Pontianak, Indonesia

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Image:Equator pontianak.jpg

Contents

Overview

Pontianak is a medium-size industrial city with the area of 107.82 km² and the population of 526,600 (2000 cencus) in Indonesia. It is the capital of the province of West Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. In local Chinese, it also goes by the name Khuntien. Notable primarily for being located precisely on the Equator, at 0°0′ N 109°20′ E, and at the delta of Kapuas River, the longest river in Indonesia. Pontianak is also famous for its Aloe Vera drink, durian cake and local chinese dishes.


How to Get There

Pontianak is about an hour flight from both Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, and Batam an island neighbouring Singapore and Johor, 40 minutes flight or 8 hours bus from Kuching in Sarawak, East Malaysia. The city is also connected by air to Balikpapan in East Kalimantan, Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan, Palangkaraya and Sampit in Central Kalimantan, Yogyakarta Special Administrative Region, and Surabaya in East Java


Travel Agents:

  • Ateng Tour, Jl. Gajahmada no. 201, phone: +(62-561) 732638, fax: 736620, email: ateng.tour@lycos.com
  • Aria Tour, Jl. Gajahmada no.3, phone:+(62-561) 577868, fax: 741963
  • Putra Tour, Jl. Hijas no. 217, phone: +(62-561) 734011, 736602, fax: 740171
  • Insan Tour, Jl. Veteran no. 1, phone: +(62-561) 736661, email: itt@insantour.com
  • Mitra Tour, Jl. Teuku Umar, komp. Pontianak Mall Blok A, Lt. 1, no. 27-28, phone: +(62-561) 577919, 733544
  • CK Wisata, Jl. Antasari no. 119, phone: +(62-561) 761952, 768819
  • Central Tour, Jl. HOS Cokroaminoto no. 12 A, phone: +(62-561) 744127, 736216, 739953, fax: 744127
  • Panorama Anugrah, Jl. Diponegoro no. 149, phone: +(62-561) 739483, 7071824, fax: 740505, email: tour_panorama@yahoo.com, travel_panorama@hotmail.com
  • Antya Tour, Jl. Teuku Umar no. 62, phone: +(62-561) 733688, 741994, fax: 738789
  • Karya Tour, Jl. Gajahmada no. 41, phone: +(62-561) 741269, 732541


Flights to Pontianak from:

  • Jakarta: Garuda (2 x daily), Merpati (daily), Batavia (5 x daily), Adam Air (2 x daily), Sriwijaya (3 x daily), Pelita Air (daily), Top Air (starting 20 Oct 2005), Garuda Citylink (starting 31 Oct 2005)
  • Batam - Pekanbaru - Medan: Merpati (3 x weekly)
  • Balikpapan - Tarakan: Merpati (3 x weekly)
  • Kuching: Batavia (5 x weekly), Malaysia Airlines (5 x weekly)
  • Palembang: (3 x weekly)
  • Ketapang: DAS (2 x daily), Deraya (daily), Kal Star (2 x daily), Merpati (daily)
  • Putussibau: DAS (Daily)
  • Pangkalanbun & Sampit (via ketapang)
  • Banjarmasin & Surabaya (via Ketapang, Sampit)
  • Jogjakarta & Surabaya: Batavia (daily ?)

Buses to Pontianak from Kuching: SJS, Sri Merah, Damri, Tebakang, etc. leaves 2-3 times daily.

Ferries to Jakarta, Ketapang, Sampit, Semarang & Surabaya are also available.

