Pontianak got its name from a local horror character. Legend said that when Abdurrahman Al-Qadrie arrived on the place, he was disturbed by a female poltergeist, described by locals as Kuntilanak. Al-Qadrie was able to repel the ghost by firing a massive cannon. Later, he decided to establish a city nearby and named it after the ghost.
So, my recommendation you do in Pontianak is went to Tugu Khatulistiwa Tugu Khatulistiwa opens everyday and closes about four thirty in the afternoon. Inside the monument, there is a tiny museum showcasing the history and science behind the monument.
A Dutch geographer, in 1928, found Pontianak as the sole 'urban setting' right on the line of the Equator in the world. The monument was built with a Dutch word, Evenaar (means Equator), engraved on the arrow. Annually, shadowless sunlight occurs here, as sun reaches zenith on Vernal Equinox (March 21-23) and Autumnal Equinox (September, 21-23).
Save the date so that you can plan your trip accordingly.
Little known trivia, Tugu Khatulistiwa is not exactly on the equator. The modern and more accurate calculations have shown that the equator is slightly southwards, located between the monument and river-banks.
