Kalimantan & Bali tour: nature & beaches

Palangkaraya

Day 1: Welcome to Indonesia!

Today you will land at Tjilik Riwut Airport in Palangkaraya, Kalimantan - the Indonesian portion of the beautiful island of Borneo. Upon your arrival, you will be greeted by a tour representative and transferred to your hotel for check-in.

Palangkaraya is the capital of the Central Kalimantan Province and an important Indonesian city, which serves as the gateway to several of the island's stunning natural settings. Spend the rest of the day at leisure, relaxing after your travels. If you have the energy to spare, spend some time exploring this green, vibrant city.

Palangkaraya - Palangkaraya Harbour

Day 2: Set sail on an immersive river cruise

Today, check out of your hotel and prepare to board a two-night cruise along the Rungan River. Relax on board your traditional Indonesian river boat, known as a klotok, and take in the peaceful scenery that passes by. As you venture up-river, leaving the city of Palangkaraya, you will encounter riverside houses either floating or perched high on wooden stilts.

Later, board a canoe and journey across a black-water lake in search of long-nosed proboscis monkeys and native birds, such as hornbills and red-backed sea-eagles (also known as Brahminy kites). Spend the rest of the day at leisure on board, and later tonight, enjoy a quiet dinner amidst tranquil natural surroundings.

Bapallas Island - Kanarakan - Tangkiling

Day 3: Orangutans & traditional Dayak culture

The peaceful river cruise continues today with a side-trip by motorised canoe to Bapallas Island, where you'll have the wonderful opportunity to observe orangutans in their natural habitat. Return to your cruise boat and continue your journey up the Rungan River, enjoying lunch onbaord after a morning filled with wildlife wonders.

Soon afterwards, you will arrive at a small village known as Kanarakan, where you'll be greeted by the local Dayak people with a traditional welcoming ceremony - a ritual that is of great importance in Dayak culture. Take a leisurely stroll around the village, admiring this community's traditional way of life, before returning to your riverboat.

Making your way back down the river, sail by the village of Tangkiling for another chance to spot orangutans in the grasses that line the riverside.

Tangkiling - Palangkaraya

Day 4: A leisurely day in Palangkaraya

Enjoy breakfast onboard the boat as you make your way back to Palangkaraya today. Upon your arrival at the port, you will be transferred to your hotel in the city. Then, spend the rest of the day at leisure, exploring the local sights or relaxing at the hotel.

Palangkaraya - Ubud

Day 5: Journey to Bali

After breakfast, depart Palangkaraya by boarding a short flight to the paradise island of Bali! Your plane will touch down at Ngurah Rai International Airport near Denpasar, on the southern tip of the island. From there, take a one-hour transfer to your hotel in Ubud, the cultural heart of Bali.

As you journey to Ubud, soak up the scenery as it changes from urban streets to green countryside covered in rice fields. Pass by colourful roadside markets and graceful Balinese temples en-route - you'll soon start to feel relaxed, and at harmony with nature and your scenic surroundings.

Ubud

Day 6: Get to know enchanting Ubud

Your first full day in Bali is yours to spend exactly as you wish - and Ubud is an excellent base from which to discover this enchanting island.

The cultural and spiritual core of Bali, Ubud is home to a vast array of exquisite temples and peaceful sanctuaries set into the island's stunning nature. Spend your free time getting acquainted with its restaurant and cafe scene, browsing the art galleries and traditional craft markets, and simply wandering around at your own pace.

Ubud

Day 7: Explore the Gunung Kawi temple

This morning, set out on a spiritual adventure to the 11th-century temple complex of Gunung Kawi.

Your visit begins by making an offering, known as a canang, which is how the locals ask the Gods for permission to enter a sacred space. Your guide will explain how to prepare your offering and say a prayer before purifying yourself with a holy bath.

Enjoy the tranquil atmosphere of this remarkable temple, surrounded by rice fields and a lush tropical landscape, and marvel at the series of 10 holy shrines cut into stone. This ancient place is thought to have been built in honour of an Udayana Dynasty king and his favourite queens.

End the tour by taking a serene stroll along the paths that cut through the rice fields - you'll have plenty of time to contemplate and soak up the tranquillity of this mystical place.

Ubud - Sanur

Day 8: Journey to the seaside

After breakfast today, depart for the seaside resort of Sanur in the south of the island. As you make your way to its white-sand beaches, take in the tranquil scenery dotted with traditional villages and rice fields. After about an hour's drive, you will arrive at your hotel for check-in.

Spend the day exploring this beautiful seaside location. Relax at stunning beaches and swim in the clean blue waters of the Bali Sea.

Sanur

Day 9: Soak up the stunning island atmosphere

Another magnificent day on the coast of Bali is yours to do exactly as you please. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your hotel before setting off for the beach. 

If rest and relaxation are on your agenda, there will be plenty of opportunities to do just that. More active travellers will have the opportunity to partake in a plethora of water sports: from surfing and sailing to snorkelling and scuba diving, you will find an array of exciting adventures to enjoy!

Sanur also boasts a rich foodie scene. Spend a romantic evening at a sophisticated restaurant or enjoy a more casual beachside eatery, where you can sink your toes in the sand as you feast on Indonesian delights.

Sanur

Day 10: So long, Bali!

The time has come to say goodbye to Bali. What a wonderful Indonesian discovery you have experienced on this 10-day journey! You will be picked up from your hotel in Sanur and driven to Ngurah Rai International Airport, in time for your flight back home.