Traveling on the huge slow-flowing Mahakam River, where crocodiles roam free (seriously!), on a ces or ketinting (small motorized wooden boat) is both a fun and adventurous activity. The treacherous waves are so close to your side that sudden splashes occasionally hit your hands and face.

From its inconspicuous sources up in West Kutai to the busy estuary in Samarinda where it empties into the Makassar Strait, the Mahakam charms visitors with its network of rivers, lakes, creeks, deltas and tributaries among the tropical lush greenery.

Designated as an ecotourism destination, the 980 kilometer river boasts exotic flora and fauna that wildlife buffs should not miss, such as the rare Mahakam dolphins, birds and primates. While cruising on the boat, you can see some of them in the water, on trees and riverbanks.

I was so lucky that my group sighted pods of pesut, as locals call the dolphins, in several spots. We saw the smart animals swim around while feeding and playing. Many of them are families of mothers, babies and juveniles.

In the lush green panoramic tropical rain forest nearby, proboscis monkeys leap from one tree to another. Storks fly low and danced overhead.

Thriving ecotourism has given rise to sightseeing tours in local towns and villages. Travel agents offer packages that include pesut watching. One of the tour groups is called Save Pesut Mahakam. Trips are even more enjoyable with the availability of floating eateries in addition to the more conventional inland food stalls.

Tour guides are well-versed about local species and places to find them in the wild. They are the right people to show you spots where dolphins usually assemble. The ecotourism destination has attracted people far and wide, including the Netherlands, Germany and Australia.

The dolphins have their own spots to feed and play. Among the best-known are tributaries and lakes between Muara Kaman and Melak — the mammal’s main habitat. There lie four major tributaries where the animals are often sighted: Pela, Belayan, Kedang Kepala and Kedang Rantau.

Of all the places we visited, I found Sangkuliman, a fishing village by the Pela River, the best place for dolphin watching. You can stay on a floating guesthouse from where you can see them move about, especially in the early morning and afternoon. At dusk, the place is famous for its sunset.

Another place to watch dolphins is the confluence of Muara Kaman village in Kutai Kartanegara, where they appear while you enjoy lunch at an unpretentious restaurant. Muara Kaman and Sangkuliman are known as a route of the pesut migration.

Regarded as the most valuable conservation areas are the Pela, Kedang Kepala and Kedang Rantau rivers, where visitors can find endangered species such as proboscis monkeys, lesser adjutants, leaf monkeys, macaques and the majestic hornbills.

The Pela River connects three major lakes: Semayang, Melintang and Jempang, which are the dolphins’ favorite socializing and feeding sites. If you are lucky, you may see the pesut give birth there, says Danielle Kreb, senior researcher and scientific advisor with the Rare Aquatic Species of Indonesia.

The Jempang Lake is the most happening with the bustling fishing communities. Here, the main tourist attraction is the cultural village of Tanjung Isuy, where the Dayak tribes, the Tunjung and Benuaq, live in longhouses that are available as tourist accommodation. The village is also famous for its handicrafts.

A great thing about the local tradition is that locals do not hunt dolphins. The animal is highly treasured as the province’s icon. Their high regard is embodied in folklore which says that the animals are the reincarnation of humans and therefore killing or trading them is taboo.

Mansyursyah, a 56-year-old Kutai tribesman, says he believes in the folklore after personally seeing dolphins beached at a riverbank. “Their bodies looked like a human’s,” he said. “The female’s body very much resembled a women’s body.”

The Mahakam fresh water dolphin, whose number is estimated at about 80, is legally protected under Law No. 5/1990 on conservation of biodiversity and the ecosystem.

Kalimantan has long been regarded as a haven for ecotourism. Orangutans, which have also been listed as endangered, has long been the traditional attraction. Tourism is expected to underpin the conservation effort, generating income for many locals and improving their ecological awareness at the same time.

Other than the animals, Kalimantan is famous for its natural beauty and exotic, diverse Dayak culture. Floating markets charm visitors from outside the sparsely populated island.

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From Jakarta, it takes two hours and 15 minutes by plane to Balikpapan and another two-three hours by car to Samarinda. From here, you can take a boat to explore the Mahakam. For pesut watching, it is recommended that you find a guide that can take you to the rights spots.

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