Venue
Singkawang, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
{{item.title}}
Cap Go Meh Festival, Singkawang guide
Tatung in trance on Singkawang's streets.
In short
Cap Go Meh, the 15th day of the lunar new year, falls on Saturday 20 February 2027, when Singkawang in West Kalimantan normally holds its main parade. It is for strong-stomached travellers: tatung stand on blade ladders and have rods through their cheeks. Rooms in town are scarce that week, even though it is not a national holiday, so book early.
In Singkawang, a mostly Hakka Chinese town on Borneo's west coast, the last night of Chinese New Year brings hundreds of tatung, spirit mediums in trance, onto the streets. Cap Go Meh, the 15th day of the lunar new year, falls on Saturday 20 February 2027, and the city's main parade is normally held that day.
Some tatung stand on blade-edged ladders or ride palanquins studded with knives. Others have metal rods pushed through their cheeks. It is not for the squeamish, and it is not staged for tourists.
Cap Go Meh is not a national holiday. Rooms in Singkawang are scarce that week, so book early or base yourself in Pontianak.
–/5
No reviews yet
Been to this event? Your review helps other travellers.
Key Facts & Stats:
Where: Singkawang, Indonesia
Venue: City centre
Held: Every year
Type of event: Cultural Events, Religious Festivals, Parade
Currency: Indonesian rupiah (IDR, Rp)
Time zone: Western Indonesia Time (UTC+7)
Language: Indonesian
Map
Getting around
Hotels near the venue fill up around the event dates.
Cap Go Meh 2027 date and temple events
Cap Go Meh moves with the lunar calendar. Indonesia's 2027 holiday list sets Chinese New Year (Imlek 2578) on 6 February, which puts Cap Go Meh on 20 February, with temple rituals and smaller events in the days running up to it.
The 2026 celebration in Singkawang opened on 3 March with a drum strike and the release of the tatung into the parade. Wait for the city's 2027 programme before fixing travel dates.
Who the tatung are and what they do
Singkawang is sometimes called the city of a thousand temples, and its Chinese community has lived here for generations. The tatung are believed to be possessed by gods or spirits during the ritual. Many start as children, often in families where the role runs back several generations, and both men and women take it on.
Each medium has helpers who steady them in trance. The procession is meant to sweep the streets clean of bad influences before the new year gets going, and Dayak mediums from Borneo's indigenous communities take part alongside the Chinese ones.
The tatung procession on the day
The tatung move through the centre on foot or carried on palanquins, surrounded by drums, gongs and lion and dragon dancers. People claim spots along the route from early morning.
Think twice before bringing young children. The blades and piercings are real, and some of what you see is graphic.
Arriving early and not touching the tatung
- Singkawang has few hotels. Book well ahead, or stay in Pontianak and set off at dawn.
- Stake out your place on the route early, with water and a hat.
- Never touch a tatung or cut across their path, and do what the marshals tell you.
- In the days before, drop into a few temples to watch the preparations.
Flying to Pontianak and the drive to Singkawang
Fly into Supadio International Airport at Pontianak, the provincial capital, and continue by road up the coast to Singkawang, a few hours' drive.
Indonesia has other rituals on a similar scale. The Pasola Festival on Sumba pits horsemen against each other with wooden spears, and our list of top tourist attractions in Indonesia covers the rest of the archipelago.
What happens on the day
- Days before
Temple rites
Rituals and smaller events run through the days before, easier to watch than parade day. Walk between temples and watch the preparations.
- Parade morning
The drum
In 2026 the day opened with the strike of a drum that sent the tatung onto the streets.
- Morning
The tatung parade
They pass through the central streets, and crowds line the route from early morning.
- Through the day
The town given over
Singkawang stops for Cap Go Meh, even though it is not a national holiday.
Booking Singkawang early or staying in Pontianak
Find a room first. Singkawang has few hotels and they fill for Cap Go Meh week, so book as early as you can. If the town is full, stay in Pontianak, the provincial capital, and leave at dawn on parade day. The drive up the coast takes a few hours, and you want to be in place well before the procession starts.
The parade is free and needs no ticket, but the good spots along the route are claimed from early morning. Pick your place, then stay put. Bring water and a hat.
Think hard before bringing young children. The tatung stand on ladders made of blades, ride palanquins studded with knives, and some have metal rods pushed through their cheeks. All of it is real. In the days before the parade, visit a few temples in town to see the preparations, which are calmer and easier to follow.
Singkawang's Hakka community and Cap Go Meh
Singkawang, on the west coast of Borneo, is a mostly Hakka Chinese town, and its Chinese community has been here for generations. People sometimes call it the city of a thousand temples. Its Cap Go Meh is the best known in Indonesia because of the tatung.
Tatung are spirit mediums, and while the ritual lasts, a god or spirit is thought to take hold of them. Men and women both take on the role, many from childhood, often in families where it has passed down through several generations. Each one moves with helpers who steady them while they are in trance. Some walk; others are carried on palanquins. Drums, gongs and lion and dragon dancers surround them.
The procession has a purpose. Its job is to purge the streets of bad influences before the new year properly begins, which is why it is treated as a religious act. Dayak mediums, from the island's indigenous peoples, walk with the Chinese tatung. Respect the ritual: never touch a tatung, never cut across their path, and do as the marshals say.
Getting there
Flying in
Fly to Supadio International Airport at Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan, usually via Jakarta.
