By my adventure experience, the following are the most common traditional water transportations that you would likely find during your travel in Indonesia. Be aware that some boats have similar shapes but different names depend on which region you are travelling to. Below are the lists:
JUKUNG OR SAMPAN OR PERAHU LESUNG
Jukung is the most used word for a small wooden canoe in Indonesia. It is also often called as sampan and perahu lesung. We have to use paddle to be able to use the boat. Kalimantan and Bali called their boats jukung. While in Asmat, Papua they call it perahu lesung kayu; which they usually craft it at each ends and sides that definitely makes it unique then other kind of canoes.
Perahu Asmat atau Perahu Lesung Kayu | Photographed by Anton Bayu
SamudraSampan or Perahu Lesung Kayu | Photographed by Fiona Callaghan using Panasonic Lumix
Perahu Asmat or Perahu Lesung Kayu | Photographed by Anton Bayu Samudra
Jukung at West Halmahera | Photographed by Fiona Callaghan using Panasonic Lumix
KETINTING
Ketinting boats are jukung that has one or double outrigger at each side. Lampung named their boats as perahu ketinting.
Ketinting at Pulau Sebesi, Lampung | Photographed by Fiona Callaghan using Panasonic Lumix
Ketinting at Teluk Kiluan, Lampung | Photographed by Fiona Callaghan using Panasonic Lumix
KLOTOK
Klotok is jukung with boat engine. The name klotok is the sound expression of the boat engine that sounds as ‘klotok klotok’.
Klotok in Banjarmasin | Photographed by Fiona Callaghan using Panasonic Lumix
LONG BOAT
Long boats are long shaped jukung without outrigger, usually narrow and propelled by boat engine.
Longboat in Asmat, Papua | Photographed by Fiona Callaghan using Panasonic Lumix
RAKIT BAMBU
Rakit bambu is a raft made out of several long bamboos that is tied all together. It is propelled by a pole.
Rakit bambu at Loksado, South Kalimantan | Photographed by Fiona Callaghan using Panasonic Lumix
KAPAL LAYAR / LAJER
Kapal layar or in Madura language – lajer; is jukung propelled by sails. Nowadays, sailing boats are propelled with boat engines although there is still some relying from the natural wind.
Kapal Layar in Situbondo, East Java | Photographed by Fiona Callaghan using Pentax WG III
KAPAL KAYU
A boat that is made out of wood and it is propelled by boat engine. In Selayar island, South Sulawesi they use kapal kayu.
Kapal Kayu at Lampung | Photographed by Fiona Callaghan using Panasonic Lumix
DEFINITIONS:
Cadik: outrigger
Katir: outrigger
Perahu: boat
Kapal: boat, ship
Kayu: wood
As time travels, a traditional boat evolves. People use a paddle or pole to propel, nowadays technologies has kept on progressing so that people has been using boat engines at their jukung/sampan/or perahu lesung for speed and progress. You will still see some real traditional ones usually at remote islands of Indonesia.
Photographs are all Fiona Callaghan’s collection