Wow Borneo
Wow Borneo
4.5
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Full view
About
Wow Borneo's unique and comfortable orangutan cruise boats take you along meandering forest-lined rivers to see orangutans and other wildlife such as the brilliant splashes of hornbills and kingfishers, the busy communities of proboscis moneys and dazzling firefly displays in their natural habitats on selected cruises. Kahayan and Katingan River cruises stop at riverside villages to meet the inhabitants who are dependent on the jungle and the river for their livelihoods. All cabins are comfortably air-conditioned and have ensuite bathrooms. Fresh, varied local cuisine is served on the spacious viewing deck.
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misha c
Bruny Island, Australia11 contributions
Feb 2023
We just had an amazing trip into the Tanjung Puting National park to explore its wildlife and observe some orangutans on the Sekonyer, facilitated by Wow borneo.
The boat was excellent, the crew looked after our every need and the food they prepared each day was amazing.
We headed up the Seykonyer river to Tanjung Puting National park the largest habitat for these incredible animals.
The river got narrower and narrower and the wildlife got thicker and thicker. The rather odd looking but endearing proboscis monkey was plentiful, and then all of a sudden as if he was a sentry to the entry to the park was a large male orangutan perched in the tree. I was enthralled straight away little did i know over the coming days how much better it would get.
There are three feeding areas that you can visit where they supplement the food for the rehabilitated orangutans which are a tiny proportion of the population in this last major strong hold for this species.
The visiting time was limited to two hours at each site and we sat engrossed by these fascinating creatures for the whole time. The interplay between them, the playfulness, the athletic abilities, the expressions, the maternal instincts and so much character.
On a couple of occasions you were reminded of the wildness, the temper and strength of these animals when they were displeased with orangutans encroaching on there territory they would rip branches off and throw them to the ground.
Not an animal to be taken lightly.
We had the great pleasure of Rusty as our guide who was very generous with his knowledge and enthusiasm for the local wildlife and made this trip very special.
The boat was excellent, the crew looked after our every need and the food they prepared each day was amazing.
We headed up the Seykonyer river to Tanjung Puting National park the largest habitat for these incredible animals.
The river got narrower and narrower and the wildlife got thicker and thicker. The rather odd looking but endearing proboscis monkey was plentiful, and then all of a sudden as if he was a sentry to the entry to the park was a large male orangutan perched in the tree. I was enthralled straight away little did i know over the coming days how much better it would get.
There are three feeding areas that you can visit where they supplement the food for the rehabilitated orangutans which are a tiny proportion of the population in this last major strong hold for this species.
The visiting time was limited to two hours at each site and we sat engrossed by these fascinating creatures for the whole time. The interplay between them, the playfulness, the athletic abilities, the expressions, the maternal instincts and so much character.
On a couple of occasions you were reminded of the wildness, the temper and strength of these animals when they were displeased with orangutans encroaching on there territory they would rip branches off and throw them to the ground.
Not an animal to be taken lightly.
We had the great pleasure of Rusty as our guide who was very generous with his knowledge and enthusiasm for the local wildlife and made this trip very special.
Written March 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
raineranskinewitsch
Wuelfrath, Germany24 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
Exploring the jungle of Borneo on a traditional wooden boat, fully equipped with en-suite bathroom and air-conditioning. Local guides take you on motorized canoes and by foot to observe Orang Utans in their national habitat! Juli, our charming tour guide answered any question, our captain made us always feel safe on board and his crew served 3 excellent local meals a day. We also stopped at small villages along the river and were warmly welcomed by the villagers. Can’t imagine any better jungle river cruise.
Written June 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review of this soft adventure with Wow Borneo. We love to engage with local villagers on all of our cruises and our guide is there to translate for you, as there are many different local languages spoken in these areas. Join us for a unique experience along these quiet rivers, undiscovered yet by other tourists.
Written November 22, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
James E
33 contributions
Mar 2023 • Friends
Truly a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience to spend time with these magnificent animals in their natural environment. The trip was made even more special by WOW Borneo and our guide Heni. The boat we had was amazingly comfortable (and having see a number of the other boats on the river it was easily the best in my opinion). The food was great, the care and service from the team excellent and the guide super helpful. Everything was really well organised and I couldn’t recommend enough!
