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Seeking advice about Borneo/Kalimantan and Sulawesi Seeking advice about Borneo/Kalimantan and Sulawesi
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SE Asia Includes Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, plus Indonesia
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  #1  
Old 26 Mar 2015
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I'm hanging around in Sumatra at the moment and have been thinking the same thing. I've been asking around about ferries and that but solid information is pretty hard to come by. The best thing is to just turn up at the port at ask what boats go where. But going to Sulawesi/Borneo I think is best from Jakarta or Surabaya.

I'll try and make a move up there in May or June so I'll post back again when I've found out something, or give us a shout when you're in the area and we can have a go together.
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Old 26 Mar 2015
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Originally Posted by Prisoner62113 View Post
I'm hanging around in Sumatra at the moment and have been thinking the same thing. I've been asking around about ferries and that but solid information is pretty hard to come by. The best thing is to just turn up at the port at ask what boats go where. But going to Sulawesi/Borneo I think is best from Jakarta or Surabaya.

I'll try and make a move up there in May or June so I'll post back again when I've found out something, or give us a shout when you're in the area and we can have a go together.
You are right that information is very hard to find about these islands and local conditions. So any information or advice would be good.

I would not like for example to get to Kalimantan, ride around most of the island and then find out that the ferryboat from Tawau cannot carry motorbikes. Which would mean that I probably had to ride all or most of the way back again....or to ride 1000 km into the inland of the island and find out there is a dead end there because a landslide or something like that.

Kalimantan and Sulawesi anyone???
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Old 16 May 2015
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If you're in Kalimantan, there's little chance you will ever make it to Tawau, which is in Malaysia (Sabah). Both countries (Indonesia and Malaysia) are strictly apart, with no apparent border crossings.
The Malaysian part of Borneo (Sarawak and Sabah) have good roads, and you can get almost anywhere. The Indonesian part has no ongoing roads at all, just local roads around any port village. From one village to the next is all done by boat.
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Old 17 May 2015
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Originally Posted by alfonso-the-wanderer View Post
If you're in Kalimantan, there's little chance you will ever make it to Tawau, which is in Malaysia (Sabah). Both countries (Indonesia and Malaysia) are strictly apart, with no apparent border crossings.
The Malaysian part of Borneo (Sarawak and Sabah) have good roads, and you can get almost anywhere. The Indonesian part has no ongoing roads at all, just local roads around any port village. From one village to the next is all done by boat.
I wish people at least had a certain clue about things before throwing up complete nonsence when a man asks for information.

There are two official land border crossings between Indonesia and Malaysia onBorneo/Kalimantan. That would have been the least thing I would have worried about if travelling on Borneo. Anyhow - for other reasons than border crossings I have decided to skip Borneo - but Sulawesi is still on my list.

From Wikipedia:

"Land crossings.
There are only 2 official land border crossing, namely between the Malaysian town of Tebedu in Sarawak and Entikong in West Kalimantan & between lundu-biawak and aruk-sambas. The crossing is along the main route between Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, and Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan.

There are numerous other informal crossings between Indonesia and Malaysia along the length of the land border, such as in Serikin near Kuching, Bario in the Kelabit Highlands and Sapulut in the interior of Sabah. These are mostly used by the local population and a certain amount of cross-border trading and smuggling goes on at these and other illegal crossings. Illegal immigrants are also known to use such crossings"
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Old 16 May 2015
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i live in the western part of kalimantan, about 400km from pontianak.

take a look here
https://www.facebook.com/hady.fritz/...7441031&type=3
these photo taken last year, road condition always change, can be better can be worst.
ready for some adventure
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Old 17 May 2015
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Originally Posted by hady View Post
i live in the western part of kalimantan, about 400km from pontianak.

take a look here
https://www.facebook.com/hady.fritz/...7441031&type=3
these photo taken last year, road condition always change, can be better can be worst.
ready for some adventure
Well Hady - I would have loved to have a look at your photos but since we are not friends in FB I dont have access to your photos..... :-(

Anyhow - I have decided to skip Kalimantan for this travel. Hopefully another time...
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