Cap Go Meh Festival in Singkawang City, West Java Province
It is known fact that Singkawang City has a significant Chinese culture. No wonder, tourists may find some oriental traditions especially Cap Go Meh. This also explains why many outsiders come to Singkawang at the 15th day of the Chinese’s New Year (Imlek). It is because they want to feel the merriment and watch the ceremony directly. Therefore, those who come to Singkawang should not miss the chance to join the event when coming to the region at such specified time. Tourists are even allowed to participate and get a more excitement!
The Nuance
When it comes to nuance, Singkawang City indeed has a jaw-dropping Cap Go Meh Festival. It is because the local government and citizens work together to create an unforgettable event for everyone. For instance, there are dragon replicas and barongsai as the major features of the ceremony. The next noticeable feature is none other than the Chinese gate, having the height of about 6 meters and the width of about 16 meters! Not to mention the gate comes with the Chinese Zodiacs called Shio. During the ceremony, people wear traditional attire and makeup. They gather at the street and perform dancing together! What a festive atmosphere!
Exploring Cap Go Meh Festival
The first allure in Singkawang’s Cap Go Meh Festival is definitely the lampions festival done at night. For the information, the locals may ignite thousands of lampions at the time. Thus, the sky looks so great beautified by those flying objects. This explains why the region has broken the national record regarding the highest number of lampions ignited during a single event. As for tourists, it gives them the chance to take wonderful photos as well.
The next reason why the festival attracts lots of people is due to its harmony. It is because people can join and watch the event regardless of their status and religion. During the parades, other tribes even participate and give a better merriment to it! This is how a unity and tolerance should work, no? Moreover, the festival consists of numerous attractions for the audience to enjoy. Thus, it is impossible for someone to get bored when watching the ceremony.
Aside from the lampions, the festival also offers other attractions especially the lion barong dance. The swift movements of the dancers may impress everyone, without a doubt. There is also an attraction called Tatung (which is done at the end of the ceremony).
Nearby Attractions
- Sinka Zoo
- Taman Cinta Waterboom
- Setapuk Besar Mangroves
- Sedau Beach
- Pajintan Reservoir
- Bukit Bougenville Park
- Eria Public Bath
How to Get There
In order to watch or join the festival, tourists should get to Singkawang City first. If they come from Pontianak City, the trip takes approximately 3 hours and 4 minutes. It is because the distance is 151 km. Here is the tip. Tourists should take Ahmad Yani Street for a faster trip. Also, they must know the exact date of the ceremony before coming to Singkawang! Otherwise, they may miss the chance to witness the festival.
Where to Stay
- Venetion Hotel
- Jaya Wijaya Hotel
- Restu Hotel
- Simpang Hotel
- Prapatan Hotel
- Kalbar Hotel
Getting to Know the Traditional Houses of West Kalimantan
Indonesia is a country of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, where there are many provinces inhabited by various ethnic groups. Not only the culture and cuisine are different, the traditional house designs of each province are also different. Traditional house designs have their own philosophy and function. It’s no wonder that none of the designs are exactly the same, including the West Kalimantan traditional house belonging to the Dayak tribe named Rumah Radakng. Radakng’s house is often also referred to as a long house. This term really describes the state of a…
A Piece of Heaven Called Temajuk Beach in Sambas
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…
Sinka Island Park, Singkawang – West Kalimantan
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…
Enjoy The Culinary And The Palace On Pontianak
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…
