Indonesia West Kalimantan
Pontianak
A city famed for its riverine life, renowned for Equator monument, rich Dayak culture, and gateway to Borneo's untamed natural landscapes.
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According to Indonesian and Malay folklore, a ‘pontianak’ is the vampiric spirit of a woman who died in childbirth. Folklore further dictates that these spirits overran an uninhabited province of West Kalimantan until the city’s founder--a sultan--did away with them and replaced their nest with a mosque and a palace. Thus was the sultanate of Pontianak forged. Soon it would become one of Indonesia’s busiest trading ports.
Pontianak straddles the equator, one of the few cities in the world to do so. All points converge on the equatorial obelisk, a symbolic representation of where trade, folklore and history merge.
tomas.d 3 years ago
Pontianak Guides
Aimless Wandering: Prime Indonesian Locations to Get Lost In
tomas.d (Tom D) One of the lesser-heralded joys of visiting Indonesia is that of exploring without purpose. Simply turning up somewhere new and heading into the sprawl with no set plan represents a rare kind of excitement, one rewarded by a treasure trove of unexpected delights showcasing the uniquely complex charms of the archipelago. Indonesia is littered with such places: on the off-chance that visitors find themselves with some time to spare, they will encounter sleepy towns, raging bulls, gloriously beautiful mosques, vibrant festivals and plenty more besides.