arrow-left arrow-down arrow-right arrow-up bookmark bookmark-outline checkmark chevron-left chevron-down chevron-right chevron-up chevron-double-left chevron-double-down chevron-double-right chevron-double-up clock compass departure-return devices email forum globe globe-alt guest-services heart info loading lp-diamond marker-flag minus mobile open pin play plus pop-out price share shop sight star triangle-left triangle-down triangle-right triangle-up trip-type umbrella apple facebook facebook-block instagram pinterest pinterest-large twitter facebook-messenger whatsapp 0 rating 1/2 rating 1 rating 1-1/2 rating 2 rating 2-1/2 rating 3 rating 3-1/2 rating 4 rating 4-1/2 rating 5 rating airplane bear bed book-pencil car health lamp lgbt money safety suitcase umbrella vespa visa wheelchair map-default map-drink map-eat map-play map-see map-shop map-sleep map-transport hamburger loading magnify-grey magnify-white open pop-out loading-40px share-13px pop-out-16px twitter-21px facebook-21px facebook-9px email-18px email-21px
Skip to Content
Search Lonely Planet
Search
Video
Best in Travel 2019
Best in Travel 2019
Featured
Adventure travel
Art and culture
Beaches, coasts and islands
Explore every day
Food and drink
Journeys
Tokyo Modern | Classic
Browse Videos
Destinations
Best in Travel
Best in Travel
Featured
Africa
Antarctica
Asia
Australia & Pacific
Caribbean
Central America
Europe
Middle East
North America
South America
See All Countries
Bookings
Insurance
Hotels
Flights
Adventure tours
Sightseeing tours
Car rental
Shop
Sign in

,,

Borneo’s mystical Meratus Mountains

Featured article
Richard Waters
Lonely Planet Writer
share

Before huge swaths of Borneo were aggressively carved up to make way for palm-oil plantations and voracious logging, the whole island looked something like the Meratus Mountains. This 2,500sqkm range in southern Kalimantan has mist-laced, river-crossed peaks, dense jungles, steep valleys and jagged karst formations. They are also heavily populated with Borneo’s indigenous people, the Dayak, whose strong religious customs play to the soundtrack of the shaman’s drum.

The best way to experience this mystical mountain range is through homestays in the villages scattered along the many mountain trails. You can sleep in an atmospheric stilted longhouse between river rafting and trekking in some of the most stunning scenery in Southeast Asia.

Stocking up on supplies

You will need to source a driver and an English-speaking guide in the city of Banjarmasin or the town of Kandangan. Without them, the trip is considerably harder. They will help you communicate with the locals, and there are stories of over-ambitious travellers losing themselves – sometimes permanently - in the maze of trails that stitch themselves across this vast area.

One and a half hours north of Kandangan is Loksado, a Dayak village at the base of the Meratus Mountains. This is the starting point for many treks and has a few guesthouses and basic restaurants. Mr Alut’s Guest House (Loksado; 0-81-3493-46147), located along the river, has cosy rooms with wood walls and warm blankets, as the temperature drops sharply at night.

From Loksado you will trek into the mountains by foot with your guide. At dusk, expect to see fireflies flickering, bats wheeling and the fringes of the pathway periodically lit by what seems like countless green eyes. Thankfully, it is not a sign that animals are watching you -- it is the bacterial phosphorescence of low level fungi. The whole experience is eerily beautiful, like a natural spectral funhouse.

Homestays in Dayak villages

With the Dayak’s history of headhunting and animism, few places on earth are as wrapped in such rugged mysticism. Indeed very little has changed in the last century: swidden (slash and burn) farming and ancient customs are still observed, and the shaman still holds sway in most villages, despite the presence of mobile phones and satellite TV.

Upon arrival at a village, you or your guide will need to ask the Kepala Kampung (village headman) for permission to stay the night, and a cash donation should also be made to him on your departure.

A homestay will most likely include a tour of the longhouse, where as many as thirty families used to live together under the same roof. Nowadays, villagers often have their own, separate houses, but the longhouse is still the nucleus of the village, where ceremonies and celebrations take place and prayers are made at the spirit altar.

If you are lucky, you may be able to see the village pembeliatn (shaman) at work. His job is to identify the bad spirits that are attaching themselves to the juus (soul) of a person, and by placing himself in a trance he is able to purify the afflicted soul. Also sought in times of marital distress and for blessings, the shaman is the link between the tangible and the mysterious forces lurking in the forest.

If you stay the night, it is likely you will be offered accommodation in the stilted longhouse, sleeping on a thin mattress and eating whatever food is offered to you. Children and adults often ask to see photos of your family back home, so make sure you have your camera with you. But if you want to take pictures, ask permission first.

Trekking and rafting

Treks can last anywhere from a few hours to three days, depending on your fitness level and how deep you want to penetrate the interior. One trek worth taking is to a series of pretty waterfalls past Harati village. They can be found by following the Amandit River upstream from Loksado for about eight kilometres. The climb becomes progressively harder as you reach the higher cascades, and it is recommended that you use a guide.

Discover India [US]

$32.49

Lonely Planet Discover India is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what...

Visit Shop

Do not miss the beautifully carved longhouse at the village of Malaris, a few miles away across the river from Loksado, once home to 32 families. Provided no ceremonies are taking place, it may be possible to stay here if your guide speaks to the headman.

A trip to the Meratus, especially when the river runs high, would not be complete without rafting on the Amandit River. The usual end-point is the village of Muara Tanuhi, about two hours downstream from Loksado; long enough to give you a taste of the rapids and a burst of adrenaline while passing through the atmospheric karst country and wild forest.

Published

More from Lonely Planet

facebook pinterest twitter flipboard

Subscribe

Get 20% off at our online shop.

I want emails from Lonely Planet with travel and product information, promotions, advertisements, third-party offers, and surveys. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. Contact Lonely Planet here. Lonely Planet Privacy Policy.
Thank you for subscribing.

Destinations

  • Africa
  • Antarctica
  • Asia
  • Caribbean Islands
  • Central America
  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • North America
  • Pacific
  • South America

Shop

  • Destination guides
  • eBooks
  • Pictorial & gifts
  • Phrasebooks
  • Lonely Planet Kids
  • Special offers

Community

  • Country forums
  • Interest forums
  • Travel companions
  • Talk to Lonely Planet

Interests

  • Adventure travel
  • Art and culture
  • Backpacking
  • Beaches, coasts and islands
  • Family holidays
  • Festivals
  • Food and drink
  • Honeymoon and romance
  • Road trips
  • Travel gear and tech
  • Travel on a budget
  • Wildlife and nature

Travel booking

  • Hotels
  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • About us
  • Work for Us
  • Contact us
  • Press, trade and advertising
  • Blog
  • Terms & conditions
  • Privacy policy

© 2019 Lonely Planet. All rights reserved. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission.