How to Get to Tanjung Puting: Flights, Boats & Logistics

Working out how to get to Tanjung Puting is the first question every traveller asks, and the good news is that it’s far simpler than the remote location suggests. A short flight and a 15-minute drive put you on a riverboat heading into the jungle. As a local Indonesian team that’s run Borneo trips since 2006, here’s our clear, practical guide to reaching Tanjung Puting National Park.

Planning the wider trip? Start with our Tanjung Puting orangutan tour guide.

The Gateway: Pangkalan Bun

Almost every Tanjung Puting trip begins by flying into Pangkalan Bun (PKN), the gateway town in Central Kalimantan. It’s a small airport with regular connections to the rest of Indonesia. From here, the jungle is remarkably close.

Flights to Pangkalan Bun

The easiest connections are short flights from Java. You can usually fly direct from Jakarta, Surabaya or Semarang. If you’re coming from Bali, Lombok or elsewhere in Indonesia, you’ll typically connect through one of these cities.

Because the best flights arrive around midday, many travellers spend the night before in a transit city (often Surabaya or Semarang) to catch an early flight and reach the first feeding camp on day one. We help plan these connections so the timing works.

From the Airport to the Boat

This is the easy part. From Pangkalan Bun airport, it’s only about a 15-minute drive to Kumai, the riverside port. There, your traditional klotok houseboat is waiting, and your river adventure begins straight away. We arrange this transfer for you.

Timing Your Arrival

To catch the first orangutan feeding at Tanjung Harapan on day one (usually mid-afternoon), you’ll generally want to land in Pangkalan Bun by around midday. If your flight arrives later, a faster speedboat can sometimes ferry you to the camp to catch up with your klotok. We plan your arrival around the feeding schedule so you don’t miss anything.

Do You Need to Arrange It Yourself?

You can piece the logistics together independently, but it takes care — flights, transit timing, the boat, the park permits and the camp schedule all need to line up. Most travellers find it far easier to have a local operator handle the whole chain, from arrival to departure. That’s exactly what we do, so you simply step off the plane and enjoy.

Combining Tanjung Puting With Your Trip

Borneo pairs beautifully with the rest of Indonesia. Many travellers add Tanjung Puting to a wider trip taking in Bali, Lombok or Java. With the flight connections through Java, it slots in more easily than you might think — just tell us where else you’re headed.

Let Us Handle the Logistics

The simplest way to reach Tanjung Puting is to let a local team take care of the flights, transfers, permits and timing, so your holiday stays a holiday.

Tell us your plans and we’ll arrange it all. Message us anytime on WhatsApp, or browse our Borneo orangutan tours. As always, we’re happy to share a local’s advice — whether you book with us or not.