There are several points of interest in Pontianak and its vicinity.
One of the city’s icons is the Equator Monument at Siantan. The monument
was built in 1928 to mark the spot at zero degree on the Equator.
Considering the technology available in that year, the effort was a
remarkable feat. The Dutch explorer indicated the site with a simple
pole and an arrow. Several renovations and improvements have taken place
including the development of a dome in 1990 to protect the initial
site. The monument today is five times larger than the original.
Historical facts are presented within the monument and in the small
museum.
Visit the Kadariah Sultanate in the Dalam Bugis District, East Pontianak. The sultanate appears like a huge house in old Malay style architecture. It has a gate as an entrance to a buffer zone filled with rows of houses prior to entering the main building. The sultan’s palace is an open house that receives everyone anytime in the year. An English speaking interpreter is available, who is a family member of the last Sultan.
Nearby, stands a mosque that was built in the same year as the sultan’s palace. Legend has it that Syarif Abdurrahman Alkadri once fired a cannonball to fight a disturbing female ghost, known here as “pontianak” – hence the name of the city. The site where the cannonball landed became the location of the palace, with attached mosque for prayers. Today, the mosque still looks grand and beautiful especially when seen from a river cruise on the Kapuas.
The museum of Pontianak is also a good place to get to know the history of Pontianak. As one of the five best museums in Indonesia, the Pontianak Museum presents interesting historical and cultural facts. Historical and cultural artifacts are well preserved, although interpreters here are limited.
A cruise on the Kapuas River is a must as you visit the waterfront in front of the Mayor’s Office on Taman Alun Kapuas or Jalan Rahadi Usman. Boats are available from here offering you a great cruise on the river. Take the cruise before sunset and it will show you the lively activities along the river. The captain will usually cross the equator line and tell you that you are about to move from the south of the globe to the north. Capture all the activities shown with your cameras.
Souvenirs are found at Pasar Souvenir or you may want to buy local products in local markets such as at Pasar Tengah, Pasar Sudirman, or Pasar Flamboyan. Most of the souvenirs are authentic as you see Dayakhandicrafts, Equator Monument key chains or replicas, and Pontianak shirts and accessories.
Also visit:
Visit the Kadariah Sultanate in the Dalam Bugis District, East Pontianak. The sultanate appears like a huge house in old Malay style architecture. It has a gate as an entrance to a buffer zone filled with rows of houses prior to entering the main building. The sultan’s palace is an open house that receives everyone anytime in the year. An English speaking interpreter is available, who is a family member of the last Sultan.
Nearby, stands a mosque that was built in the same year as the sultan’s palace. Legend has it that Syarif Abdurrahman Alkadri once fired a cannonball to fight a disturbing female ghost, known here as “pontianak” – hence the name of the city. The site where the cannonball landed became the location of the palace, with attached mosque for prayers. Today, the mosque still looks grand and beautiful especially when seen from a river cruise on the Kapuas.
The museum of Pontianak is also a good place to get to know the history of Pontianak. As one of the five best museums in Indonesia, the Pontianak Museum presents interesting historical and cultural facts. Historical and cultural artifacts are well preserved, although interpreters here are limited.
A cruise on the Kapuas River is a must as you visit the waterfront in front of the Mayor’s Office on Taman Alun Kapuas or Jalan Rahadi Usman. Boats are available from here offering you a great cruise on the river. Take the cruise before sunset and it will show you the lively activities along the river. The captain will usually cross the equator line and tell you that you are about to move from the south of the globe to the north. Capture all the activities shown with your cameras.
Souvenirs are found at Pasar Souvenir or you may want to buy local products in local markets such as at Pasar Tengah, Pasar Sudirman, or Pasar Flamboyan. Most of the souvenirs are authentic as you see Dayakhandicrafts, Equator Monument key chains or replicas, and Pontianak shirts and accessories.
Also visit:
- Gajah Mada Street for a nighttime cullinary adventure.
- Rumah Panjang or Rumah Betang, is a traditional Dayak Iban longhouse that displays wonderful architectural features, including the stairs, carvings and ornaments.
- Pantai Pasir Panjang on the way to Singkawang is also worth viriting as you may want to see Chinese fishermen and their catch. Other beache are Pantai Kura-kura (Turtle Beach), Pantai Batu Payung, and Pantai Karang Gosong. Many say that these beaches are as beautiful as Kuta or Sanur Beach in Bali. Promotion being the only difference.
- Singkawang, a city north of Pontianak, was once filled with Chinese gold miners which at the time contributed a staggering one-seventh of the world’s total gold supply. It has unique Chinese shophouses and delicious food. It is nowbetter known for the Chinese ceramics it still produces in their workshops. Also stop by the street of food sellers at Mempawah, a clean and quiet town where you will find a peaceful environment, a wonderfully colored Buddhist temple, and friendly people drinking at the street coffee corners especially in the afternoons.
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