Where to Stay

Accommodation in Pontianak include:

  • Hotel Santika, national chain hotel, Jl. Diponegoro no. 46, phone: + (62-561) 733777, fax: 740555, email: pontianak@santika.com, facilities: 129 rooms & suites, Bamboo cafe, Maroon lounge, meeting room, indoor garden, business centre.
  • Hotel Kini, Jl. Nusa Indah III, phone: + (62-561) 732223, fax: 742882, email: hotelkini_ptk@yahoo.com, facilities: Garden Palace restaurant, health & spa club, garden cafe, Blue Sapphire café, karaoke lounge, meeting room, business centre.
  • Hotel Novotel (early 2006, ex Hotel Mahkota), Jl. Sidas, phone: + (62-561) 736022, facilities: swimming pool, restaurant, business centre, bar & lounge, karaoke lounge, discotheque.
  • Hotel Kapuas, Jl. Gajahmada no. 889, phone: +(62-561) 736122, fax: 734347, email: info@hotelkapuas.com, facilities: 190 rooms & suites, outdoor swimming pool, karaoke lounge, meeting room, coffee shop, discotheque, fitness centre, banquet & function hall, restaurant, kape club, business centre.
  • Hotel Peony, Jl. Gajah Mada no.86-86A, phone: +(62-561) 732878, 736808, fax: 738280, email: hotel-peony@ptk.centrin.net.id, facilities: 47 rooms, Mod-east coffee shop, meeting room.
  • Hotel Gajah Mada, Jl. Gajah Mada no. 82, phone: +(62-561) 761598, 761397, fax: 761398, email: hotel-gajahmada@ptk.centrin.net.id, facilities: 115 rooms, Gladden coffee shop, meeting room.
  • Hotel Garuda, Jl. Pahlawan no. 40, phone: +(62-561) 736890, fax: 739001, facilities: restaurant, karaoke lounge, café, meeting room, discotheque.
  • Hotel Merpati, Jl. Imam Bonjol, (0561) 745481
  • Hotel Kapuas Dharma , Jl. Imam Bonjol no. 89, (0561) 766669
  • Hotel Kartika, Jl. Rahadi Usman, (0561) 734401
  • Hotel 2000, Jl. Gajahmada no. 84, (0561) 735062
  • (Motel) Hotel Khatulistiwa, Jl. Diponegoro, (0561) 736793
  • Hotel Central, Jl. HOS Cokroaminoto, (0561) 737444
  • Hotel Orient, Jl. Tanjung Pura no. 45, phone: +(62-561) 732650, fax: 740651
  • Hotel City, Jl. Pak Kasih, (0561) 733781
  • Hotel Muslim, Jl. Tanjung Pura, (0561) 733461
  • Hotel Wijaya Kusuma, Jl. Kapten Marsan no. 51-53, (0561) 732547

Banks & Credit Cards

Most national banks are available in Pontianak including

  • BNI
  • Mandiri
  • BRI
  • BCA
  • Danamon
  • BII
  • Permata
  • Ekonomi
  • Mega
  • NISP
  • Bukopin
  • Panin
  • Lippo
  • Bank Kalbar
  • etc.

Credit cards are widely excepted in Pontianak, most favorite cards are Visa, Mastercard & BCA card, American Express and JCB are excepted in many hotels and some stores.

Cash tranfer via Western Union is also avaiable from the many national banks. Currency traders are plenty around town, with the most widely excepted notes include USD, SGD, AUD and MYR. Please note that the value and acceptance of USD notes are subject to the physical condition of the note, ie. not folded, not marked, not 1998 batch, and certain serial numbers are not accepted. This is due to fake USD that are found in the market.

Buying Property

During the last 8 years, land & property prices in and around Pontianak have been seeing a rapid increase, a piece of land at Jalan Ayani that was worth around Rp 10,000 per square meter (about USD 5 at 1998 exchange rate) has increase to about Rp 5,000,000 per square meter (about USD 500 at current exchange rate).

Property brokers traditionally find property buyers and sellers at coffeshops, but today modern property agents such as Ray White and Era are available along local agent such as Mitra Property and traditional brokers.


