Before heading to Tanjung Puting national park, you must first register with the police in the dusty administrative town of PANGKALANBUN, which stands on the eastern bank of the modest Sungai Arut. Following the river's southern bank, Jalan Antasari is Pangkalanbun's main street. Orientate yourself by finding the intersection with Jalan Rangga Santrek, marked by the BNI bank here (foreign exchange Mon-Thurs 8am-3pm, Fri 8-11am), which runs 70m south to where Jalan Kasamayuda parallels Jalan Antasari. The police headquarters are 1km from the centre on Jalan Diponegoro (daily 7am-5pm; catch a bemo from the Jalan Kasamayuda-Jalan Santrek intersection). Registration here is free, but you'll need your passport and a copy of the photo page; the process takes ten minutes and leaves you with a registration certificate to be handed to the park authorities at Kumai.

Arrival points are scattered. Long-distance buses stop at bus companies' downtown offices: MP is about 500m west of the BNI on Jalan Antasari, while Yessoe Travel is on the corner of Jalan Santrek and Jalan Kasamayuda. The airport is 5km out to the southeast: chartered bemos from here cost a flat Rp10,000. Though the town is small, at Rp500 a ride Pangkalanbun's yellow city bemos are a cheap way to get around.

Few of Pangkalanbun's cheaper lodgings want foreign custom. Centrally located above a jewellery store in the backstreets off Jalan Antasari, the basic Losmen Mawar (under $5) does, but tidy, simple rooms at the Thamarin ($5-10) on Jalan Diponegoro, and Andika (tel 0532/21218; $5-10), on Jalan Hasanudin, are a better deal - both are a couple of kilometres from the centre. Closer in on the hill above Jalan Kasamayuda, the Blue Kecubung (tel 0532/21211; $10-15) is helpful, overpriced, and also takes bookings for Rimba Lodge in Tanjung Puting national park. All hotels serve meals , otherwise try the pricey Chinese fare at the Phoenix or the good Padang selection at Beringin Padang, both on Jalan Antasari.

Leaving , both bus companies operate two daily buses to Palangkaraya (10hr; Rp35,000). Dimendra Travel, at the Jalan Santrek/Kasamayuda junction, makes airline bookings to Palangkaraya, Pontianak or Java, and can book Pelni tickets out of Kumai. An ojek to Kumai costs Rp5000 or, before about 3pm, you can catch a bemo from Pasar Baru to terminal bis, then a minibus for the remaining hour-long run - about Rp1500 in all.