CENTRAL KALIMANTAN - BORNEO
The capital city of this province is Palangka Raya. The region covers a total area of 153,800 square kilometers and consists of thick tropical forests, swamps, lakes and rivers. The native people of this province is the Dayaks. There are many others ethnic groups who live in this province, including the Javanese and the Maduranese. Mandau is the traditional weapon of the Dayaks. This is a sacred weapon and is usually used in wars. Mandau which is approximately 70 cm long, is made of iron, deer horns, bird feathers and wood. In the local Dayak language, Palangkaraya means a holy container. Palangkaraya can easily reached from Jakarta, Banjarmasin, Samarinda, Balikpapan and other points of the island by air. Nowadays, the town has become the center of government, trade and education of the province. The regional Museum of Palangkaraya contains a collection of historical and cultural interest from all over Central Kalimantan. The Nature Reserve of Tangkiling lies 34 kilometers north of Palangkaraya. Small rivers flow through the reserve.

HISTORY
For centuries, big parts of Central Kalimantan were ruled by Banjarmasin. When the Banjarese elite converted to the islam in the early 17th century, soon the principalities along the coast followed and the Dayak in the region also followed. Around 1830,the colonial rule and the first protestant missionaries slowed down the islamization among the Dayak.

The Dutch geologist and explorer Schwaner mapped Central Kalimantan for the first time. Between 1841 and 1848 he traveled over the big cities (Barito, Kahayan, Kapuas and Katingan), and mapped the villages on the riverbanks. The mountain range between Central Kalimantan and West Kalimantan was later named after him. Between 1880 and 1890,the Dutch dewatered the southeastern
part of Central Kalimantan by digging five canals between the Kapuas, Barito and Kahayan.

After the proclamation of the Indonesian independence in 1945,the area still was Banjarmasin under control. Conflicts rose between the traditional Dayak and the islamic Banjarese and at the end of the 1950 the Dayak demanded autonomy. A combination of small guerrilla warfare and political support from Jakarta lead to the formation of a separate province, Central Kalimantan
was born.

PLACE OF INTEREST

PALANGKA RAYA
Palangkaraya is the province capital of Central Kalimantan and situated in the upstream region of the Kahayan river In the local Dayak language, Palangkaraya means a holy container. Palangkaraya can easily be reached from Jakarta, Banjarmasin, Samarinda, Balikpapan and other points of the island by air. Nowadays, the town has become the center of government, trade and education of the province. The Regional Museum of Palangkaraya contains a collection of historical and cultural interest from all over Central Kalimantan. The Nature Reserve of Tangkiling lies 34 kilometers north of Palangkaraya. Small rivers flow through the reserve.

KUALAKAPUAS
Kualakapuas is the capital of the Kapuas regency, south of Palangkaraya, on the Kapuas river 40 kilometers from Banjarmasin. A well-known tourism attraction is Telo Island, a fishing village and port. It is a pleasant site for recreation. For the adventurer, white water rafters and nature lovers, there is Gohong Rawai, known for its beautiful and challenging rapids. The gold mines of Teweh and Batu Api, Rungan district, are also interesting sites to be visited. In this region, gold mining is a major source of livelihood for the people, who pan for the valuable metal using the old traditional method. Gold mines are found in many places in Central Kalimantan.

SAMPIT
Sampit town, on the Sampit river and the capital of Sampit regency, is known as the biggest timber port in Kalimantan as well as in Indonesia. Here can be found many sawmills which process the timber for export. One can find many interesting tourism attractions in Sampit. Pandaran Beach is a park on the seaside at the mouth of the Sampit river. It is quite unique. One sees to one's north the river emptying its water into the sea. To the south is the wide expanse of the Java Sea. The Orchid Park of Pembuangan Hulu is a natural forest in which a number of rare and beautiful orchid varieties grow. Hunters can engage in their favorite pastime at the Serayan river which borders on the hunting park of Kotawaringin Barat.

PANGKALAN BUN
Pangkalanbun is the capital of the Kotawaringin Barat regency, in the western part of Central Kalimantan. It is busy lisle town. In this town, the old Palace of Pangkalanbun now 200 years old, can still be seen. Made of ulin [iron-wood), it is the only Banjar royal legacy found in Central Kalimantan. The Mosque of Kyai Gede is the oldest mosque, being more than 300 years old, found in Kotawaringin district. The Tanjung Puting National Park is a very well- known nature and wildlife reserve for lowland and swamp forests, inhabited by orang titans, owaowa, bekantan and other primates. One can visit the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre which is supported by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

GARDEN TOURISM TANGKILING HILL
Tangkiling Hill is a group of eight Batu hills that have beautiful scenery and very attractive to be visited. It is about 43 km from Palangkaraya and located in Banturung village admission in Batu hill region. One of way to reach there, is use land transportation about 30 minutes from Palangkaraya, there is also a lake,27 km from Palangkaraya. The lake is hardly good for family recreation and fishing.

CULTURE MUSEUM
The museum that located in Central Kalimatan,Raya Tjilik Riwut Street,2 km Palangkaraya, is collecting many kinds of public culture. There is the equipment of traditional fieldsman named MIHING and traditional dress named BAJU SANGKAURUT and traditional weapon of Dayak tribe like Mandau, Duhung and the other traditional weapon. Besides that, it also demonstrates goods as those types: Ethnographical, Historical, Archeological, Numismatic / Heraldic foreign ceramics and others.

ARBORETUM
Arboretum is protection place name of forest. It located in side of Taha'i Lake. There are various birch's stepped, it suitable for a research as well as place of various bird types and other animal. You can find a place in this location.Orang Utan rehabilitation that is located in side of the Arboretum, try to help to assist the local animal returned and know their annually habitat.

TAHA'I LAKE
It is a nature lake that accommodating the rainwater effusing and as a water recreation place, suited for fishing devotee, can circle the lake with boat that being rented. The Adrift houses, place of karaoke and some shelter to take a rest are available for visitor.

KELINTING
It is located in RTA. Milono Street, about 8 km from the downtown. This can go through landline. This is a beautiful building in china design with typical ornaments of Kalimantan Tengah.

BANGKIRAI LAKE KERENG
It is an exquisite lake and located across Sebangau River, in Kereng Bangkirai village 12 km from Palangkaraya toward south. For towards to the location we can apply vehicle of land only 15 minutes from common cab.

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