have a terrific track record, we have a user-friendly booking system and require a relatively small deposit. Check out traveller’s reviews about our Orangutan Tours in Borneo.
However, also if you book your tour with anyone else, feel still free to ask us for free advice so that we can make sure you leave Tanjung Puting National Park with a smile on your face:-)
In case there is anything we can help you with or you have to share, just contact us.
