Singkawang: the city of a thousand temples

Singkawang is a city of temples, coffee shops and gold shops, on the coast of West Kalimantan. It has a Hakka Chinese majority, a history of gold and trade, and a festival, Cap Go Meh, that draws visitors from across Indonesia and Malaysia. The name means "city of a thousand temples", and while the count is poetic, the temples are real and everywhere.

It is also a beach town, in a low-key way. Pasir Panjang, twenty minutes north, is a long strand of grey-gold sand with food stalls and calm water. The city itself is compact and walkable, with a market, a river, and a food culture that mixes Hakka, Malay and Dayak influences in ways you will not find elsewhere.

Temples and the old town

The Vihara Tri Dharma Bumi Raya is the oldest temple in the city, founded in 1878, with a roof of dragons and a courtyard full of incense. It is the centre of religious life for the Chinese community, and during festivals it is packed. Other temples are scattered through the old town, some grand, some no bigger than a shop.

The old town is a grid of shophouses, gold shops and coffee shops, with the market at its centre. The architecture is utilitarian rather than beautiful, but the street life is lively and the food is excellent. Look for the Hakka restaurants serving pork, tofu and preserved vegetables, and the coffee shops where the older generation spends the morning.

Cap Go Meh and the tatung

Cap Go Meh falls fifteen days after Chinese New Year, and in Singkawang it is the event of the year. The tatung, spirit mediums, go into trances and perform feats that draw crowds and cameras: walking on fire, piercing their cheeks with skewers, carrying palanquins through the streets. It is a religious ritual as much as a spectacle, and it is treated with seriousness by the people involved.

The festival lasts for days, with processions, temple ceremonies and food stalls. Book accommodation well ahead, and expect the town to be full. If you are photographing, be respectful: ask before you shoot, do not block the procession, and remember that the people in trance are not performing for you.

Outside festival time, the city is quiet and the temples are peaceful. That is arguably the better way to see it: you can talk to the caretakers, take your time, and understand the place without the crowds.

Pasir Panjang and the coast

Pasir Panjang is the city beach, a long curve of sand north of the centre with warungs, parking and a promenade. The water is calm and shallow, the sand is grey-gold rather than white, and the sunsets are good. It is a working beach as much as a leisure one: fishing boats are pulled up at the southern end, and the catch is sold at the roadside.

Further north the coast gets wilder, with rocky headlands, small coves and mangrove. Gunung Poteng, a forested hill behind the city, has trails and viewpoints. Neither is a major attraction, but together they make Singkawang a place to spend two days rather than one.

Getting there and when to go

The nearest airport is Supadio in Pontianak, about three hours south by road. There are also long-distance buses and shared cars, and the road is good for most of the way. From Singkawang, the border with Malaysia at Aruk is a few hours north, and buses run to Kuching, which makes the city a natural stop on a Borneo overland route.

The dry season, roughly May to September, is the most comfortable time to visit. Cap Go Meh is the busiest and most expensive week of the year, and the one to plan around if the festival is why you are coming. Ramadan and Christmas bring their own rhythms; the city is compact enough that you will notice them.

• Visit Vihara Tri Dharma Bumi Raya, the 1878 temple.
• Book months ahead for Cap Go Meh.
• Pasir Panjang is best at sunset.
• Fly to Pontianak, then three hours by road.
• Buses continue north to Kuching in Malaysia.

Food, costs and temple etiquette

Singkawang is a good place to eat. The Hakka kitchens serve pork with preserved vegetables, stuffed tofu, salt-baked chicken and a range of noodles; the coffee shops do strong local coffee and simple breakfasts; and the market has snacks that are worth seeking out, including chai kwe, the savoury vegetable cakes that are a local speciality.

Prices are low. A hotel room costs a fraction of what it would in Pontianak, a meal is a few dollars, and the temples are free, though donations are welcome. The main expense is getting there, and the main constraint is time: two days is enough for the town and the beach, three if you want to slow down.

Dress modestly in the temples, take your shoes off before entering, and ask before photographing people or ceremonies. During Cap Go Meh, follow the instructions of the temple staff and the police, and do not step into the path of a procession. It is a religious event, and the people taking part deserve space.

Questions people actually ask

When is Cap Go Meh in Singkawang?

Fifteen days after Chinese New Year, which falls between late January and late February depending on the lunar calendar. The festival runs for several days, with processions and tatung rituals. Book accommodation well in advance and expect crowds.

How do you get to Singkawang?

Fly to Pontianak, then take a bus or shared car for about three hours north. There are also direct buses from Kuching in Malaysia, via the Aruk border crossing, which makes Singkawang a convenient stop on an overland Borneo trip.