Four tourists from the Czech Republic spent seven days straight on foot, these European tourists travelling from Tanjung Lokang Village in the Kapuas Hulu District of West Kalimantan to the Tiong Ohan District of East Kalimantan. The adventure of these European visitors begins in Putussibau, the seat of the Kapuas Hulu Regency, a tiny town in the eastern region of West Kalimantan Province, popularly known as the heart of Borneo.
According to a tour guide from Kapuas Hulu, Oddi Donovan, in Putussibau, there are many reasons why foreign tourists are drawn to travel to Kapuas Hulu, including the natural scenery, which is still quite idyllic, and the local wisdom of the people, who are very thick with customs and culture, which are still upheld and preserved today.
The district of Kapuas Hulu, located in Malaysia’s State of Sarawak and a conservation area, is well known to the rest of the world. It has two national parks, Betung Kerihun National Park and Danau Sentarum National Park.
Oddi Donovan stated, “I have led foreign tourists several times, including European tourists. They (tourists) are very impressed with the beauty of our nature, friendly people who still uphold the customs and culture of ancestral heritage, and of course, this is a magnet for foreign tourists.”
He also described his trip with four European tourists as they spent a week trekking in Borneo’s wilds.
Oddi claims that they began their journey from Putussibau City and used a borrowed boat to cross the quick fall of the Kapuas River upstream to Tanjung Lokang Village, which is located deep inside South Putussibau District, Kapuas Hulu Regency.
The high rock walls, surrounding hills, and swift currents (cascades) in the Kapuas River’s headwaters provide European tourists with an unforgettable experience. Occasional splashes of water even get the tourists sitting in a long body boat with a speed 40 PK engine will be a unique experience that they will remember for a long time.
“I saw the looks on the faces of the European tourists who were very happy, amazed by the beauty of our nature, very impressed, and they even occasionally captured the moments of their journey along the Kapuas river with a digital camera,” he added.
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