Situated right on the equator, Pontianak lies astride the confluence of Sungai Landak and Sungai Kapuas. Some describe the city as bustling…which it is in the wee hours. By midday, though, Pontianak churns with road, river and human traffic in various degrees of haste, all contributing their part in the urban din. The city itself sprawls over a vast area, with bus terminals and ramshackle suburbs creating mini-communities. Like Banjarmasin it really needs to be seen from the canals and riverside boardwalks. Charter a boat or walk over the Kapuas bridge from Jl Gajah Mada for a sweeping view of the river and brilliant orange sunsets.
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Deep, dark and exotic, the very notion of Borneo rouses something in the subconscious. Summoning visions of mythical people and ancient forests, it tugs at the adventurer within. It’s a romantic notion, but the world’s third-largest island has managed to keep some of her secrets and most of them lie in the impenetrable interior of Kalimantan.
Kalimantan’s largest and most beguiling city rests gingerly over a labyrinth of canals, its taped-together mosques and houses perched on stilts or bundles of floating logs, and its residents up to their floorboards in water. Beyond, Banjarmasin’s terra firma is a furore of traffic and trade, but the façade is wafer thin and the city’s charm will envelop you quicker than the dust kicked up by the two-millionth ojek. A spread of attractions in and around the city can occupy several days, and absorbing Kalimantan’s best urban culture in the markets both on and offshore is a must.
The mighty Sungai Mahakam skirts Samarinda like a giant muddy flood. Here the river is a highway in its own right, peppered with houseboats and fishing vessels, boats lugging timber and tugs pulling demonic loads of coal. Along the banks, the city follows the water via a green esplanade, with two spectacular mosques dominating the view. Although it’s another important trading port, Samarinda has retained far more of its Indonesian character than Balikpapan, and visitors will get a dose of East Kalimantan culture in between the business blocks. Meandering through the stalls of the lively Citra Niaga market will fill the nostrils, ears and eyes with all the heady activity of Southeast Asia. Samarinda city maps and regional maps can be found in the Gramedia bookshop in the Mesra Indah shopping centre.
Although it’s conveniently close to the Sabah border and a stepping stone to other places, Tarakan offers little of cultural interest. It was the site of bloody fighting between Australians and Japanese at the end of WWII.
Black gold pumps through Balikpapan’s veins, from the endless stream of traffic, to the concrete, glass and steel business blocks competing for attention along the main drag. The huge oil refinery dominates the city and, when flying in, you can see stray tankers and offshore oil rigs.