From Banjarmasin (Indonesia) in the southeast to Kuching (Malaysia) in the northwest. Traveling clockwise I took following route:
Banjarmasin to Sampit(415km); to Pangklanbun (245km); Nangabulik(110km); Kudangan(110km); Nangatayap(75km);
Sandai(40km); Tayan(190km); Pontianak(116km); Ngabang(150km); Entikong-Bordercrossing(150km); Kuching(100km)
Altogether close to 2000km and it take me 8 riding days.
View attachment 15520 View attachment 15521
Roadconditions:
Good paved road from Benjarmasin to Kudangan appart from some short construction areas and a few large pothols. Around Kundangan the road is new, but bridges are under construction. From Kudangan to Nangatayap the road is paved till past the West-Kalimantan-Province border. Then there is a stretch of 50km earth road winding through the jungel. Nice and mostly smooth to ride during dry weather. But seems to be slippery/muddy when wet. From Nangatayap further north to Kuching the road is paved, and in good condition.
Small scooter or overloaded Big-Bike even midsize Truck can travel all the way. (Dryseason)
Petrol: There are enough Gas-Stations on the way, and if not (No open Stations between Nangabulik and Tayan) in every Village you can by Petrol out of glasbottels from private shops. So no worrys.
Orientation: Some roadsighns, helpfull people everywhere and a Reise-Know-How map, had no GPS-Map
Bordercrossing: 40 minutes in total. You need a Carnet.
Accomidation: In the bigger citys are hotels. In between I slept in Nangatayap (basic losmen) nearh the Intersection wehere you have to turn east (traveling nort to south) GPS:1°30'57''S, 110°33'49''E and Tayan (Hotel Marinas GPS:0°2'7''S, 110°6'51''E). Ferry crossing in Tayan is some kilometers east of town.
How to get there and away?
From Java are regular RoRo Ferrys to/from indonesian Borneo
I took the ferry Surabaya to Banjarmasin
The Surabaya Ferry Terminal is in Tanjung Perak habour north of the cente. Car/Truck Ferrys to Benjarmasin run at least every second day.
I shipped with PT. Jembatan Nusantara, but there might be more companys sailing to Banjarmasin.
I bought my ticket from an agent, but I am sure he overcharged me. His office is on Jl.Perak Timur No. 308 (Just u-turn in front of the habour gate and drive back for 1-2 km, the office is at the lefthand side). Next time I would try to find the official ticket office.
The passengerticket cost 200.000 IDR (17€) and the ticket for a scooter is 350.000 IDR. As I travel with a sidecar, my Agent charged me 1.300.000 IDR for the Sidecar ~3,5 times scooter. Lucky day for him...
My ferry depart at 7PM and takes around 20h. It was quite a large ferry but I was the only falang.
The big economy sleepingroom has AC and no karaoke so I sleept well. Cabins were already sold out.
In Benjarmasin the ferry-Terminal is about 5 km southwest of the center (market).
There is no RoRo ferry to cross from Malaysia(mainland) to Malaysia(Borneo) or back. It is possible to ship the bike in a Box, but it takes a lot of time (up to 4 weeks), is more difficult to organize and does not save much money specialy if you have to wait in a Hotel for your bike to come.
For me airfright was the best option.
Transmile Air and MAScargo have frighters between Kuala Lumpur and Kuching or Kota Kinabalu
No box requierd. Price by kilo and not by size.
Prices (1 RM is about 0,25€):
Transmile Air Kuching to KL:
Price per Kilo incl. THC and DFS = 4,55 RM
Handling and Custom ca. 400 RM
MAScargo Kuching to KL:
not available only KL to Kuching
Transmile Air Kota kinabalu to KL:
Price per Kilo incl. THC and DFS = 6,33 RM
Handling and Custom ca. 400 RM
MAScargo Kota kinabalu to KL:
Price per Kilo incl. THC and DFS = 4,78 RM
Handling and Custom ca. 400 RM
After traveling down over Sumatra and Java before the cross Borneo route seams to me as a good altenative route to go from Bali to Thailand or the other way. It might be a bit more expensive, but it is faster, and on this way you can avoid all the crazy and dangerous traffic in Sumatra and west Java.
Hope this Information will help other travellers.
