Thailand beyond solo backpacking: Depart Pekan Baru for Palembang.

In the late evening,I headed to the Bandar Raya Payung Sekaki Bus terminal using the Trans Metro bus.

The bus was quite full in view of the after office hours and school session.

At the Soekarno-Hatta traffic light junction lies the SKA Mall which is the biggest shopping mall in Pekan baru.

After picking up a few passengers,the bus continued for anoher 3km ahead to this isolated bus terminal.

It was a complete nightmare when one reached the terminal.

There will be many touts swarming for business when one alighted from the city bus.

I should say there were more touts than passengers in this quiet terminal. No way can we browse through the many ticketing counters to make decision and worst still no clerks were in there.

I was shown this PO Jaya Utama non aircond bus which will be leaving for Jambi at 6:30pm so I paid 100,000 Rupiah for a seat.

Out of the blues came another tout who says he's from Jambi and the owner of this bus. He suggested that I should skip Jambi and head for Palembang as Jambi has nothing to see and gave me conflicting views about the touts there.

So I paid another 100,000 Rupiah for the additional journey to Palembang.

On leaving the terminal,the bus went around the city to try and pick up passengers as there were only three heads so far.

At about 7:30pm,the bus stopped at the office to get somemore waiting customers.

I was chatting with the lady receptionist at the office when I happened to see a price list schedule.

Fares Pekan Baru to Jambi 95,000 Rupiah while to Palembang which is the last stop will be 140,000 Rupiah.

Knowing that I was focusing my eyes on the price list,the bus conductor distracted me and on turning back to see again it was covered with a book.

Now I know that I was being misled by a fictitious 'bus owner'.

So beware as most touts are good at cooking unwarranted stories.

In actual fact Jambi is famous for the ancient Buddhist temple called Candi Muaro Jambi,an archeaological remains dated back the 13th century which was first discovered by a British miltary.

It is about one hour journey(26km) from Jambi town and transportation there might pose a problem.

The Kerinci's National Park is Sumatra's biggest national reserve lies along the Bukit Barisan mountainous range rich with its flora and fauna.The administrative center of the park is at Sungai Penuh town.

The Eco -Rural Travel cooperative in the village of Kersik Tuo provides advice on trekking ,day trips and hiring of camping equipments.

Gunung Kerinci (3,800metres) a dormant volcano is the highest mountain in Western Sumatra and "kurinci" in Tamil means hilly landscape. Jambi Map

At 8:30pm the bus started leaving Pekan Baru and the long hours of journey began.

The main trunk road was very busy with heavy vehicles especially those transporting oil palm fresh fruit bunches.

Indonesia is the world's major producer of oil palm. There were two drivers with each taking turns to drive.I was occupying two seats to myself throughout the journey.

At 1:30am,we had a half hour break at a rest area where there were a few snack stalls and a RM Umega coffeeshop.

The place was Cabang Gunung Medan Riau,Kota Lama Inhu Lintas Timur.

To translate this should be Medan Riau Mountainous Boundary,Old Inhu city eastern expressway.

After an hour into the journey,the conditions of the roads were very very bad with many potholes as the bus descended down a valley.

It lasted close to an a hour just imagine it.The non stop bumps possibly volcanic craters made most of the bus passengers slept through the lost world.

Things began to be calmer at about 4:00am where the roads were more even.

Close to 6:00am before the sunrise,another half hour stopover at a layby cofeeshop with a scenic view of the of the high mountains beyond.

It was 8:30am when the bus reached Jambi town.We had an hour half stopover and a new bus driver took over the wheels.

There were too many bus companies operating in the Trans Sumatran route.

Trayek (route) PO (perusahaan otobus)/(autobus industry)

To Pasir Pangaraian and Dalu-Dalu.(both in Rokan Hulu district about 5 hours journey)Location west Sumatra near to Bukit Tinggi side.

Dalu-dalu is the location of historical bamboo Fortress Seven Layers built as a defense against colonization by Tuanku Tambusai. #Muda Raya,N Hadi,Nuantara,Sari Keencana,Silvana,sri Kampar,Trio Trans,Silvana Abadi,Cahaya Kempar,Rimbun Jaya,Sail Transport,Rengat Transport,Fajar Inhill,HDR,Ranah Makmur,Putra Kampar,Sinar Riau.

Pekan Baru to Dumai bus companies:

Asia Expres,Dorex,Gumarang,Mitra,Trio Trans,Ramos,Sari Jaya,Sinar Baru,Batang Kampar,Swarna Agung,Merah Sari,Karmila,Sri Kampar and Danau Wisata.

Dumai is a major port city of Riau Province and takes 5 hours(188km) by bus from Pekan Baru.