Written April 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KatMac76
Singapore, Singapore59 contributions
May 2021 • Family
We had great expectations for this trip and they were surpassed! The staff onboard welcomed us and were the perfect hosts throughout our journey. Every meal was fresh, plentiful and delicious! Two teenage boys and we still couldn’t finish the plates. Wow Borneo have a brilliant product with a social and environmental conscience - we are all more enriched for the experience and the beautiful local people we met. Watching and learning about the Orangutans in theIr Sanctuaries was fascinating.
Written June 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your amazing review! Operating now for 14 years in the rivers and parks of Central Kalimantan, it is great to see that our original intention of developing community engagement and environmental awareness continues to be appreciated!
Written November 22, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mary B
1 contribution
Nov 2022
Most enjoyable trip. We were lucky enough to have the river boat to ourselves. Interaction with orangutans, proboscis and other monkeys in very remote area off the river side streams was wonderful. Guide, both company and local village were very good. The boat is basic, bedrooms had AC which we consider essential in this very hot and humid area, cold water showers. Food and service excellent.
Written November 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Mary, thanks for your review of this remote area cruise experience with Wow Borneo! Our boats are rustic but comfortable and cool at night. The food is an abundant selection of the local cuisine. Relaxing on the deck sofas or lounge chairs is a great way to enjoy the river cruise.
Written November 22, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sophie & Paul
Montreal, Canada222 contributions
Apr 2014 • Couples
This past April, my wife and I held our latest vacation in the South East Asia area of this beautiful planet. This trip involved several legs of various durations, starting in Bangkok, then Jakarta, a few days in Borneo and then finally Bali.
We would even say that the main attraction of this vacationp was the orangutan river cruise offered by Wow Borneo (Kalimantan Tour Destinations), and more precisely on the boat named The Spirit of Kalimantan. Indeed, we were absolutely seduced by the video on You Tube. We believe our expectations were level to the features packaged in the You Tube video. Having made several ‘‘adventure’’ travels & vacations to many continents, we know how to manage our expectations and we are adapted to rustic and ‘‘remote’’ living conditions.
Thumbs up items :
1) Great ‘‘on-board’’ staff. Friendly, service oriented and dedicated.
2) Great food – meals are excellent.
3) Timely and daily ‘‘room service’’ (bed making) spot on.
4) Love the boat layout and furniture.
5) Pricing is absolutely reasonable (conditional that the tour operators deliver on every front).
Thumbs down items :
1) The ‘‘operators’’ do not receive credit card payments, and only accept US dollar currency. From Canada, we had to open a US bank account to make wire transfer payments with all the hassle and additional fees that this incurs. Frankly, we would have preferred to pay a little more on the invoice to the operators to have access to the convenience of credit card payments.
2) Although The Spirit of Kalimantan has a great layout design, furnishings and dedicated ‘‘onboard’’ staff, the toilets/showers on this boat are in dire need of a significant overhaul in every way. Like I said in the introduction, my wife and I had the chance to live many ‘‘adventure’’ vacations with all that this may imply. However, the bathrooms-showers onboard The Spirit of Kalimantan were probably close to the worse we ever seen by any standard on any continent where we have been.
3) Apart from the orangutan tour, the rest of the cruise did feel like a trip to nowhere. We did visit a couple of villages which was certainly culturally interesting and insightful. The Dayak visit was likely 1 hour too long out of the 1 and a half hours we were there. To be clear, we had a strange feeling that the visits and events of this cruise were not prepared in advance and we seemed at one point to go up and down the river with no ‘‘objective’’. Indeed, taking in the river life and rhythm is restful and pleasant, but we would have certainly enjoyed a ‘‘nature walk’’ as it appears on the schedule of the Wow Borneo website. So basically on this front, apart from the orangutan excursion, the entire cruise was definitely off target and could probably be pulled off in a 2 day 1 night stint.
4) Finally, there is no wine or beer on board the boat. Passengers have to make their own arrangements. Beer is rather easy to find, but wine is another issue in Palangaraya. It’s a shame that with such great onboard meals there is no wine offer (unless you sort it out yourself). Understanding that boats do have limited space you don’t need a full cellar, simply 1 selection of white another of red, and 1 brand of beer. We would have joyfully paid restaurant rates.
