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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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  #16  
Old 17 Mar 2016
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Location: Kalimantan
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Best option for a ferry to Kalimantan is Surabaya / Banjarmasin, all main roads are passable in East / South Kalimantan even if some are in a very poor condition. I regularly drive from Banjarmasin / Balikpapan / Samarinda, no issues at all. I also have a friend who has crossed from the border into Malaysia with a Harley, if required I could ask him for further information on the where and what and involved.
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  #17  
Old 17 Mar 2016
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Location: Back into the hamster wheel again, in Oslo - Norway. Did a 5 year RTW trip/250 k kms, 2014-2019
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Thanks Bigchaser. 88ontheroad has just comw through from Kuching to Palangkaraya - as he mentioned a few days ago earlier in this thread. So that stretch is covered.

This time I will come from Dili - East Timor and my route is relatively clear.
Dili to Kupang by road.
Kupang to Flores by ferry
Cross Flores to Labuanbajo by road
Labuanbajo to south Sulawesi by ferry.
Cross Sulawesi by road to Palu
Ferry from Palu to Balikpapan.
Continue

Theres still 3 stretches that are not clear - and if someone have information it would be great.

1. I would like to take my bike over to The Philippines. Theres a ferry from Sandakan (northeastern tip of Borneo) to Zamboanga (southwestern tip of The Philippines) but is it a roroferry or a passangerferry? Anyone know if this ferry handles a relatively big bike?

2. Will philippin authorieties have any problems with a foreign plated bike entering the country? I know its done before - a spanish guy named Miguel Silvestre did this a few years ago (its on youtube) but things could have changed during the last years. Anyone?

3. Shipping options back from Borneo to mainland Malaysia. Still waiting for AT750s reply....but any info about this appriciated.
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  #18  
Old 9 Apr 2016
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Borneo
I rode the East coast of Borneo in Sep2013, got the ferry from Surabaya in north East Java to Banjarmasin. Takes about 24 hrs, the east coast road went from very good to bloody awful. It finally ran out in the north at a big river. I managed to hire a local speedboat boat to take me to Tarakan from there I got a ferry to Tawau in Malaysia section. It was all a bit difficult with customs and shipping not wanting to take a bike on the ferry but I finally managed. Spent a bit off cash but got there. My blog on toyotadreamingv1 has a link to that trip on travel pod. I was riding a Suzuki DRZ400. More info on the blog, good luck, it helps if you can speak a bit of Indonesian.
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  #19  
Old 9 Apr 2016
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Thanks for reply and information Mickoobyrne. I wasnt planning riding the east coast of Borneo. From Balikpapan I want to ride westwards towards Kuching and from here to Sandakan.

The ferry from Sandakan to Zamboanga is still hard to get information about - does it take vehicles? Will they allow me on the ferry and into The Philippines and then shipping from malaysian Borneo to malaysian mainland/peninsula on the return..... Still seeking information about this...
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  #20  
Old 16 Apr 2016
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kilimantan, sulawesi
sorry i forgot this information:
from kuala lumpur to kutching i took mas cargo: Give your ride a lift | MASkargo
they chargeed 1537.- Malayan money, around 380USD plus around 50 usd for my own seat.
with big luck and obstinately asking around you may finde a ferry, but not shure that this is cheaper....

sulawesi was a dream to ride, just don't forget its huge. roads are mostly verry nice as long you don't try to finde shortcuts on your own ;-)

ferry from balikpapan to palu took around 30 houres, by asdp, twice a week
ferry from bira to flores also took 30 houres, by asdp, once a week on sunday midnight

save ride to you all
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  #21  
Old 10 Sep 2022
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mickoobyrne View Post
I rode the East coast of Borneo in Sep2013, got the ferry from Surabaya in north East Java to Banjarmasin. Takes about 24 hrs, the east coast road went from very good to bloody awful. It finally ran out in the north at a big river. I managed to hire a local speedboat boat to take me to Tarakan from there I got a ferry to Tawau in Malaysia section. It was all a bit difficult with customs and shipping not wanting to take a bike on the ferry but I finally managed. Spent a bit off cash but got there. My blog on toyotadreamingv1 has a link to that trip on travel pod. I was riding a Suzuki DRZ400. More info on the blog, good luck, it helps if you can speak a bit of Indonesian.
Hello! Website doesn’t seem to exist anymore. I’m looking to do the tawau to tarakan way or the reversed. Would love to hear how you did it.
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