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PONTIANAK |
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The capital of West Kalimantan, or Kalbar (short for "Kalimantan
Barat"), PONTIANAK is a sprawling, grey industrial city of 400,000 lying
right on the equator on the confluence of the Landak and Kapuas Kecil
rivers. It is hot and noisy, and most travellers stay just long enough
to stock up on supplies before heading up the Kapuas or straight on to
Kuching. On the western side of Sungai Kapuas Kecil you'll find the
Chinese quarter, the commercial heart of the city where most of the
hotels, restaurants and travel agents are located. In the centre of this
quarter, right on the water's edge, is the Kapuas Indah bemo terminal ,
which is connected to a second bemo terminal in Siantan , on the eastern
side of the river, by a regular passenger ferry.
The eye-catching Istana Kadriyah , built in 1771, and the traditional
Javanese four-tiered roof of Mesjid Jami stand near each other on the
eastern side of the Kapuas Kecil, just to the south of the confluence
with the Landak. Small passenger boats from the eastern end of Jalan
Mahakam II cost Rp200 for a shared canoe or Rp750 for a rowing boat. But
Pontianak's most entertaining attraction is the Museum Negeri Pontianak
(Mon-Thurs & Sat 8am-1pm, Fri 8-11.30am, Sun 9am-noon; Rp350), a
comprehensive collection of Dayak tribal masks, weapons and musical
instruments. The museum lies 1.5km south of the town centre on Jalan
Jend A Yani; bemos leave from the Kapuas Indah terminal (Rp350) or you
can rent a becak (Rp1000). Just round the corner from the museum, on
Jalan Sutoyo, is an impressive replica of a Dayak longhouse , over 50m
long and 15m high, where you're free to wander around. Pontianak's
twelve-metre-high equator monument stands by the side of Jalan
Khatulistiwa on the way to the bus terminal. Catch any bemo to the bus
terminal from the Siantan ferry port; the monument stands about halfway
along the road on the left-hand side.
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