Tropical Beauty of Bangkirai Hill as an Awesome Holiday Destination

Bangkirai Hill is an area of tropical rain forest that is still natural, but managed for tourist destinations. In addition to the beauty and freshness of the forest with a variety of flora and fauna that exist, in this place visitors can try the challenge by walking on a canopy bridge as high as 30 m above the ground.

Bangkirai Hill is located in Samboja District, Kutai Kertanegara Regency-Balikpapan, East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. This place is 20 km from the city of Samboja District, 58 km from Balikpapan city and 150 km from Tenggarong city or Samarinda.

Bangkirai Hill (image taken from sepinggan-airport.com)

Tropical Beauty of Bangkirai Hill

The Land of Bangkirai

The tropical beauty of Bangkirai Hill as an awesome holiday destination is something that must be visited by someone who expects a vacation experience in a tropical climate.

Bangkirai Hill has an area of 1,500 hectares. In this place visitors can enjoy the scenery and fresh tropical rain forest is still natural. The chirping of the birds and the voices of the other forest animals sounded loudly in this place.

In Bangkirai Hill there are also 4 hectares of orchards. In addition, Bangkirai Hill is home to 45 species of orchids. One of the orchids that grow in this place is a black orchid that became the mascot of East Kalimantan Province.

Black Orchid or Coelogyne Pandurata (image taken from undas.co)

Bangkirai tree is a plant that dominates this forest area. The age of bangkirai trees in this place is more than 150 years with a height of 40-50 meters and a diameter of about 2.3 meters. That is why this area is called Bangkirai Hill.

Bangkirai Trees (image taken from yaasiiiiin.blogspot.co.id)

In this place there are also a variety of forest animals, among which are 113 species of birds, long-tailed monkeys, wild pigs, owa-owa, pig-tailed macaque, red langur, flying squirrels, and deer.

Bangkirai Hill is a conservation forest area that has an important role to develop monument of tropical rain forest which can be used as environmental and forest education facilities.

The Canopy Bridge

In addition to the beauty and freshness of the forest with a variety of flora and fauna, in this place visitors can try the challenge by walking on a canopy bridge. This bridge becomes the main attraction in Bangkirai Hill. The bridge spans 64 meters above 30 meters from the ground. This bridge connects 5 bangkirai trees with each tree spaced about 10-15 meters.

The Canopy Bridge of Bangkirai Hill (image taken from yaasiiiiin.blogspot.co.id)

The construction of this bridge was built in the United States and was built in 1998 with adequate security standards for visitors. The bridge is made of cables, the base of the board, and the walls of the nylon rope net. The bridge is specially designed with wood and stainless steel. Canopy bridge in Bangkirai Hill is the first in Indonesia, second in Asia, and eighth in the world.

The Canopy Bridge of Bangkirai Hill (image taken from commons.wikimedia.org)

Before climbing the bridge, visitors must climb the tower ladder made of ironwood. When setting foot on this bridge for the first time, then the bridge will sway. The more stepping into the middle of the bridge, the bridge will be more sway.

Tower of Canopy Bridge (image taken from yaasiiiiin.blogspot.co.id)

While in the middle of the bridge, visitors should stop and be calm. Then relax and start looking at the beauty of this forest from the bridge.

An Visitor is Enjoying Nature on the Bridge (image taken from indonesiatourismboard.com)

From this canopy bridge visitors can see the formation of Dipterocarpaceae which is characteristic of the beauty of tropical rain forest and interconnected.

This bridge should not be passed by many visitors at the same time for safety. Enjoying beautiful and fresh forest scenery above 30 meters above ground level is something amazing.

How to Go to Bangkirai Hill

To get to Bangkirai Hill, visitors must travel a distance of about 58 km with travel time about 1.5 hours by road overland from Balikpapan City. Take a distance of 150 km if visitors depart from Samarinda City or Tenggarong. But only about 20 km from Samboja district.

The condition of the road to Bangkirai Hill is good enough. From Balikpapan City, visitors can turn left at KM 38 Jl. Soekarno-Hatta, then trace the road with a length of about 7 Km.

Entrance Gate of Bangkirai Hill (image taken from guideplanet.com)

After arriving at the destination, visitors will be able to see the entrance gate. Although the road in the entrance area is a bit bumpy, but overall the condition of this road is still quite good.

Facilities and Accommodation

Bangkirai Hill is equipped with adequate facilities and infrastructure. In addition to the parking area, there is also a meetinghouse that can accommodate 100 people. There are also cottages and restaurants with a delicious and varied menu.

It is unique and interesting, in this place there is also a jungle cabin, the natural inn around the hill.

One of The Jungle Trek of Bangkirai Hill (image taken from guideplanet.com)

There are also 7 jungle trekking lines with a length of about 150 meters to 6 km. Visitors can also camp here because there is a flat grass field with an area of 20 x 50 meters and has been fenced by wood for the area to set up the tent.

So, visitors need not worry if visitors want to stay here.