Pontianak City

Pontianak is the capital of the West Kalimantan province of Indonesia. It is located at earth 0°0′N, 109°20′E, on the Borneo island. It occupies an area of 107.82 km² in the delta of the Kapuas River, the longest river in Indonesia. It is located precisely on the equator.


History
The city was formerly the capital of the independent sultanate of Pontianak and was founded in 1771 around an old trading station on the Borneo coast. It is built on swampy ground that is subjected to regular flooding by the river, requiring buildings to be constructed on piles to keep them off the ground.

During the Japanese occupation of 1942 to 1945, more than 21,000 people in Pontianak (including women and children) were kidnapped, tortured and massacred by Japanese troops. Japanese intelligence had become afraid ethnic Chinese were planning to start a rebellion, and were worried that people in the city had received guns and ammunition from the Chinese government.

After the end of war, the Japanese officers in Pontianak were arrested by allied troops and brought in front of an international military tribune. During the trial, it was revealed that the plan to start the rebellion did not exist and instead was only an imaginary plan created by Japanese officers who wanted to get promoted.

Nowadays
Attracting holiday makers worldwide are hospitable ethnic groups, art and culture, and spectacular phenomena. Twice a year, the spectacular Vernal Equinox (March 21st - 23rd) and the Autumnal Equinox (September 21st - 23rd) make the Equatorial Monument in Pontianak one of the most popular places on earth to witness this wonder of nature.The city prides itself on its art and cultural life, superbly equipped to take advantage of its surrounding. At night, it lights up with nightclubs, cafes, bars, and seafood restaurants. Its facilities include an international airport and seaport and a stunning line up of malls, supermarkets, luxury and mid-range hotels and restaurants.Being directly on Borneo’s longest river, Pontianak is a waterfront city on the confluence of the Kapuas and Landak rivers. City ferries and bridges link the city centre with the riverside suburbs of Siantan and Kampung Beting, where charming interlinked wooden walkways provide a unique way of getting round and seeing the oldest part of the city.
Shopping malls available include Matahari Mall, Gajahmada Mall, Pontianak Mall (Ramayana), Mega mall A Yani, Ligo Mitra Supermarket, Kaisar Supermarket and Harum Manis Supermarket. There is also a national chain hypermarket located in Mega mall Ayani. Older shopping centers mostly established in the 1980s include Khatulistiwa Plaza, Nusa Indah shopping center and Kapuas Plaza.
At the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan and the Chinese celebration of Cap Go Meh (Lantern Festival) at the end of the 15-day Lunar New Year festivities, the Chinese community perform a street parade of dragon and lion dances, with Malays and Dayaks performing cultural dances.
In the year 2007, Cap Go Meh falls on 4 March 2007. At this year's festival, an attempt is to be done by Master Aleng, a local artist, to create the longest dragon in South East Asia. Spanning 568 meters long, the King of Dragon is to be recorded by the Indonesian Museum of Records, MURI, as the longest dragon in Indonesia. Hotels and flights into the city has been pack by domestic and international tourists curious to see the creature and tens of other smaller ones parading the streets of the city from 2 - 4 March 2007. The annual event of Cap Goh Meh has been included by the Department of Tourism into its calendar of events for West Kalimantan.