So basically our comments on Wow Borneo (Kalimantan Tour Destinations) it is a great concept that doesn’t deliver on its promise, and profoundly manage your expectations on some major issues.
We would even say that the main attraction of this vacationp was the orangutan river cruise offered by Wow Borneo (Kalimantan Tour Destinations), and more precisely on the boat named The Spirit of Kalimantan. Indeed, we were absolutely seduced by the video on You Tube. We believe our expectations were level to the features packaged in the You Tube video. Having made several ‘‘adventure’’ travels & vacations to many continents, we know how to manage our expectations and we are adapted to rustic and ‘‘remote’’ living conditions.
Thumbs up items :
1) Great ‘‘on-board’’ staff. Friendly, service oriented and dedicated.
2) Great food – meals are excellent.
3) Timely and daily ‘‘room service’’ (bed making) spot on.
4) Love the boat layout and furniture.
5) Pricing is absolutely reasonable (conditional that the tour operators deliver on every front).
Thumbs down items :
1) The ‘‘operators’’ do not receive credit card payments, and only accept US dollar currency. From Canada, we had to open a US bank account to make wire transfer payments with all the hassle and additional fees that this incurs. Frankly, we would have preferred to pay a little more on the invoice to the operators to have access to the convenience of credit card payments.
2) Although The Spirit of Kalimantan has a great layout design, furnishings and dedicated ‘‘onboard’’ staff, the toilets/showers on this boat are in dire need of a significant overhaul in every way. Like I said in the introduction, my wife and I had the chance to live many ‘‘adventure’’ vacations with all that this may imply. However, the bathrooms-showers onboard The Spirit of Kalimantan were probably close to the worse we ever seen by any standard on any continent where we have been.
3) Apart from the orangutan tour, the rest of the cruise did feel like a trip to nowhere. We did visit a couple of villages which was certainly culturally interesting and insightful. The Dayak visit was likely 1 hour too long out of the 1 and a half hours we were there. To be clear, we had a strange feeling that the visits and events of this cruise were not prepared in advance and we seemed at one point to go up and down the river with no ‘‘objective’’. Indeed, taking in the river life and rhythm is restful and pleasant, but we would have certainly enjoyed a ‘‘nature walk’’ as it appears on the schedule of the Wow Borneo website. So basically on this front, apart from the orangutan excursion, the entire cruise was definitely off target and could probably be pulled off in a 2 day 1 night stint.
4) Finally, there is no wine or beer on board the boat. Passengers have to make their own arrangements. Beer is rather easy to find, but wine is another issue in Palangaraya. It’s a shame that with such great onboard meals there is no wine offer (unless you sort it out yourself). Understanding that boats do have limited space you don’t need a full cellar, simply 1 selection of white another of red, and 1 brand of beer. We would have joyfully paid restaurant rates.
So basically our comments on Wow Borneo (Kalimantan Tour Destinations) it is a great concept that doesn’t deliver on its promise, and profoundly manage your expectations on some major issues.
Written May 3, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Paul,
thank you for copying your comments on Trip Advisor to us. We appreciate receiving such thoughtful feedback.
We have had a major overhaul of the Spirit of Kalimantan, which turned her into the beautiful boat she is today. She was, however, designed with marine toilets, unlike our other two boats which we designed and built. We have currently just completed the installation of new holding tanks for regular toilets, and will shortly begin an overhaul of the bathroom.
Your comments relating to our program are important to us. Nature walks are part of our regular itinerary and normally are only omitted if weather conditions are not conducive. The guide responsible for your trip has only recently joined us and although has received on going mentoring, we are sorry that you experienced teething problems. We are sure you agree that he shows great promise of reaching the standards of our other guides. Our guides are trained to be responsive to guests requests and work hard to deliver a rewarding experience.
Our program is designed as a relaxing orangutan and Dayak village cultural experience along the Rungan and Kahayan Rivers, which we believe is clearly outlined on our website in order to prepare guests for the experience.
