Stand on Jl. Niaga in the Melayu district of West Singkawang and you are a few steps from the incense smoke of Vihara Tri Dharma Bumi Raya, with the smell of strong robusta coffee drifting out of the kopi tiam nearby. This is a coastal city in West Kalimantan where Hakka Chinese, Malay and Dayak Salako life runs together, and where the food stalls and temples are the main reason to linger.
Singkawang suits travellers who are already in West Kalimantan, or who are crossing from Malaysian Borneo via the Aruk/Biawak border, and who prefer eating, walking and temple-visiting to organised sightseeing. It is a city to move through slowly, on foot and by short car trips, rather than to tick off.
This guide covers the specific sights and experiences named in the source material, plus the food and festivals that give them context. It does not list anything that cannot be verified.
Top things to do in Singkawang
1. Vihara Tri Dharma Bumi Raya
Founded in 1878, this is one of the oldest temples in Singkawang, on Jl. Niaga in Melayu, West Singkawang. It is used by adherents of three religions at once: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.
Time your visit around Chinese New Year and you may see the ritual to clean evil spirits known as Pawai Tatung, when the shamans, known locally as tatung, march around the city and stab their bodies with sharp objects. Because the temple sits on Jl. Niaga, combine it with a walk through the surrounding streets and a stop for coffee.
2. Cap Go Meh and the Tatung festival
Cap Go Meh, known in Hakka as Jang Ngiet Ban, is celebrated on the 15th and last day of Chinese New Year. The main spotlight of the day is the Tatung festival, a set of rituals mixing Chinese and Dayak practice.
This is the single biggest event in the city's calendar, so plan your trip around it if you want to see Singkawang at its most active. The same tatung tradition also appears at the temple during Chinese New Year, so the two are worth understanding together.
3. Singkawang's Hakka and Teochew food
Chinese food, especially Hakka style, dominates the food stalls and small restaurants, with Teochew style also available and Minang food found as well. Tofu Singkawang is famous in West Kalimantan, and Kembang Tahu, a silky smooth tofu with sugar gravy, is very popular here.
Look for Rujak Ju Hie, a rojak with dried squid, and Choi Pan, steamed vegetable dumplings of Hakka origin filled mainly with fragrantly stir-fried yam bean in a slightly chewy translucent skin. The city is also known for its cakes, which are available from early morning until midnight, and kopi tiam serving strong bitter robusta coffee can be found everywhere.
4. Pasir Panjang Beach
Pasir Panjang Beach is a 3-km-long beach. From Singkawang city it can be reached within 20 to 30 minutes by car.
Give it half a day rather than a quick stop, since the point is the length of the sand and the walk along it. Bring what you need for a beach day, as the source material lists no facilities here.
5. Bajau Cape
Bajau Cape is in Sedau, South Singkawang, and is listed as open from 08.00 to 17.30.
Sedau is also the area through which the early Hakka immigrants entered the Sakawokng region via small rivers, which gives the trip some historical texture. Pair it with the rest of a day in the south of the city.
6. Raya Pasi Nature Reserve
Also known as Cagar Alam Raya Pasi, this is where you hike Mount Poteng and explore the dense rain forest of Borneo. If you are lucky you can spot the Rafflesia tuan-mudae flower, the largest flower species in the world, which can grow up to 95 cm in diameter.
This is a hike rather than a stroll, so treat it as a half-day or full-day outing and go prepared for rainforest conditions. The flower is not guaranteed, so go for the forest and treat the Rafflesia as a bonus.
7. Cidayu Monument
The Cidayu Monument is in Nanga Mahap. Cidayu stands for Chinese, Dayak and Malay, and the monument depicts the life of the surrounding community and the harmony of different ethnic groups.
It is a short stop rather than a destination in itself, and it makes most sense if you are already heading in that direction. Read it as a statement about the three communities whose interaction shaped the city.
