Pontianak

Sprawled along the Kapuas River with its hurtling jeepneys and shack-style homes, Pontianak marks a big 'welcome to Borneo'. The urban city is much more than just a steppingstone into West Kalimantan; it's a place to hop across the Equator line, soak up life in riverside parks, and taste smorgasbords of Chinese and Malay cooking.

Down on the walkways that line the Kapuas River, between the lean-to warungs you can spy out the Keraton Kadriyah. It's a fine place to get a feel for the curious history of Indonesian Borneo, being the old home of the Pontianak Sultans, who reigned over these parts until as late as 1950. Across the water and by the ferry ports, the Taman Alun Kapuas park is the spot to be for people watching and sunset viewing. Of course, Pontianak tour guides can also help you explore the fabled wilds of Borneo. Beyond the town is where they start in earnest, changing into jungle-clad valleys carved by the meanders of the mighty Kapuas, rising to volcanic peaks, and eventually, hosting rare orangutans in protected parks far to the east.