The Sentarum Lake is the Largest Floodplain Lake at Kalimantan Island.
The Sentarum lake is not just an ordinary lake – it is a vast floodplain lake shaped by the rhythms of the Kapuas River, the famous Sentarum Lake National Park is the area of interconnected seasonal lakes. Located in the remote area of Kapuas Hulu Regency, West Borneo.
The Sentarum lake has a long history of human settlement, up to some hundred years ago the area was in habited by various ethnic group visiting the lake in the dry season fish and return to the village afterwards. Overtime small groups began to settle in hamlets as they exist to this day. Their extensive knowledge of the local ecosystem has ensured the ability to sustain and protect the local environment.
During the wet season, the river overflows, submerging the valleys and transforming the basin into a sprawling inland sea. The excess water is collected in the lakes. This is for preventing flooding to downstream regions.
At its peak, the lake holds up to 16 trillion cubic meters of water with depths ranging from 6 to 8 meters. But after 9–10 months, when the dry season sets in, the waters recede, leaving behind hundreds of smaller interconnected lakes surrounded by peat swamp forests, grasslands, and tropical rainforest. The Sentarum lake also plays an important role in settlement along the Kapuas River. The main cities such as Sanggau, Sekadau, Sintang, Putussibau where the nearest area from the Sentarum Lake and the provincial capital Pontianak depend strongly on the lakes as the heart of water system in upper West Borneo.
This extraordinary ecosystem is protected within the Sentarum Lake National Park, which covers about 132,000 hectares. With its clear reddish-brown waters, the park harbour more than 250 species of fish—including the world-famous super red arowana. Saltwater crocodiles, freshwater turtles, and rare waterbirds also thrive here. In the surrounding forests, iconic Bornean wildlife such as orangutans, proboscis monkeys, langurs, and hornbills can still be found. It’s no wonder that the Sentarum Lake is often called the “fish bank” of the Kapuas River, serving as a vital spawning and nursery ground for countless freshwater species.
Around the lake, Dayak Iban, Malay, and other local communities live in harmony with nature. Many make their homes in floating houses (lanting) or traditional stilt houses, sustaining themselves through fishing, wild honey collection, and other non-timber forest products. Sentarum’s wild honey has even become a signature local commodity, harvested and managed through age-old traditions.
Exploring the Sentarum lake offers an unforgettable experience, it’s a wet season for most of the year and the stillness of the water creates breath taking reflections of the surrounding riverbanks and trees. Cruising across its waters by motorboat, taking the amazing landscapes and enjoy the flaming sunsets over the lakes. With staying in stilt houses, and experience a way of life deeply connected to the rhythms of nature.
