Ecotourism has potential for development and conservation, but there are notable and seemingly unsolvable hindrances inherent in physical limitations (lack of infrastructure etc.), and in the tension between the expectations of tourists and those of indigenous peoples. This presentation discusses the potential and pitfalls of ecotourism using the Punan of East Kalimantan as a case in point. IRD/CIFOR scientist Patrice Levang gave this presentation together with Miyako Koizumi (University of Kyoto) at a session titled ‘Local populations confronted with societal changes of tourism’ at the 13th Congress of the International Society of Ethnobiology, held on 20-25 May 2012 in Montpellier, France.