Why go
- Capital and largest city of West Kalimantan, Indonesia.
- Served by Singkawang Airport (SKJ).
History
Pontianak, also known as Khuntien or 坤甸 in Teochew and Hakka, is the capital of the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan, founded first as a trading port on the island of Borneo, occupying an area of 118.21 km2 in the delta of the Kapuas River, at a point where it is joined by its major tributary, the Landak River. The city is precisely on the equator, hence it is widely known as Kota Khatulistiwa. The city center is less than 3 kilometres (2 mi) south of the equator. Pontianak is the 23rd most populous city in Indonesia, and the fourth most populous city on the island of Borneo (Kalimantan) after Samarinda, Balikpapan and (Malaysia's) Kuching; it is now slightly ahead of Banjarmasin. It had a population of 658,685 at the 2020 Census within the city limits, with significant suburbs outside those limits, particularly in the regencies of Kubu Raya to the east and south of the city, and Mempawah to its north. The official estimate as of mid-2025 was 686,019.
Restaurants & places to go
145 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 5 airlines, 4 direct destinations
- Lion Mentari Airlines JT (737-800) · 2 routes: Batam, Jakarta
- Garuda Indonesia GA (735, 737-800, CRK) · 1 route: Jakarta
- Illinois Airways IL (ATR 72) · 1 route: Ketapang
- Malaysia Airlines MH (ATR 72) · 1 route: Kuching*
- Sriwijaya Air SJ (737-300, 734) · 1 route: Jakarta
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Getting there by ferry
Where things are
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
The warmer, longer-day half of the southern-hemisphere year.
Milder and quieter, with better value.
The southern winter — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Singkawang Airport (SKJ); 4 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: PNK has direct flights to 4 destinations on 5 airlines (incl. Jakarta, Batam, Ketapang, Kuching). By water: 3 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Terminal Siantan, 0.4 km); routes include Feri Penyeberangan Pontianak - Siantan, Pontianak - Padang Tikar, Semarang - Pontianak.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Pontianak. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.