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PONTIANAK
![]() Lying directly on the equator and serving as the main gateway into the Province of West Kalimantan is the provincial capital of Pontianak. Founded in 1771 by Syarif Abdul Rahman Al-Kadri of Saudi Arabia, the city is now a bustling economic hub as well as home to a sizeable university and a giant indoor sports stadium. Canals crisscross the city and one of Indonesia's longest rivers, the Kapuas (1143 km long), divides the town in two, providing an essential and historical communications link. Like Java and Sumatra, West Kalimantan was once an important cultural crossroads. Hinduism reached West Kalimantan by about the year 400 and evidence of both early Hindu and Buddhist civilizations in the region have been discovered. Stone carvings and ceramics can be traced as far as the 5th century, but it is the influence of Islam that has had the most impact on this region. The best way to see Pontianak is by boat along the canals that crisis-cross the city. Special places of interest include: Equator Monument, Kadariah palace in Kampung Dalam, the State Museum, and the Kapuas and Landak Bridges.
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