In answering your other points, we have been researching online payment systems in Indonesia that cost less for our clients. These systems are less common here, and finding a reliable company has proven to be a challenge. We are currently in final negotiations with a company and hope to introduce this facility soon for our clients.
We have recently found a wine supplier, and are now able to offer wines to our clients. Our apologies for not having this available for you on board during the time you were with us.
Your thumbs up comments were much appreciated.
Regards from
Gaye Thavisin and Lorna Dowson Collins,
Partners,
Kalimantan Tour Destinations
Written May 19, 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
HarpreetsWanderlust
Nairobi, Kenya437 contributions
Dec 2014 • Couples
A beautiful bamboo clad boat, rustic but clean - perfect for a one or maximum two night cruise from Palangkaraya to Tangkiling (or vice versa) if you want to see orangutans in Indonesian Borneo - Kalimantan.
First of all, I was very very impressed with the level of service I got from the Wow Borneo staff from the minute I contacted them while in Kenya. Rinni and Ferra answered every email promptly, spoke to me on the phone to confirm what kind of experience my husband and I were after, booked the boat for us, ordered wine and even helped with booking flights to Komodo for us. Thank you for all your help in making this leg of our trip to Indonesia a success- we really appreciated this.
The boat- is great for a couple as it has one room and a very basic but clean bathroom with a proper toilet (thank goodness) and a shower, but no hot water. This somehow worked because with the heat of the day and lack of air conditioning on the boat a cool shower was actually very refreshing but a hot shower would have been better.
The deck area in the front is converted into a seating area/dining area where you will spend all your time watching the stunning scenery and world go by. This is a very leisurely cruise, you eat and drink a lot and relax a lot and it is a great way to start or wind down your holiday but for us, a 2 night cruise was more than enough time to experience this part of Indonesia.
The food is good - the cook makes fresh meals on board and gives you a taste of Indonesian food - chicken or fish, veggies, Indonesian starters and rice at every meal but after 2 days you do start to get cabin fever and by the time you dock - dry land feels great.
I wouldn't recommend the trip for more than 2 nights as firstly, as the itinerary will show there isn't much to do and secondly the trip is pricey for the quality of the boat itself. In particular - the bedroom and bathroom can be upgraded to make them a bit more luxurious and befitting of the price paid- a better bed and a hot shower would go a long way. There is also a lack of privacy as the bedroom opens out onto the deck and the staff have to pass through to set up meals and anchor etc so you can't really rest in the room during the day but they are incredibly polite and other than meal times or anchor time do not get in your way. We were told we could shut the doors if we wanted privacy but that felt a bit rude so we opted to lie on the deck to rest which was also fine.
In fact, in hindsight it was really nice to have our guide Indra come and chat with us occasionally and give us snippets of information and just hang out. Indra was brilliant - very friendly, knew a lot and got us the best experiences with the orangutan viewing and with the backwater cruise in the rainforest. We really enjoyed having Indra as our guide and would recommend him anyday.
The itinerary in a nutshell for our 2 night cruise: we spent day 1 cruising from Tangkiling with 2 Dayak village tours. At the first village we were welcomed with a ceremony which was quite nice and shown around the village and taken to the chiefs house for spicy coffee. Our experience only turned bitter when we were bitten all over by ferocious mosquitoes while being shown a rubber tree. They followed us out of the plantation in a swarm and we were pretty itchy and covered in welts by the time we got back into the boat. So please do spray yourselves with anti mossie spray before this village tour. And carry some antiseptic cream in case you do get bitten. We were absolutely fine after a good itch and taking some antihistamines but the experience was uncomfortable. In the second village we saw dances and got to participate which was fun.
Day 2 was very exciting. An early start (7am) to take a small motor boat from the second village to observe the orangutans around the Kajas Island which took a little over an hour, then a four hour cruise to Bapallas Island for more orangutan spotting. We did spot quite a few and spent some good time observing them - one was quite an exhibitionist and enjoyed watching us as much as we her. Indra then took us on a cruise to see the backwaters of the rainforest jungle which was absolutely amazing and the highlight of our trip. The sunset on day 2 was stunning and it was surreal cruising along the river from about 3 pm onwards - an experience never to be forgotten.