Questions please direct to heikoplath (at) gmx.de
Greetings Heiko
Banjarmasin to Sampit(415km); to Pangklanbun (245km); Nangabulik(110km); Kudangan(110km); Nangatayap(75km);
Sandai(40km); Tayan(190km); Pontianak(116km); Ngabang(150km); Entikong-Bordercrossing(150km); Kuching(100km)
Altogether close to 2000km and it take me 8 riding days.
View attachment 15520 View attachment 15521
Roadconditions:
Good paved road from Benjarmasin to Kudangan appart from some short construction areas and a few large pothols. Around Kundangan the road is new, but bridges are under construction. From Kudangan to Nangatayap the road is paved till past the West-Kalimantan-Province border. Then there is a stretch of 50km earth road winding through the jungel. Nice and mostly smooth to ride during dry weather. But seems to be slippery/muddy when wet. From Nangatayap further north to Kuching the road is paved, and in good condition.
Small scooter or overloaded Big-Bike even midsize Truck can travel all the way. (Dryseason)
Petrol: There are enough Gas-Stations on the way, and if not (No open Stations between Nangabulik and Tayan) in every Village you can by Petrol out of glasbottels from private shops. So no worrys.
Orientation: Some roadsighns, helpfull people everywhere and a Reise-Know-How map, had no GPS-Map
Bordercrossing: 40 minutes in total. You need a Carnet.
Accomidation: In the bigger citys are hotels. In between I slept in Nangatayap (basic losmen) nearh the Intersection wehere you have to turn east (traveling nort to south) GPS:1°30'57''S, 110°33'49''E and Tayan (Hotel Marinas GPS:0°2'7''S, 110°6'51''E). Ferry crossing in Tayan is some kilometers east of town.
How to get there and away?
From Java are regular RoRo Ferrys to/from indonesian Borneo
- Surabaya - Banjarmasin
- Semarang - Banjarmasin
- Surabaya - Pangklanbun(Kumai)
- Semarang - Pangklanbun(Kumai)
- Jarkata - Pontianak
- Semarang - Pontianak
I took the ferry Surabaya to Banjarmasin
The Surabaya Ferry Terminal is in Tanjung Perak habour north of the cente. Car/Truck Ferrys to Benjarmasin run at least every second day.
I shipped with PT. Jembatan Nusantara, but there might be more companys sailing to Banjarmasin.
I bought my ticket from an agent, but I am sure he overcharged me. His office is on Jl.Perak Timur No. 308 (Just u-turn in front of the habour gate and drive back for 1-2 km, the office is at the lefthand side). Next time I would try to find the official ticket office.
The passengerticket cost 200.000 IDR (17€) and the ticket for a scooter is 350.000 IDR. As I travel with a sidecar, my Agent charged me 1.300.000 IDR for the Sidecar ~3,5 times scooter. Lucky day for him...
My ferry depart at 7PM and takes around 20h. It was quite a large ferry but I was the only falang.
The big economy sleepingroom has AC and no karaoke so I sleept well. Cabins were already sold out.
In Benjarmasin the ferry-Terminal is about 5 km southwest of the center (market).
There is no RoRo ferry to cross from Malaysia(mainland) to Malaysia(Borneo) or back. It is possible to ship the bike in a Box, but it takes a lot of time (up to 4 weeks), is more difficult to organize and does not save much money specialy if you have to wait in a Hotel for your bike to come.
For me airfright was the best option.
Transmile Air and MAScargo have frighters between Kuala Lumpur and Kuching or Kota Kinabalu
No box requierd. Price by kilo and not by size.
Prices (1 RM is about 0,25€):
Transmile Air Kuching to KL:
Price per Kilo incl. THC and DFS = 4,55 RM
Handling and Custom ca. 400 RM
MAScargo Kuching to KL:
not available only KL to Kuching
Transmile Air Kota kinabalu to KL:
Price per Kilo incl. THC and DFS = 6,33 RM
Handling and Custom ca. 400 RM
MAScargo Kota kinabalu to KL:
Price per Kilo incl. THC and DFS = 4,78 RM
Handling and Custom ca. 400 RM
After traveling down over Sumatra and Java before the cross Borneo route seams to me as a good altenative route to go from Bali to Thailand or the other way. It might be a bit more expensive, but it is faster, and on this way you can avoid all the crazy and dangerous traffic in Sumatra and west Java.
Hope this Information will help other travellers.
Questions please direct to heikoplath (at) gmx.de
Greetings Heiko
