Loksado is a small town in the Meratus Mountains of South Kalimantan, about five hours by road from Banjarmasin. It is the starting point for treks into the Meratus range — one of the few places in Indonesian Borneo where you can walk through genuine mountain rainforest and stay with indigenous Dayak communities.
The classic trek runs from Loksado to Malaris and Haratai, passing through dense tropical forest, across wooden bridges and small rivers, and through villages where the locals keep dogs and pigs (called gunik in the local language). The evening stretch toward Haratai is the best — as the light fades, the sky fills with more stars than you thought possible.
In Haratai, you can stay with local families who still practise Hindu Kaharingan beliefs. If you are lucky, you may witness a Jujuran — a pre-wedding ceremony in which the families of bride and groom negotiate wedding expenses through improvised poetry (beruji). The event can last all night, with intermissions of traditional drumming, singing and dancing in trance-like states, all held in a communal house connecting several families descended from the same ancestor.
Bamboo rafting on the Amandit River is another popular activity, and can be combined with the trek for a return trip to Loksado.