Palembang plays the role of the capital city of the South Sumatra Province. The Musi River divides the second largest city in Sumatra into two parts, namely Seberang Ilir and Seberang Ulu. The Ampera Bridge, the city icon, stands to connect the two regions. Because of that uniqueness, the western world recognize Palembang as "Venice of the East".

Look back to its history, Palembang is the center of the Sriwijaya Kingdom. Sriwijaya was once the largest maritime kingdom of Southeast Asia, which dominated the Archipelago and the Malay Peninsula throughout the 9th century until the 11th century. From the victory, born a nickname of "Bumi Sriwijaya".

One of the reasons why people visit Palembang is because of the culinary. Many tourists buy plane tickets to Palembang in order to taste the original Pempek in the origin city. The entrance to Palembang by air transportation is through Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport, which is on the northwestern side of the city center.

The Most Popular Destinations in Palembang City

The beauty Palembang city is presented by the charm of the Musi River and the legacy of Sriwijaya's glory. Some of the best places that are always crowded with tourists are:

1. Sungai Musi

With an airline ticket to Palembang, tourists have to visit the longest river on the island of Sumatra from a close distance. The panorama reminds us of the Venice beauty in Europe, especially with the existence of the Ampera Bridge that connects the Seberang Ulu and Seberang Ilir areas. In addition, to enjoy the unique sights of Palembang, tourists can have a recreation at Benteng Kuto Besak, restoran terapung, Rumah Rakit, Kampung Kapitan, and Kampung Arab on the banks.

2. Kemaro Island

Location: In the middle of Musi River.

This island offers religious tourism charm. The main attraction comes from the 9-storey pagoda and Kuan Im Temple at the center of the island. Every Lunar New Year, Pulau Kemaro becomes the center of Cap Go Meh celebration. Kemaro Island also has "Love Trees" which are often visited by couples who want to do the "True Love" rite to ensure their soulmate. Tourists can reach Kemaro Island by taking a getek boat around the Musi River.

3. Benteng Kuto Besak

Location: Jalan Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin, 19 Ilir, Bukit Kecil.

Benteng Kuto Besak is the central palace of the Palembang Sultanate. This palace was built in the 17th century, displayed the splendor stone-walled castle. People come to the plaza in front of the fort to relax and see the history of the glory of Palembang in the past. The scenery looks stunning when night falls, especially due to its location on the banks of the Musi River. If you want to enter the fort, visitors need to pay a ticket for IDR 5,000 / person.

The Most Popular Places to Eat in Palembang

Mentioning Palembang always remind people of their food. Various Palembang food favorited by a lot of people from various regions. So, a trip to Palembang is not perfect yet without exploring the food in the following popular places:

1. Pempek Saga Sudi Mampir

Location: Jalan Merdeka 22 Ilir, Bukit Kecil.

Open every day, 10:00 - 22:00 WIB.

Pempek is a mandatory meal for anyone visiting Palembang. Among other food stalls that exist, Pempek Saga Sudi Mampir is one of the place that must be visited because it offers a variety of Pempek types. One of the most unique and always become everyone’s favourite is the Pempek Panggang, Pempek Pistel, and Model Telur.

2. Mie Celor 26 Ilir

Location: Jalan K.H Ahmad Dahlan nomor 2, 26 Ilir.

Open every day, 06:00 - 15:00 WIB.

The next popular Palembang food is Mie Celor. The best place to eat the shrimp broth noodles is in Mie Celor 26 Ilir. This restaurant provides original celor noodles since 50 years ago. Although it is simple and served in small size, this food stall has a lot of fans, even from the neighboring country. It is crowded by a lot of people and the food stall can spend 40 kilograms of noodles every single day.

3. RM Terapung Pindang Pegagan Mbok Sri

Location: Tepian Sungai Musi, belakang Plaza Pasar 16 Ilir Palembang.

Open every day, 08:30 - 16:00 WIB.

The banks of the Musi River have long become a culinary area. RM Terapung Pindang Pegagan Mbok Sri restaurant is one of the restaurant that must be visited when walking around on the banks of the river. The experience of eating here feels so special because visitors can have a good food on a floating boat on the Musi River. The famous menu is Pindang Ikan Patin with Sambal Embem, Grilled Fish and Chicken with Sambal Jeruk.