Ferry Port Klang To Dumai,return via Malacca Port

Palembang City hosting SEA Games 2011.

Metropolitan Palembang's Jaka Barings Sports Complex will play host to the 26th Southeast Asian Games.(SEA Games) and Jakarta venue will be at Bung Kamo Main Stadium in the heart of the city,the largest and oldest stadium in Indonesia.

During this 11 days of competitions starting from 11.11.2011 till 22.11.11,participating countries include Thailand,Cambodia,Vietnam,Singapore,Philippines,Brunei,Myanmar,Laos and Timor Leste will be sending their strong contingents of athletes to compete in 44 sports events and grabbing the 542 gold medals.

Events line up for the Palembang Challenge includes swimming,baseball,billiards and snooker,chess,boxing,gymnastics,petange,roller sports,shooting,sepak takraw,softball,soft tennis,volley ball,wall climbing,water skii,weightlifting and wrestling.

Stadion Garuda Sriwijaya at Jalan Kolonel H Burlian, owned by TNI Kodam II Srivijaya is quite a new stadium.

TNI stands for Tentera Nasional Indonesia (Indonesia Arm Forces)

This venue will be the training centre for athletes in the 26th SEA Games Jakarta-Palembang 2011.

 Logo on the right is called Srivijaya with the Garuda bird which is a mytihcal bird like creature appearing in the Hindu and Buddhist mytology.

 The national carrier of Indonesia PT Garuda Indonesia is also named after this bird.








There was a slight haze overhanging this morning when I walked to the football stadium which was near where I stayed.

Palembang is the capital of South Sumatra located on the Musi River banks and the second largest metropolis after Medan.

 It is also the ancient Hindu capital of the Srivijaya Empire.

The Malay-Hindu who founded the Malacca Sultanate named Parameswara(in sanskrit means the Supreme Lord) was originated from Palembang.

Another ruler in Parameswara lineage called Sang Nila Utama founded Temasek(now called Singapore)

In AD671,a chinese monk known as I-Ching stopped for 6 months over here on his way to India.

 Chinese admiral Cheng Ho,an emissary of the chinese emperor also landed here during the 15th century.

There is a Buddhist Temple in Kemero Island just in the middle of Musi River and the grave of a Chinese princess who was destined to marry a Srivijaya king.

The island today is a center of celebration during the eve of Chap Go Meh where chinese tourists from Hong Kong,China and Singapore will be converging here

Palembang is also known in history as the origin of Malaysia.

The metropolitan is now declared 'A City of Water Excursions' with similarity to those in Bangkok and Phnom Penh.






Jembatan Ampera over the Musi River is the main icon of Palembang was opened on September 30,1965.

Initially the middle span could be lifted for ships to pass through but after 1970,it could no longer be opened on grounds that the silting of the river has prevented large ships from paasing through.







 Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah Kota Palembang.(DRPD Kota Palembang) main local administrative secretariat office building.


 Budget Hotels around Palembang:

1) Sehati: Jalan Dr. Wahidin 1 Palembang Tel: 351537

2) Sintera: Jalan May. Ruslan No.667 Palembang Tel: (0711)354618-354619

3)Crossandra: Jalan Dwikora I No.1711 Tel:(0711) 313667

4) Kenanga Inn: Jalan Bukit Kecil No.76 Palembang Tel: (0711) 358166

5) Wisma Olga: Jalan Sumatera 1-7 Tel: (0711) 311265

6) Sriwijaya: Jalan Letkol Iskandar No.31 Palembang Tel: (0711) 354193

 7) Surya I: Jalan Sukarjo Seb-Ulu 1 Palembang Tel: (0711) 512657

8) Timbul Jaya: Jalan Letkol Iskandar No.15 Palembang Tel: (0711) 350177

 9) Pondok Indah: Jalan Kol. H. Burlian Km.9 Palembang Tel: (0711) 414369

10) Darma Agung: Jalan Kol. H. Burlian km.7 Telp. 410558-411964

11) Cendana: Jalan Jend. Sudirman No.22 Km.3 Tel: 410558-411964

12) Ganesha: Jalan Karet No.6/10 Tel:357333

13) Permata: Jalan Jend. Sudirman No.292-793 Tel: 369250-369251

14) Puri Indah:No:380-40,Jalam Merdeka Tel:0711-355 785

15) Wisata:No:105,Jalan Letkol Iskandar Tel:-0711-434 889

16) King's:Jalan Kol Atmo Tel:0711-363 633




Trans Musi busway is a very convenient and comfortable aircond bus to move around in Palembang city.

The fares is Rupiah3,000 flat rate irrespective of the distance and changing of bus at certain routes.

The bus service was just started a year ago and the service is very good. When you see an elevated bus stop platform,the bus will stop here and not those that stopped by the roadside.

Some of the local buses tend to overcharge and not issuing any bus tickets.I had a short distance ride of less than 3km that cost me Rupiah15,000 while at the 12th kilometre Jalan Kolonel Burlian Road which is equivalent to my dinner.





Bapak Abdullah,a retired Islamic School teacher was very kind to show me how to go around Palembang city using the Transmusi busway.

Spent a night here at Penginapan Mulia which was at the 9.5 km Jalan Kolenel H Burlian.

Being in an unfamiliar territory and since the bus from Jambi stopped very far out of town in the late evening,I had to opt for whatever accomodation available within the vicinity.

The non aircond room rates was Rupiah75,000.

Across the guesthouse where I stayed was a huge complex known as Wisma Haji (Graha Swarna Dwipa Sumatera Selatan)

They have accomodations mainly for the Muslim group and individual travellers.

 Room rates between Rupiah120,000 to M350,000.

  Got hold of the 8:00am economy train from Palembang station to Tanjung Karang terminal in Lampung Province which is near the southern tip of Sumatra Island.

The fare was Rupiah15,000.This is to avoid the unregulated fares charged by the touts and on the advise of a local resident whom I met on the city bus,a retired religious school teacher.

  The KA Expres Rajabasa departure was half an hour late and made a 10 minutes stopover at the following stations:
9:00am Bungasih
10:00am Prabamulih
10:45am Pagar Gunung
11:20am Peninijawa
12:30pm Tiga Gajah
12:35pm Btu Raja
1:15pm Sepancar
2:00pm Martapura
2:15pm Waytuba
3:10pm Negeri Agung at certain section the train has to stop for half an hour for an oncoming goods train.
5:15pm Bekori
5:20pm Rengas
5:45pm Tegineneng
6:00pm Rejosari
6:30pm Tanjung Karang terminal.






PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) is a wholly government owned major public railways operator.

The main lines in Sumatra Island are:

Medan to RantauPrapat, Padang to Pariaman, Bandar Lampung to Lubuklinggau and to Palembang. The trains have soft seats and are very comfortable. Palembang map