Radakng’s house is often also referred to as a long house. This term really describes the state of a traditional house that uses house on stilts model. It reaches 180 meters in length, 30 meters in width, and at an altitude of 5-8 meters above ground level. Its characteristic is the high pillars that support the house and has a wide staircase. This rectangular stilt house has a philosophy related to togetherness and tolerance among family members. Not only dozens of families, Radakng’s house can inhabited by hundreds of people.

Traditional houses in Kalimantan are synonymous with stilt designs. This makes the wild animals difficult to enter the house. When the river overflows, residents can take shelter comfortably. This traditional house design automatically requires stairs for access in and out of residents. Therefore there is a stair called hejot. West Kalimantan traditional house stairs are made in odd numbers. The wider the house, the more stairs are made.

There are at least two types of wood used as the main material for this West Kalimantan traditional house. Ironwood is used as stair material because it is sturdy and can last up to hundreds of years. Meanwhile, the walls and floors use split bamboo or split betel nut.

The traditional house of West Kalimantan, the Radakng house, is always built facing the rising sun. The philosophy taught from generation to generation is hard work until the end of the day. The Dayaks show their hard work and are not lazy. In addition to having its own philosophy, the direction towards the West Kalimantan traditional house is also energy efficient. Morning sunlight will enter the house so that the atmosphere is bright without turn on the lights. The body will feel healthier and excited to go through the day.

Who would have thought that traditional houses could also become extinct like rare flora and fauna? This can be caused by regional development, urbanization, and also the neglect of the community to preserve culture. This West Kalimantan traditional house has been extinct since the 1960s. In the original area, only a few houses remained. One of them is in Saham sub-village, Landak Regency. The Radakng house is 140 years old and inhabited by 200 people.

For those of you who are interested in seeing West Kalimantan traditional houses up close and personal, stop by Pontianak. Precisely on the Bangkong River, Pontianak District. Here there is a replica of the Radakng Dayak Traditional House which was specially built. It is 138 meters long and 7 meters high from the ground. The decoration of this house is also very thick with the Dayak style. Because this West Kalimantan traditional house is a replica, there is no Dayak tribe stay in this house. This house is intended as a tourist spot. Occasionally, there are art events held here.

Who would have thought that this West Kalimantan traditional house could teach us about the value of life. Starting from a life of tolerance between humans to the spirit to work hard. You can also adopt the design and architecture of this West Kalimantan traditional house for a new house in the middle of city. Interesting right?

–sh

Temajuk marks the point where Indonesia ends and Malaysia starts. Not yet known to many domestic and international travellers, Temajuk Village features a tidal beach with soft, white sands dotted with granite rocks. Underwater sightseeing is made possible as the water is clear.

Temajuk beach, actually running at a very long 60 km of coastline, is a tidal coast area featuring soft, white sand and preserved environment. One thing that differs this beach from Balinese beaches is portruding granite rocks distributed evenly throughout the coastal environment.

In places, granite rocks formations are in touch with corals. Best place to enjoy these formations is a certain location called Batu Pipih. In addition, the water along the beach is clear and offers good visibility, making it possible for snorkelers to do a short sightseeing underwater. It is no wonder that sea turtles choose Temajuk beach as their hatching place.

Some surfers have also tried the waves here – during Februrary-October, waves can hike up to 2 meters.

While the beach runs a very long 60 km-line, tourist and travelers activities are centered at Temajuk Village. It was Mr. Atong, a native to the village, who in 2010 started to shape the area into a tourist destination. He transformed a piece of his family land into a professional destination, independently managed.

At Atong Bahari Bay, Mr. Atong innitiated a homestay. As the area is not yet too crowded, visitors can always find a shelter here. If Mr. Atong homestay is full, they are welcomed to stay at people’s houses. So far, however, visitors are dominated by domestic tourists.

The village and its beach are not easy to catch, however. They are located at northernmost point of Indonesian Borneo, only 4 km away from Malaysia’s Melano Bay. Visitors start from Singkawang to the direction of Sambas. It is a 6-hours journey on a 200-km route.

The journey then continues to Kartiasa where we have to board a ferry to cross a big Borneo river. Once landed, we continue to the direction of Paloh, tracking a route with lots of improvement projects. We still need to cross two more rivers in a 50-km route afterwards before reaching Temajuk Village.

Sinka Island Park

Singkawang is a small town in the west Kalimantan, but there are many interesting tourism inside the town. One of popular destinations in Singkawang is Sinka Island Park; there is a zoo which has many kind of animals and a recreational park family vacation and playground for children.

