East Kalimantan – Kaltim – is Indonesia’s richest province, thanks to the enormous stockpiles of oil, gas, timber and coal found here. It is also the home of the original inhabitants of Kalimantan, the Orang Gunung or Mountain People. The tribes are collectively called Dayak, although this name is not embraced by many tribes-people themselves, who prefer to be known by separate tribal names such as Iban, Punan and Banuaq. East Kalimantan covers a staggering 211,440 square kilometers, some 2 million people live here, mainly on the coast.

Balikpapan, a bustling oil town, and Samarinda, the provincial capital, are the common starting points for many journeys and adventures inland East Kalimantan. Here the travelers can find excellent accommodations, Western-style food, and well-developed transportations. Samarinda, the capital of the province, sits astride the Mahakam River, some 45 kilometers from the sea, and is the key to inland communications and commerce. The outskirts of Samarinda are the headquarters of East Kalimantan’s flourishing timber industry. Balikpapan, a town built on oil, relies on the efficiency and powerful economy. Shops are well stocked with consumer goods. The airport under expansion is 7 km out of town, and hosts an endless stream of passenger jets, helicopters and various smaller airplanes.

Local tribes traditionally live in the communal longhouses called Lamin or Umaq Daru. They are built on wooden piles, sometimes 3 meters high as protection against wild animals and flooding. The Punan people are nomadic hunter-gatherers, and only use the longhouse at the height of the rainy season. Steeped in tradition, the interior of the longhouse is typically divided into separate family quarters with communal areas connecting each of the families. It is in the communal areas that village meetings are held and ceremonies performed, thereby reinforcing the strong tribal bonds in the face of rapidly advancing 20th century technology.

Guardian statues are normally placed in front of longhouses to protect them against evil’s spirits who bring disease and bad fortune. The more remote and traditional tribes-people have pierced earlobes, which over the year have become stretched by the weight of heavy gold or brass rings, and beautifully elaborate tattoos. Local jewelry designs are intricate and powerful, often giving messages to be passed down from generation to generation.

Traveling along the extensive Mahakam river system is a fascinating adventure. River boats slide unobtrusively through heavily silt-laden waters, wild orchids drip off trees. Proboscis monkeys signal your arrival to the crocodiles and legendary hornbills. A 5,000 acre Orchid Reservation close to the village of Kersil Luwai cultivates 27 different species of orchids including the very rare Cologenia Pandura or Black Orchid.