Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine March 2019 | Page 104

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Travel | Sebangau
By sunset, we are back to the comfort of the
Spirit of Kalimantan. The next day, our boat
resumes its smooth journey up the great
Katingan River, and we again readily adjust
to its slow-moving pace, lazily taking in the
variety of ferns near the riverbank and
marvelling at the sight of a beautiful
hornbill swooping across the sky.
The following morning, our boat anchors
near Baun Bango, a Dayak village lying
right on the edge of the national park.
Once ashore, we go in search of our Dayak
host, Pak Alwi. There is only one main village
road, and his house has been there for over
140 years, so it is not hard to find him. Alwi
is sitting on his verandah waiting for us.
His beautiful bark house features ironwood
beams and original wood flooring; it looks
as if it could last another 100 years. Alwi,
who was born in the house and has lived
there all his life, invites us inside.
After a few bedtime Dayak tales from our host,
I drift off to a sound sleep, dreaming of the adventures
that might lie ahead the next day.
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A row of two-stringed guitars, called kecapi,
lean against one of the walls. Pak Alwi
immediately picks one up and gives us
a big smile. “I made this kecapi,” he says
enthusiastically and immediately begins to
play a Dayak song for us. Then, as the lilting
traditional music begins to take shape, our
young Dayak guide sings along in her native
language. It is a beautiful moment. The harmony
of these two voices melding together, the old
Dayak with the young Dayak, casts a spell on us.
In the evening we are treated to a
magnificent meal of forest greens, vegetables,
rattan soup, local tahoman river fish, steamed
rice and marinated bean curd. We are invited
to sleep in the village, in a homestay, but also
have the option of sleeping on the boat. I opt
for the homestay. After a few bedtime Dayak
tales from our host, I drift off to a sound
sleep, dreaming of the adventures that
might lie ahead the next day.
The economic pulse of Palangkaraya's
traditional markets. Palangkaraya has become
the gate to explore Sebangau National Park.
The Borneo forest hugs the river as
it snakes its way through this beautiful
Central Kalimantan wilderness.