To Singkawang
A road journey of a few hours north along the coast. Travel in daylight the day before the parade, or arrange a driver well ahead.
On the day
Walk: the centre is packed, and the tatung route runs through it.
Where to stay during the festival
The next date is 20 February 2027. Book your room as soon as your dates are fixed, since rooms close to the festival are the first to go.
Weather and what to pack
February is in the wet season on Borneo's west coast. Pontianak averages about 32°C by day and 23°C at night, with roughly 215 mm of rain in the month, often in heavy afternoon showers (1991-2020 normals).
Worth packing
- A compact umbrella or poncho
- Comfortable shoes for standing and walking
- Water and a hat for a hot morning on the kerb
- Modest clothes for temple visits
Car hire in Singkawang
Airport transfer to Cap Go Meh Festival, Singkawang
Met at arrivals and driven door to door to City centre.
Restaurants and food in Indonesia
Places to eat in Indonesia before or after the celebrations.
Gudeg Yu Djum
Jalan Wijilan, Panembahan, Kraton, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Cuisine:JavaneseGudeg
- Dine-in
- Takeaway
Bebek Bengil
Jalan Hanoman, Padang Tegal, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia
Cuisine:BalineseIndonesian
- Dine-in
- Outdoor seating
Cafe Batavia
Jalan Pintu Besar Utara 14, Taman Fatahillah, Kota Tua, Jakarta 11110, Indonesia
Cuisine:IndonesianInternational
- Dine-in
- Bar
Merah Putih
Jalan Petitenget 100X, Kerobokan Kelod, Kuta Utara, Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Cuisine:IndonesianContemporary
- Dine-in
Locavore NXT
Jl. A.A. Gede Rai Gang Pura Panti Bija, Lodtunduh, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia
Cuisine:Indonesian produceTasting menu
- Dine-in
Contribute:
Recently viewed events
Others of this kind you opened on this device, so you can get back to them quickly.
Travelers are asking
No questions yet about Cap Go Meh Festival, Singkawang. Ask the community or our travel team, and the answer will show here once it is published.
Be the first to ask
Our team answers questions here
Explore Indonesia
Other festivals around the same time
Festivals held in the same weeks, if you want to plan more than one.
18
Feb, 2027
Feb, 2027
Cultural Events, Carnivals, Parade
Singapore City, Singapore
18
Feb, 2027
Feb, 2027
Cultural Events, Religious Festivals, Parade
Colombo, Sri Lanka
19
Feb, 2027
Feb, 2027
Cultural Events, Social Festivals
New Taipei, Taiwan
Explore Indonesia
More events and festivals in Indonesia
Festivals and events across Indonesia, with dates, venues and ticket details where available.
12
Jan, 2027
Jan, 2027
Cultural Events, Religious Festivals
Bali, Indonesia
08
Mar, 2027
Mar, 2027
Cultural Events, Religious Festivals, Social Festivals
Bali, Indonesia
9 photos
19
May, 2027
May, 2027
Cultural Events, Religious Festivals
Magelang Regency, Indonesia
09
Jul, 2027
Jul, 2027
Carnivals, Arts Festivals, Parade
Surakarta, Indonesia
19 photos
16
Aug, 2027
Aug, 2027
National Day, Community Events
Jakarta, Indonesia
Save time: create a trip and get offers from locals
Tell us where and when you want to go, and local travel experts send you offers for your trip.
1 Create a trip
2 Get offers from locals
3 Pick the one you like
Create a trip
Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General
A tatung is a spirit medium who is believed to be possessed by gods or ancestral spirits during the ritual. In Singkawang, tatung include Chinese Indonesians and Dayak mediums, reflecting the town's mixed heritage. The ritual is meant to cleanse the town and drive away bad luck for the year.
Crowds gather along the main route from early morning. Aim to be there well before the parade starts and expect to stand for several hours. A spot in the shade is worth a lot by mid-morning.
Photography is allowed and widespread. Do not block the tatung or step into the route for a shot. Ask before photographing people close up at temples.
Singkawang has hundreds of Chinese temples and shrines, giving it the nickname Kota Seribu Klenteng. Many sit on street corners and in front of homes. They are busiest in the days before Cap Go Meh.
Choi pan, steamed dumplings filled with vegetables, is the town's signature snack. Bakmi Singkawang and Hakka dishes are also local favourites. Street stalls are busy during Cap Go Meh week, so eat early.
The night before Cap Go Meh, the town lights up with lanterns and dragon dances in the streets. It is a gentler introduction than the tatung parade. Check the city programme for times and routes.
Yes. Pontianak, Bogor and other cities with large Chinese communities hold their own Cap Go Meh parades. Singkawang's tatung parade is the largest and best known.
Booking
Watching from the street is free. The city usually puts up grandstands near the main stage, with seats for officials and guests. Arrive early to find a good place along the route.
Families & accessibility
The tatung pierce their cheeks and arms with metal rods and blades, and some blood is visible. Many local families bring children, but sensitive children may find it upsetting. Keep young children well back from the route.
Health & safety
Stay behind barriers and away from the tatung's path. The parade moves quickly and the crowds push forward. Keep valuables secure and agree a meeting point with your group.
Timing & weather
Two or three nights lets you see the temple rituals, the lantern night and the parade. Rooms are scarce, so book early or base yourself in Pontianak. Allow extra time for travel on the road.