Sinka Island Park is located in ” kelurahan sedau”, ” kecamatan Singkawang selatan”, around 9 km from Singkawang center. To reach this park, from Singkawang center you can go to there by bus, motorcycle, and our personal vehicle.
In Sinka island park you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of a cove, which has the quiet water and blast of wind which tenderly grasp your face. You can also view the small islands on the both sides.

While you taking a walk on the sands, there are many small animal like as the small crab, lived in a hole under the sands. There are also many big and green trees, that make the air and the area so fresh and cold. At the side of the cove there is a zoo which has many kind of animals; like crocodiles, horses, monkeys, birds, etc.

Don’t worry about accommodation and lunch break, there are stalls available that prepare for many kind of foods and beverages. At the afternoon, we cam also enjoy the sunset that spray out the orange’s light behind of the island.

It’s magical…

www.indonesia-tourism.com

Pontianak

Pontianak is officially the capital city of West Kalimantan province, the ethnic of Tionghoa call this city as Khun tien. This city is famous as the City of Equatorial for it passed by the earth zero degrees latitude.

The name of Pontianak was belived had something to do with the folk tale about Syarif Abdurrahman which was haunted by the ghost of Kuntilanak when he walked along the 1.1 megameter Kapuas River, which is the longest river in Indonesia.

Abdurahman Sharif had fired the cannon to drive away the ghost, at the same time indicating where the cannon was falling, so that was where the royal establishment. Cannon ball crashed through the intersection of three of the Kapuas River and the Landak River which are now more familiar with Beting Kampung Dalam Bugis Pontianak Timur or the city of Pontianak.

Pontianak city was founded by Abdurrahman Sharif Alkadrie on Wednesday, October 23, 1771 (1185 H), it was marked by the opening of forest at the crossroads of three rivers; Landak River, Little Kapuas River and the Kapuas River to establish a hall and a house as a residence. In 1192 H, Sharif Rahman confirmed as the Sultan of the Sultanate of Pontianak. The location of the center of government marked by the establishment of the Masjid Jami Sultan Abdurrahman Alkadrie and Kadariah Palace, which is now located at Bugis Village in the Eastern District of Pontianak

Most of Pontianak city economy relies on industry, agriculture, and commerce. The food plants in Pontianak are mostly coming from cassava, rice, yams. The residents are also farmed vegetables and aloe vera. They also have fruits like jackfruit, banana, pineapple.

Pontianak city tourism is supported by the cultural diversity from the population themselves; the Dayaks, Malays, and Tionghoa. Dayak tribe has an abundance of gratitude for the harvest feast called Naik Dango and Tionghoa has a feast of activities and celebration of Lunar New Year and the feast prayers for the grave (Cheng Beng or Kuo Ciet) and those are having attractive tourist value.

Pontianak is also known as a place for culinary tourism. The diversities make this city as a culinary paradise. The famous foods in Pontianak are like, Sambal Goreng Tempoyak, Sotong Pangkong, spicy porridge, lemang, kwetiau, kwe cap, and aloe verra beverages.

Beside the annual feast that held in Pontianak, there are also some tourism destinations that properly to be visited like Pontianak Palace, Sambas Beach, Jami great mosque, Equator monument, Pasir panjang beach and many more.

Enjoy the culinary and the palace

www.indonesia-tourism.com

West Kalimantan

One of Indonesia provinces, which is located on Borneo Island. The capital of this province is Pontianak that properly located on the equator line.

At early begin, Dayak people are the indigenous people on Borneo before 17th Century. After that, The Malay was immigrated to West Kalimantan and build their sultanate. Dayak languages are categorized as part of Austronesian Languages in Asia. They hold Animist religion at first, but most of them are being converted to Christianity and some to Islam at recent time.

Nowadays, the local inhabitant who live in West Borneo are varies, which mostly coming from Dayak, Tionghoa, and Malay for the major ethnic. Furthermore, Javanese, Madurese, Batak and Sundanese are the minor people who stay in West Borneo.

West Borneo is popular as a “Thousand River” city, this is because of their geographical supported which have many big and small rivers that properly to be sailed.

The economic site on West Borneo is coming from their agriculture and plantation. West Borneo has potential land for agriculture and plantation such as for rice, corn, soybeans, rubber plantations, oil palm, coconut, aloe vera, and others.

This province also potential on Tourism objects for they have some gorgeous nature tourism, agrotourism and cultural tourism. The nature tourism include of mountains, sea beaches, lakes, tropical forests with numbers of flora and fauna, beautiful waterfalls in in Pande Kembayung, Riam Kanebak, and so on.

For more detail:
http://www.indonesia-tourism.com/west-kalimantan/places.html