The Equator Monument in Pontianak is a landmark on the line dividing the hemispheres. You can find it in Khatulistiwa Park, which means «Equator Park» in Indonesian.

The first version of the monument appeared in 1928. Despite the lack of high technology at that time, the monument showing the zero latitude at the equator became a local hit.

The conditional line, between the northern and southern hemispheres, passes through the 14 states of the world, in two cases – only by sea. Pontianak, the capital of the West Kalimantan province, is also notable as it is the only city on the planet right on the equator. So «checking in» on this line while traveling around Kalimantan is just a local must-do!

Over its long history, the monument has been reconstructed and modernized several times, including the creation of a dome over the original monument in 1990. Today, the monument is five times larger than it was originally. The historical facts related to this place can be found in a small museum located in the park.

However, the time has made its adjustments to the fate of the monument: in fact, it no longer points directly to the equator. The line has shifted slightly to the south: there is a mark here indicating the position in 2005. In 2010, the equator shifted into the river, as can be seen using GPS data.

The «equatorial» park Khatulistiwa is located about 3 kilometers from the center of Pontianak. A trip by taxi or rented car from the city center to the opposite bank of the Kapuas River, to the park where the monument is located, can take 30-40 minutes.

You can purchase the monument as a souvenir in the shop next to the monument or local markets such as Pasar Tengah, Pasar Sudirman or Pasar Flamboyan.