All in all, I would highly recommend the Ruhui Rahayu for private charter if you want to see the orangutans and the backwaters of Borneo. The lack of luxury you would expect for the price tag attached to this cruise will be made up for by the experience of being on the river and amongst nature.
The company (Kalimantan Tour Destination) is reputable and we experienced no problems with their staff - they are very very helpful and I would recommend them and their services.
First of all, I was very very impressed with the level of service I got from the Wow Borneo staff from the minute I contacted them while in Kenya. Rinni and Ferra answered every email promptly, spoke to me on the phone to confirm what kind of experience my husband and I were after, booked the boat for us, ordered wine and even helped with booking flights to Komodo for us. Thank you for all your help in making this leg of our trip to Indonesia a success- we really appreciated this.
The boat- is great for a couple as it has one room and a very basic but clean bathroom with a proper toilet (thank goodness) and a shower, but no hot water. This somehow worked because with the heat of the day and lack of air conditioning on the boat a cool shower was actually very refreshing but a hot shower would have been better.
The deck area in the front is converted into a seating area/dining area where you will spend all your time watching the stunning scenery and world go by. This is a very leisurely cruise, you eat and drink a lot and relax a lot and it is a great way to start or wind down your holiday but for us, a 2 night cruise was more than enough time to experience this part of Indonesia.
The food is good - the cook makes fresh meals on board and gives you a taste of Indonesian food - chicken or fish, veggies, Indonesian starters and rice at every meal but after 2 days you do start to get cabin fever and by the time you dock - dry land feels great.
I wouldn't recommend the trip for more than 2 nights as firstly, as the itinerary will show there isn't much to do and secondly the trip is pricey for the quality of the boat itself. In particular - the bedroom and bathroom can be upgraded to make them a bit more luxurious and befitting of the price paid- a better bed and a hot shower would go a long way. There is also a lack of privacy as the bedroom opens out onto the deck and the staff have to pass through to set up meals and anchor etc so you can't really rest in the room during the day but they are incredibly polite and other than meal times or anchor time do not get in your way. We were told we could shut the doors if we wanted privacy but that felt a bit rude so we opted to lie on the deck to rest which was also fine.
In fact, in hindsight it was really nice to have our guide Indra come and chat with us occasionally and give us snippets of information and just hang out. Indra was brilliant - very friendly, knew a lot and got us the best experiences with the orangutan viewing and with the backwater cruise in the rainforest. We really enjoyed having Indra as our guide and would recommend him anyday.
The itinerary in a nutshell for our 2 night cruise: we spent day 1 cruising from Tangkiling with 2 Dayak village tours. At the first village we were welcomed with a ceremony which was quite nice and shown around the village and taken to the chiefs house for spicy coffee. Our experience only turned bitter when we were bitten all over by ferocious mosquitoes while being shown a rubber tree. They followed us out of the plantation in a swarm and we were pretty itchy and covered in welts by the time we got back into the boat. So please do spray yourselves with anti mossie spray before this village tour. And carry some antiseptic cream in case you do get bitten. We were absolutely fine after a good itch and taking some antihistamines but the experience was uncomfortable. In the second village we saw dances and got to participate which was fun.
Day 2 was very exciting. An early start (7am) to take a small motor boat from the second village to observe the orangutans around the Kajas Island which took a little over an hour, then a four hour cruise to Bapallas Island for more orangutan spotting. We did spot quite a few and spent some good time observing them - one was quite an exhibitionist and enjoyed watching us as much as we her. Indra then took us on a cruise to see the backwaters of the rainforest jungle which was absolutely amazing and the highlight of our trip. The sunset on day 2 was stunning and it was surreal cruising along the river from about 3 pm onwards - an experience never to be forgotten.
All in all, I would highly recommend the Ruhui Rahayu for private charter if you want to see the orangutans and the backwaters of Borneo. The lack of luxury you would expect for the price tag attached to this cruise will be made up for by the experience of being on the river and amongst nature.
The company (Kalimantan Tour Destination) is reputable and we experienced no problems with their staff - they are very very helpful and I would recommend them and their services.