Shopping & Eating in Pontianak

Shopping malls available include

  • Mal Matahari (Matahari supermarket & dept store, Texas fried chicken, California fried chicken, Kharisma bookstore, Funstation game centre, Foodcourt, Columbia electronic, speciality shops)
  • Mal Gajah Mada (Supermart supermarket, City hardware store, Java dept store, Mouth restaurant, Pizza Hut, KFC, Coffeclub cafe, Gramedia book store, Bowling centre (temporary closed), Amazone game centre, Foodcourt)
  • Mal Ramayana Pontianak (Ramayana supermarket, Zone 2000 game centre, KFC, California fried chicken)
  • Megamal AYani (Hypermart hypermarket, Funstation game centre, Gramedia bookstore, Texas fried chicken, A&W, Saloria resto, Oh Lala cafe, Matahari dept store, Studio 21 cinema, City hardware store, Bodyshop, Foodcourt, speciality shops)


Other eatery places:

  • Sari Bento Western & Japanese food, Museum complex, Jl. Ayani.
  • Italian steak house, across hotel kini
  • Hawaii restaurant (Chinese food), across hotel kini
  • American fried chicken (Local franchise), next to hotel Gajahmada, Peony & 2000.
  • Istana Buah Japanese & Western food, Jl. Gajahmada

Alternatively, there are plenty of local food options available from street vendors to 5 star restaurants.

Pontianak's Food is a unique blend of chinese, malay, western and javanese ingredients. For an authentic taste of Pontianak's food, the place not to be missed is the food district surrounding the "Sudirman" market and Jalan Gajahmada. Note that the business hours at these traditional open-air food stalls is from dusk until about 10PM. Other places to check out are those along, Tanjung Pura road, Pahlawan road, Agus Salim road and Diponegoro road. The food stalls are open-air settings, and serve many authetic ethnic Chinese food. The Chinese in Pontianak are, culinary-wise, well integrated, and they have introduced an indellible tropical and spicy accent to their simple, yet delicious Teochew and Hakka cuisine.


Local supermarkets and departemental stores include

  • Ligo Mitra, Jl. Gajahmada, next to hotel Gajahmada, Peony & 2000
  • Kaisar, near hotel Kini
  • Harum Manis, Jl. H. Agus Salim, across hotel Santika
  • Mitra Anda
  • Garuda Mitra
  • Mitra Mart
  • Citra Siantan


Popular bakeries shops:

  • Kaisar bakery, Daily Bread & Do&Mi are in proximity near Kaisar supermarket
  • Rumah Roti near Ligo Mitra

Oft-cited are the garment shopping areas available in the Sudirman district, where hawkers proudly display their products in shophouses along the streets, especially near the Tanjung Pura street end. For an authentic local experience, try walking in-between the alleyways connecting the Nusa Indah streets.


Popular coffee shops:

  • Warkop Asiang, Jl. Merapi, opening hours (3:00 AM - 12:00 PM)
  • Warkop Aluan, Jl. Hijas, opening hours (3:00 AM - 6:00 PM)
  • Warkop Sari Wangi, Jl. Tanjung Pura, opening hours (3:00 AM - 10 PM)

Many citizens spend their free time hanging around the many coffeeshops scatter around the city, having a cup of hot coffee and getting new update in local & international politics, happening places, currency exchange, new business opportunities, etc.

Places of Interest & Events

Places of interest include the Equator monument which marks the virtual line of the equator which divides our planet into Northern hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere, and the Kapuas River, the longest river in Indonesia.

Image:Khuntien capgomeh.jpg

The best time to visit Pontianak is at the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadhan and the Chinese celebration of Cap Go Meh at the end of the 15-day Lunar New Year festivities. On the final eve of Ramadhan or eve of Idul Fitri the Muslim Malay will play their traditional canons that produce noises that can be heard miles away. While on Cap Go Meh the Chinese community perform a street parade of dragon dance and lion dance, with the Malay and Dayak performing their own cultural dances in support of the Cap Go Meh event.

External links

Retrieved from "http://en.freepedia.org/Pontianak%2C_Indonesia.html"


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