8. Lotus Lake (Danau Teratai)
Lotus Lake sits in Pasiran Village, West Singkawang, about 2 km from Singkawang downtown. It is an artificial lake.
Aside from viewing the lake, you can ride a water bike, swim in the pool, or eat at the restaurants available there. Because it is so close to the centre, it works well as a low-effort afternoon that you can combine with the West Singkawang sights.
9. Hang Moi River (Hangmoy River)
The Hang Moi River is about 6 km from Singkawang downtown, and there is an entry fee of Rp5,000 per person.
It is a straightforward river outing close to the city, useful when you want something short rather than a full day out. Bring small change for the entry fee.
10. Sinka Island Park
Sinka Island Park is a recreation park where you can ride a dog-cart, swim, or enjoy local food and drink.
It is a family-oriented stop rather than a cultural one, so slot it in when you want a break from temples and trails. Combine it with the other leisure stops rather than making it the focus of a day.
11. Bougenville Hill Recreation Park
Bougenville Hill Recreation Park is in Sijangkung Village, South Singkawang, about 20 km from Singkawang downtown. As the name suggests, the park is dominated by colourful bougainvilleas, and you can find 46 different species, some of them imported from other countries.
There are also other flowers such as orchid, anthurium and aglonema, and several fruit plants including avocado, durian, rambutan and star fruit, which visitors can buy or eat on site. You can also buy flower seeds as souvenirs to plant at home.
12. Other Singkawang festivals
Beyond Cap Go Meh, the city's calendar includes Qingming Festival, known locally as Cheng Beng, celebrated on 4–5 April in a given year; Gawai Dayak Naik Dango in May, celebrated by the Dayak at the opening of the rice harvest to thank the Gods; and Ngabayotn on 1 June, celebrated by the Dayak to mark the close of the rice harvest and the beginning of the cultivation season.
August brings Wayang Gantung and the Celebration of Indonesian Independence Day on 17 August, and in October the Singkawang 10 km running contest is held. If your dates are flexible, checking which of these falls during your trip will shape what you see.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Vihara Tri Dharma Bumi Raya on Jl. Niaga in West Singkawang, then walk the surrounding streets and have a kopi tiam coffee. Continue to Lotus Lake in Pasiran Village, about 2 km from the downtown area, for a water bike ride or a swim.
Afternoon: Head to Pasir Panjang Beach and walk part of its 3 km of sand, allowing 20 to 30 minutes by car each way from the city. If you would rather stay closer in, take the short trip to the Hang Moi River instead.
Evening: Return to the city for a Hakka-style dinner, ordering tofu Singkawang, Kembang Tahu, Choi Pan and, if you want something sharper, Rujak Ju Hie. Finish with the city's cakes, which are sold from early morning until midnight.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see the Tatung rituals?
Cap Go Meh falls on the 15th and last day of Chinese New Year, and the Tatung festival is the main spotlight of that day. A ritual to clean evil spirits, also known as Pawai Tatung, is held at Vihara Tri Dharma Bumi Raya every Chinese New Year.
What food should I try in Singkawang?
Hakka-style Chinese food dominates, with Teochew and Minang options also available. Look for Rujak Ju Hie, tofu Singkawang, Kembang Tahu and Choi Pan, and note that Malay dishes such as Bubur Paddas, Pedak and Nasi Lemak can also be found.
How do I get to Singkawang?
The city has its own airport, around 20 to 25 minutes from the centre. It is also connected by road and can be reached by bus or taxi from Pontianak, and by road to Kuching in Malaysia via the Aruk/Biawak border and Sambas.
Can I see a Rafflesia near Singkawang?
Raya Pasi Nature Reserve is where you hike Mount Poteng through dense Borneo rain forest, and if you are lucky you can spot the Rafflesia tuan-mudae flower. Sightings are not guaranteed, so plan the hike for the forest itself.
Decide whether you are travelling for the food, the temples or the festival calendar, then build your dates around it and start planning.