Written December 21, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephanie H
Jakarta, Indonesia8 contributions
Mar 2016 • Family
We are family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children aged 5 & 7). We had originally booked the 2 night/ 3 day tour on the Rahai'i Pangun II boat in the Superior Large air-conditioned ensuite cabin plus a twin cabin. Without consultation we were switched to the Spirit of Kalimantan as a "private charter". While the owner insists this was an upgrade and that we should be grateful we strongly disagree. The main deck was acceptable and as expected but the cabins below are disgusting. Cramped, dark, dingy and smelly. Our only complaints about Wow Borneo relate to the cabins on this boat and the manner the owner disregarded our 5 month old reservation to cater for a last minute booking. I believe had we been given the cabins we had booked we would be giving a much more positive review.
The staff on board were friendly and attentive. The food was excellent and exceeded our expectations with lots of variety. We especially enjoyed the ice lime water on the hot afternoons. We brought our own wine with us and the crew were happy to keep this refrigerated for us. Our guide was friendly and spoke good english although his level of knowledge on local flora, fauna and geography was not as good as we would have hoped.
The Orang-utan viewing was excellent and in the sanctuary area the view from the canoe was excellent. We especially enjoyed the fact that we were the only boat there. Outside of this there was not a lot of wildlife to see. Over the duration of 3 days we saw one small group of monkeys and a few small birds. It is an unfortunate reality that the natural environment has been compromised by the destruction of the environment and local hunting practices.
The highlight was the visit to the Dayak village. Our boys loved playing with the local boys who were very keen to share their simple toys.
For us this was a relaxing long weekend away from the craziness of Jakarta. We enjoyed the beautiful views along the river and nothing but time to sit back and read or relax.
The staff on board were friendly and attentive. The food was excellent and exceeded our expectations with lots of variety. We especially enjoyed the ice lime water on the hot afternoons. We brought our own wine with us and the crew were happy to keep this refrigerated for us. Our guide was friendly and spoke good english although his level of knowledge on local flora, fauna and geography was not as good as we would have hoped.
The Orang-utan viewing was excellent and in the sanctuary area the view from the canoe was excellent. We especially enjoyed the fact that we were the only boat there. Outside of this there was not a lot of wildlife to see. Over the duration of 3 days we saw one small group of monkeys and a few small birds. It is an unfortunate reality that the natural environment has been compromised by the destruction of the environment and local hunting practices.
The highlight was the visit to the Dayak village. Our boys loved playing with the local boys who were very keen to share their simple toys.
For us this was a relaxing long weekend away from the craziness of Jakarta. We enjoyed the beautiful views along the river and nothing but time to sit back and read or relax.
Written March 30, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sfasiantraveller
San Francisco, CA129 contributions
Dec 2013 • Solo
I booked a 4 day river cruise on the “Spirit of Kalimantan” river boat. There were a total of four of us on this trip. This tour was one of the best vacation and wildlife experiences I have had (and I have seen pretty much everything in Africa). Despite all it has to offer, Kalimantan is a tough place to vacation in so I was not expecting much. However, I was blown away by this trip. The boat was beautiful, spacious, very comfortable, and had great sleeping accommodation (including comfortable beds). There was a total of six crew members including the boat captain and our tour guide. Aini, our tour guide, spoke exceptional English and she is an intelligent charming, and knowledgeable lady. She was by far the best tour guide I have had in Asia. The rest of the crew were also extremely attentive and took care of all our needs. The food provided during the four days was about as good as I have had in Indonesia. The struggle was not over eating. The highlight of the trip was the orangutans and the knowledgeable staff made sure that we had plenty of sightings. The trip also included three exceptional village visits and the Dayak and other tribes who live in the area was such a pleasure to be around. We also visited the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, which was both beautiful and also a bit of wake up call to see the enormity of he challenges faced by these magnificent creatures. The trip was made all the more special by the other guests as we all became one large family. I would recommend this trip as a MUST for all travelers to Borneo. I will definitely do this again.
