Kampong Gedong: China Town in Bangka Island

Kampong Gedong is an old china town that is settled by 50 Chinese families. The first generation of Chinese people migrated to Bangka Island and worked as tin miners. Most of Chinese people in Bangka Island are traders. Some of them produce typical foods of Bangka Island such as chips, kemplang, getas, etc.

In Kampong Gedong, you will see Chinese people‘s tradition that is kept-well from a century ago. Historically, Chinese people living in kampong Gedong are descendants of six bosses holding local tin mining factories in Parit 6 area – Liuk Phun Thew (hakka dialect).

Kampong Gedong usually becomes a place for celebrating Imlek, Peh Cun, and Qing Ming. On those celebrations, there is a figure symbolizing the guardian of kampong Gedong named Sun Go Kong (Sun Wu Gong).

Since 2000, Kampong Gedong has been established as village tourism destination. This decision was drawn because of numerous ethnic Chinese buildings and Chinese traditions that are kept well for hundred years.

In Kampong Gedong, you will see antique wooden houses standing in a row decorated with Chinese ornaments and Han Zi calligraphy. Likewise, there are worship place and a China temple that is assumed as the residence of kampong Gedong‘s guardian.

Those buildings and the green surrounding nature offers you exotic view as well as the movies in the 1940s. Such views remind us to some other old towns such as Penang, Malacca, and China Town in Singapore.

Kampung Gedong Location

Kampong Gedong lies about 53 kilometers aways from Sungailiat. The kampong is 14 kms away from Behinyu. The kampong lies 90 kms north of Pangkalpinang. The kampong is located in Kampong Gedong, Lumut Village, Belinyu Sub-district, Bangka District, Bangka Belitung Islands. In Kampong Gedong, you can find lodgements, hotels, food stalls, and China temple.