Singkawang

Singkawang – The city of a thousand Chinese 'Kelenteng' temples

The thing that is most apparent upon first glancing at the city of Singkawang in West Kalimantan province is that it has a distinctly oriental atmosphere. Look around any corner and your bound to see at least one Chinese temple. These "kelenteng", as they are locally called, number in at the hundreds scattered within the city's 504 square kilometer borders on account of the its rich history with Hakka Chinese farmers, traders and miners who came from South China and settled in the area. In fact, today, Singkawang's majority demographic in its population of 246,112 inhabitants is composed largely of ethnic Chinese descended from these Hakka people. This Chinese influence affects all aspects of local life, from the aforementioned forms of architecture to its food, its festivals and even its language, with Malay-influenced Indonesian and Hakka Chinese both being spoken throughout the city.

There are plenty of ways to experience this Chinese-influenced local culture. You can visit the Tri Dharma Bumi Raya temple that was built in 1878, making it one of the city's oldest. Every night, you can tour the city's food centers like Pasar Hongkong for its many Chinese delicacies. Being at Singkawang during Chinese New Year in particular allows you to see the Cap Go Meh festival that marks the final day of these annual celebrations. Its nature as a coastal city means that Singkawang also has plenty of beaches, such as Pasir Panjang, Kura-Kura, Batu Burung and Samudra for relaxation, as well as nearby islands for like Simping and Lemukutan, and the pristine Singkawang Blue Lake for nature tourists.

Overall, Singkawang has experienced steady positive growth in recent years, going from 4.82 percent growth in 2021, to 4.97 percent in 2022 and 5.06 percent in 2023. Its Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) at current prices in 2023 amounted to Rp 12.90 trillion, with its biggest contributing industries being wholesale and retail trade (at Rp 2.62 trillion or 20.30 percent), construction (at Rp 2.21 trillion or 17.11 percent), and manufacturing (at Rp 1.71 trillion or 13.25 percent).