Pontianak: a city split by the equator

Pontianak is the capital of West Kalimantan, a city of about 700,000 people built on the delta where the Kapuas and Landak rivers meet. It is a trading town, a port, a university city and a crossroads between Malay, Chinese, Dayak and Bugis communities. It is also, as every local will tell you, the largest city in the world that sits on the equator.

Most travellers use Pontianak as a stop on the way to the interior, to the national parks or to the coast. But the city itself is worth a day: the equator monument, the riverfront, the old sultanate mosque and the food markets make a compact, lively introduction to Kalimantan.

The city on the line

Pontianak was founded in 1771 by Syarif Abdurrahman Alkadrie, a trader and scholar of Arab descent who established a settlement at the confluence of the Kapuas and Landak rivers. The sultanate he founded, Kadriah, controlled the river trade for a century and a half before the Dutch took over. The old palace and mosque are still there, in the district of Kampung Beting.

The equator runs through the northern edge of the city, and the Tugu Khatulistiwa, the equator monument, marks the spot. The original monument was built in 1928, and the current structure is a domed pillar with a brass ring. Twice a year, at the equinoxes, the sun passes directly overhead, and the monument casts almost no shadow. It is a modest attraction, but it is genuinely the reason many Indonesians know the city's name.

The equator's location was first established here in 1928 by a Dutch geographer, and the monument has been rebuilt and shifted as measurement technology improved. Interestingly, the actual geographical equator as defined by GPS has moved slightly south of the original monument due to tectonic drift and atmospheric models, but the historical site remains the focus of celebrations and astronomical observations.

The Kapuas and the waterfront

The Kapuas is the longest river in Indonesia, running about 1,100 kilometres from the mountains of the interior to the sea near Pontianak. In the city it is wide, brown and busy, with cargo boats, ferries, speedboats and floating shops. The waterfront is the best place to watch the river economy: timber, palm oil, fish, coal and passengers all move by water.

A boat trip on the Kapuas is easy to arrange and gives you a different view of the city. The classic route goes upstream to the old sultanate mosque and the Malay kampungs, or downstream to the river mouth. At dusk, the bridges and the mosque are lit, and the food stalls along the riverfront fill up.

Kampung Beting and the sultanate

Kampung Beting sits on a small island of stilt houses at the confluence of the two rivers. The Masjid Jami Sultan Syarif Abdurrahman is the oldest mosque in the city, a wooden building with a tiered roof that has been rebuilt and extended over the centuries. Beside it are the remains of the Kadriah palace, now a modest museum with royal regalia, manuscripts and old photographs.

The district is a maze of wooden walkways, houses and small shops, and it is best explored slowly on foot. Ask before entering private walkways, and dress modestly around the mosque. This is one of the few places in Pontianak where you can see the older, river-based city before the grid of streets and shopping malls took over.

Markets and food

Pontianak's food is a mix of Malay, Chinese and Dayak influences, and it is one of the pleasures of a stop here. Chai kwe is the local signature: a steamed dumpling filled with preserved vegetables, jicama and dried shrimp, served with a garlicky sauce. Sotong pangkong is grilled cuttlefish, pounded flat and brushed with a sweet-spicy sauce, and it is sold from street stalls in the evening.

Other things to try include bubur pedas, a savoury rice porridge with herbs and vegetables, and the fresh river fish and prawns that come in from the delta. The markets around Jalan Gajahmada and the old town are the best places to eat cheaply, and the Chinese coffee shops serve strong local coffee and kaya toast.

Around the city

The West Kalimantan provincial museum, on Jalan Ahmad Yani, has a good collection of Dayak and Malay material culture, including textiles, masks, weapons and longhouse models. It is a useful introduction if you are heading into the interior. The Taman Alun Kapuas park, near the river, is a pleasant place for an evening walk.

Further afield, the coast south of Pontianak has beaches and mangrove forests, and the interior has longhouse villages, rivers and rainforest. The city is also a gateway to the Gunung Palung National Park, a two- to three-hour drive away, and to the Kapuas Hulu lakes and the Sentarum park, which are much further.

Practical and a plan

Supadio airport is about 20 minutes from the centre, with flights to Jakarta, Surabaya, Kuching and other regional cities. There is no railway. The city is spread out and hot, so use ride-hailing apps or the small local buses. The equator monument is about 20 to 30 minutes north of the centre by car.

The climate is equatorial, with rain in every month and the driest period around June to August. One day covers the equator monument, the old town and the food; two days adds the museum and a river trip. Pontianak is also a useful base for the national parks and the interior.

• Morning: the equator monument and the provincial museum.
• Midday: chai kwe and coffee in the old town, then Kampung Beting and the mosque.
• Afternoon: a boat trip on the Kapuas, then the waterfront at sunset.
• Evening: sotong pangkong and bubur pedas at the street stalls.

Questions people actually ask

What is there to see in Pontianak?

The equator monument, the old sultanate mosque and palace at Kampung Beting, the Kapuas riverfront and the provincial museum. The food markets are also worth an evening. One day is enough for the city itself.

How do I get to Pontianak?

Fly to Supadio airport, about 20 minutes from the centre. There are direct flights from Jakarta, Surabaya and several regional cities, including Kuching in Malaysia. There is no railway.

When is the best time to visit?

The climate is equatorial, so it rains year-round. The driest months are usually June to August. The equator monument is busiest around the equinoxes, when the sun passes directly overhead.

Is Pontianak a good base for national parks?

Yes for Gunung Palung, which is a two- to three-hour drive away. The Sentarum lakes and Kapuas Hulu are much further and usually require a flight or a long boat trip. Arrange guides and permits in advance.