West Kalimantan Tourism Travel Guide

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West Kalimantan Tourism Travel Guide and Tourist Information.

West Kalimantan is one of Indonesia Province, also know as The Province of Thousand River. The capital city is Pontianak that located right on the equator line with area approximately 56,680 square miles / 146,800 square kilometres. This province has swampy low plains containing many rivers, lakes and villages, often linked by bridges. Once an important cultural crossroads, and because of its strategic location in the trade route of neighboring countries. Like other Kalimantan provinces, this land is also rich of unexplored natural resources, such as minerals and precious stones.

The other borders of West Kalimantan roughly trace the mountain ranges surrounding the watershed of the Kapuas River, which drains most of the province. West Kalimantan is subdivided into two urban cities (kota) and ten rural regencies (kabupaten). The cities are Pontianak and Singkawang; the regencies are Sambas, Bengkayang, Pontianak, Ketapang, Landak, Sanggau, Sekadau, Sintang, Melawi, Kapuas Hulu, and the youngest regencies North Kayong and Kubu Raya.

Consistent with this surname geographical conditions that have hundreds of large and small rivers, among which can be plied. Some of the major rivers is still a main route for transportation hinterland, although the road infrastructure has been able to reach most of the district.

This province has a diverse tourism potential such as natural, agro and culture tourism. Nature tourism among others, natural form of mountains, sea beaches, lakes, tropical forests with a diversity of flora and fauna, beautiful waterfalls in the Pande Kembayung and Riam Kanebak. The tourism object that popular in West Kalimantan such as : Kadriyah Royal Palace, Pasir Panjang Beach, Bougainvillea Agro Tourism Park, Batu Belimbing Park, Kelam Hill National Park, Landak Betang Long House and many more.

West Kalimantan region is inhabited by various tribes ant the majority are the tribe Dayak, Malay, besides there are also other tribes such as Bugis, Javanese, Chinese, Madurese, Minangkabau, Sundanese, Batak. Most Dayaks live in long houses along rivers which criss-cross the land.

Scattered across the swamps are several lakes and villages, often linked by bridges. The provincial capital, Pontianak lies exactly on the Equator and it is a fast growing city divided into three parts by the Kapuas and Landak Rivers. The Kapuas River, at about 1,143 km, is the longest river in Indonesia, connecting Pontianak with the Sanggau, Sintang and Kapuas Hulu Regencies. Among the branches of the Kapuas River are the Landak, Kubu, Punggur, Melawi and Sekayam Rivers. It is also the world's longest river on an island.

West Kalimantan tourism travel guide and tourist information popular destination :

Kapuas River.
The Kapuas River has long approximately 1,143 km, it is the longest river in Indonesia, and is the major river of the western portion of Borneo. It is also the world's longest river on an island, a little longer than the Sepik River. The river rises in the mountains of Kapuas Hulu near the border with Sarawak, Malaysia, and flows west. It empties into the South China Sea about 20 km south of the city of Pontianak. The river drains the extensive Lake Sentarum area, an extensive protected reserve of wetlands and freshwater lakes, and intermittently flooded forests. Navigable over most of its length, the river is an essential transportation corridor in West Kalimantan. It is used for transportation of timber out of the island's interior, and for access to settlements along the river. The river has one bridge across it, near Sanggau approximately four hundred kilometers from its mouth.

Khadariyah Sultan's Palace.
Khadariyah Palace was formerly the palace of the sultan, although nobody has actually lived here since the middle of the 20th century. This landmark is two storeys high and completely dominated by its grand ornate entrance. The building of the Khadariyah Palace commenced in 1771 AD and was completed in 1778 AD, later after finished the Palace, Sayyid Abdurrahman Sharif Alkadri was crowned as the first Sultan of Pontianak Sultanate. The Khadariyah Palace built entirely of belian wood. A sturdy main entrance in the shape of Portuguese gate is found at the front of the palace. In former times, a fortress protected the palace against possible enemy attacks, and a cannon was installed.

Landak Betang House (Long House).
On the outskirts of Pontianak is a Dayak traditional long house, located about 158 km from Pontianak, or 52 km from the capital of Landak regency. Betang is a place to stay of Kanayant people, one of those Dayak tribes. The Betang established since 1875. The building consists of 35 doors or blocks. Each door or 1 block inhabited by families and 180 meters long, 6 m wide.

Pasir Panjang Beach.
Pasir Panjang Beach is located about 17 km from Singkawang in the Sambas regency. There is a beach resort, ideal for swimming. The beach overlooking to the sea, lies, and several smaller islands nearby, such Lemukutan island, islands and island Randayan fragment. As a place of recreation, tourism has been equipped with various facilities and support in the vicinity of the beach has many hotels, cottages, shops, and other facilities that available for visitors.

Baluk House.
Baluk Custom House is located in District Siding village, about 134 km from Bengkayang. Baluk house use by Dayak Bidayuh Tribe communities in the event an annual ritual held every 15th of June, after the season after the rice and to reap the field season the following year.

Mount Palung National Park.
Mount Palung National Park is located in the province West Kalimantan and comprises an area of 90,000 ha. The site encompasses a broad range of forest habitats ranging from coastal beach and mangrove forest to untouched mountain forests on the slopes of the Mount Palung (1116 m) and Mount Panti peaks. Peat and freshwater swamp forest and highly endangered lowland dipterocarp forests ring the base and lower slopes of the isolated Palung mountain massif.

Betang House.
Betang House of Dayak indigenous tribe was built on Sutoyo street, Pontianak, it can be visited for every day. Regularly every year here in the Gawai Dayak Festival was held. This place is also used as a performance culture, organizing cultural seminars and so forth.

Sambas Palace.
Sambas Palace is now, was built by Sultan Muhammad Ibrahim Mulia in the year 1933, and have been resided at 6 July 1935. Sambas Palace development cost of 65. Golden, from the Sultan of Kutai. The establishment of the building supported by financial assistance of other company. The development held purveyor Tjin Nyuk from Pontianak. With a building measuring 9.50 meters long and 8.05 meters wide size.

Nature Reserves Raya Pasi.
Nature Reserves Raya Pasi is located around City Singkawang. The area of nature Reserves Raya Pasi is 3,742 hectares and designated as a conservation area since 1990. The existence of important functions Nature Raya Pasi as protection areas, also hydrological functions have to meet the needs of water for the town and surrounding Singkawang.
There are several types of unique plants and rare flowers that hosts on this place such as carrion (Amorphopalus sp), Star Flower (Rhizanthes zepelii) and Rafflesia Flower (Rafflesia tuanmudae).