Loksado : South Kalimantan Bamboo Rafting

Ive never ever heard this place before actually stumbling in there. It has very limited entry in Indonesian version of Wikipedia and doesnt even listed in Google Maps. The great experience ive had in this remote place plus the lack of information of it in the internet, give me the urge to create this post. This place is called Loksado and here is the story.

Loksado is off-the-beaten-path village located in the South Kalimantan province, upper side of beautiful archipelago cum my home country Indonesia.  In the province, there are other spot which gets more touristy spotlight which is Banjarmasin (the big city) and Martapura ( famous for its diamonds) . Not many souls know that in Loksado, you can get the awesome experience of bamboo rafting or as the locals said “Balanting Paring”. Cruising down to the river stream through the thick of Dayak’s forest is something that not to be missed.

Obviously and sadfuly there are no public transport going to this remote place. The most feasible transportation options is to rent a car. Going Loksado from Banjarmasin it will take you approx 5 hours by car (approx 150 km) or if you are adrenaline-induced happy go lucky individuals, take motorbike. Its not going to be an easy ride mind you, from Banjarmasin to Loksado you’ll be going up and down the hill, through the forest and narrow roads. It gets worst at night because there are no streetlights for the most part of the area. If you mentally choose to go here by motorbike, this is the part where you contemplate your decision.

Good thing about it are the asphalt condition is good and there are houses, stores and auto garage for lite repair along the roads. As for gas stations, since oftenly there are lack of supplies i suggest you to get the tanks full at Banjarmasin.

Last paragraph may seem to be bleak but no worries, its just a dragging set up to spice the punchline. Once you arrive inside Loksado Forest tourist area, the journey’s hardness will be paid. The river flows with clear water stream making relaxing noise will calm the nerves. Better yet you’re gonna ride through it.

As the name implied, Bamboo Rafting is a rafting through (in this case) Loksado river over packs of bamboo. Maybe because staying true to traditions or just to add thrill to it, you wont get any sort of protecting gears such as body-buoy. The river is shallow and the rift in my opinion is not very challenging, still it will be abit scary if you cant swim. There will be a skipper slash bamboo- driver that will be a compadre during the raft experience. No worries, it couldnt be safer than that.

For 2,5 hours of bamboo rafting experience, it will cost you around 250k. One bamboo raft can cope maximum three people. If youre happened to be near Banjarmasin, definitely its a must try albeit quite far and questionable safety level of the raft. Hey, what life is without occasional edgy adventurous experience right ?

Have a wet day everyone.

Thanks for my bro Rifky Handika Haqi for being a good host in my Banjarmasin backpacking trip, hell of a motorcycle ride that was. Also id like to give a big thanks for Banjarmasin PLN young guns who let this truly stranger crash them place.