Written December 30, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark W
Massachusetts26 contributions
Oct 2014 • Friends
Six of us spent three nights and four days on the Spirit of Kalimantan traveling the back rivers of the area. Due to the forest fires we were afraid we might have to alter the trip, but through daily communications with Gaye before we left, the correct decision was made to continue with our original plan. The highlight of the trip was going up the Rungan River to see Orangutans in as close to the wild as you can get. They were in a prerelease island and came to observe us as we watched them. Amazing sight. The boat was just right for our adventures. It was spacious, had a great front deck to relax on and staterooms that were cool retreats to go to at night with A/C. Really needed that. The meals were wonderful, tasty and local which was what we had hoped for. Great cook. Gaye, from WOW Borneo provided a guide who was knowledgeable about the local wildlife, inhabitants and culture. She also couldn't have been more pleasant and personable. She was able to answer most of our questions and had many stories to tell. Our itinerary took us to a number of very off the beaten path villages (accessible only by motorized canoes) where we met kids, teachers and local villagers. Lots of great interactions and pictures to take home. This was not your easy comfortable tour, but an in depth look at the people and culture of a place few people get to visit, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. If you're up for an out of the way adventure, this is the place to go and WOW Borneo is the organization to go with.
Written November 26, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
corinnefar
Perols, France27 contributions
Qu’elle est le prix d’une croisière de 3j/2nuit svp?
IbuGaye
Banjarmasin, Indonesia44 contributions
Prices on board the Rahai'i Pangun in Palangka Raya start from US$ 570 per person for 3 days and 2 nights. Our scheduled cruises start on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Please write to us via our website for more detailed information and to make a booking. Regards
KsenijaCalifornia
California96 contributions
I don’t seem to be able to find any prices for the wow Borneo boat trips. Also there is a confusion in the website over which boat goes where and which review goes with which boat.
Can someone who has been there lately enlighten me as to what was the cost and which is a good boat with air-conditioned cabins. Though from the reviews it seems guests had a bad experience at being switched to a worse boat when they arrived.
Thank you for any input.
MikeHSFO
San Francisco, CA226 contributions
i don't know what the boat name was but we had a super time with a/c in the cabins. i do know we had to email several times and depending on the specific time, responses took some time. Our cost was USD $775 for the three day tour (two couples) all included.
Martin J
Oberursel (Taunus), Germany37 contributions
Hi, how much is the 3 nights boat tour for a family with 2 kids?
IbuGaye
Banjarmasin, Indonesia44 contributions
Thanks for your enquiry!
Which boat trip are you interested in? We have trips from Palangka Raya on board the Rahai'i Pangun, on the Katingan River on board the Ruhui Rahayu or trips from Tanjung Puting on board our boat, the Sekonyer Spirit.
Please get in touch with us at the email address on our website and we can give full details,
Kind regards
Martin J
Oberursel (Taunus), Germany37 contributions
Hi, was kostet denn die Bootstour? mir hat WOW 900 USD pro person angeboten für eine private Bootstour 3 Nächte, das kommt mir total überteuert vor.
IbuGaye
Banjarmasin, Indonesia44 contributions
Hi Martin,
as we have different standard boats operating for different times, which cruise were you interested in, and I would be happy to price it for you.
Kind regards from Gaye
Maximos62
Sydney, Australia5 contributions
What is the itinerary?
IbuGaye
Banjarmasin, Indonesia44 contributions
Hi Maximos,
Thanks for your query!
Our 3 day itinerary is on our wowborneo website under the cruises tag on the homepage.
This cruise is run from Palangka Raya every Tuesday. Please send an email to our sales team at info@wowborneo.
With best wishes from Gaye
VeroRicalde1
Mexico City, Mexico
Hi!
I send you a mail and a message on yur web page 4 days ago... Are you on vacations? Is Wos Borneo still operating? You haven´t answer anything...
This is my message:
My sister and I will go to Indonesia on February, we will arrive to Bali on February the 18th.
We want to take a tour with you: "The Orangutan and Komodo tour"... We are only 2 persons.
Could you tell me please the price of this tour? How can we reserve the tour? Also we want to Know if we can buy the plane tickets to Kalimantan from Bali...
Regards from Mexico
Veronica
Culprido
Ko Lipe, Thailand84 contributions
Hi, we are interested in your 3 day trip and are planning on going this summer mid june. Knowing this is dry season, is it enough water to go by boat all the way? Also we could arrive thursday the the 18th of june. Do you have trips starting that day or what day is best to arrive on? Thanks!
Wow Borneo (Palangkaraya) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
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