There are ferry services to Malacca,Port Klang and Port Dickson in Malaysia,as well as to Batam Island near Singapore.

Pekan Baru to Bagan Siapi-api buses:

Indah Karya,Winda,Nusantara,Ranah Makmur,Sri Pinang,Vala Transport,Asia Expres.

Bagan Siapi-api is towards the south eastern part of Pekan Baru,Rokan Hilir district and is believed to be the first place where mainland chinese landed.

Hok King Chinese Temple is the oldest temple and the most popular festival here is the Ritual Bakar Tongkang.(burning paper replica of a barge/ship) around early June annually.

ferry cruise

Pekan Baru to Buton buses: Trio Trans,Sail Transport,Indo Kencana,batang Kampar,Gumarang,Merah Sari,N Hadi,Ranah Makmur.

Buton is near to Indragiri Hilir.

Pekan Baru to Taluk Kuantan buses:
Swarna Agung,Karmila and Rimbun Jaya. Very few bus operators.

Taluk Kuantan is 10km south from Pekan Baru after crossing the equator line just after Lipat Kain.
It lies upstream of the Indragiri River and was once a gold mining area.
Each year on the 17th August on Indonesia's Independence day,there'll be a traditional boat race called Pacu Jalur.

Pekan Baru to Rengat buses:
Asia Expres,Muda Raya,Mus Transport,Rimbun Jaya,Gumarang,Kerinci Expres,Merah Sungai,Nusantara,Sail Transport,Sarana Expres,Sinar Riau,Yala Transport.

Rengat is at Indragiri Hulu amid thick equatorial rain forest is a conservation forest managed by the World Wildlife Fund to help protect the Sumatran tigers.
Also know

n as the Bukit Tiga Puluh National Park conservation forest.

Pekan Baru Tembilahan buses:
Rimbun jaya,Karmila,Silvana,Swarna Agung,Mus Transport,Inhil Jaya,Kurnia Expres,Nusantara,Muda Jaya,Riau Transport,Putra Kampar,Matra Riau,Beringin Putih.

Tembilahan is about 146 km from Jambi and has a small river port in Indragiri Hilir(Inhil),Riau Province.
Most of the lands here consisted of peat soil.That's the reason for the annual haze blanketing over neighbouring countries.
Due to the south westerly dry winds coming from the southern hemisphere,almost all of Indonesia Island is experiencing a hot and dry season.
The south westery winds passing through the sea brings heavy rain to most part of Indochina and especially parts Thailand which is having the worst flood.

LORENA Transport and Tours Company is one of the most established bus company in Indonesia.

The company has the super executive(21 seats),executive(30/34 seats),VIP(40 seats),and business class(53 seats) buses with facilities like toilet,full aircond,reclining seats,GPRS,TV and blanket.
Contacts in Pekan Baru,No:294,Jalan Tuanku Tambusai ,Tel:(0761)62256,
Medan,km 7,No:11,Jalan Sisingamangaraja,Tel:(061)7875139,
Padang,Km7,No:1,Jalan By Pass,Tel:(0751) 777666
Jambi,Jalan Lingkar Barat 3 Kec Kendali Besar Simpang Rimbo,Tel:HP o81384453766, Palembang,No:65,Jaln Kolonel H Burlian,tel:(0711) 417488,
Lampung,No:36,Jalan Soekarno Hatta,By Pass Kali Balok Bandar Lampung.Tel:0721-240606. Merak,No:6,Jalan Raya Pelabuhan Merak,Pulo Merak,Nabten.Tel:(0254)572267,
Tangerang,No:1,Jalan MH Tamrin,Taman Lido,
Banten.Tel:021-55753480,
Jakarta Pusat,No:15 C,Jalan KH Hasyim Ashari,Tel:021-6341166 Surabaya,No:22A,Jalan Arjuna,Tel:031-5345767.Bungarasih Teminal Counter 11. Probolinggo,No:35,Jalan Soekarno Hatta,Tel:0335-436966 Banyuwangi,No:163,Jlan Basuki Rahmat,Tel:0333-420225 Denpasar,No122,Jalan Diponegoro,Tel:0361-262021
It has services to Medan,Lubuk Pakam,Tebing Tinggi,Jambi,Palembang,Bandar Lampung,Merak,Jakarta,Bogor,Bandung,Cirebon,Tegal,Perkalongan,Semarang,Yogyakarta, Klaten,Solo,Madiun,Ponorogo,Kediri,TulungAgung,Blitar,Bojonegoro,Surabaya,Malang, Bangkalan,Blega,Sampang,Pamekasan,Sumekep,Probolingo,Jember,BayuWangi,Denpasar.