Travel Destination

South Sumatera

One of the greatest kingdoms in Indonesia history, the buddhist Empire of Sriwijaya, prospered and grew along the bank of the Musi River in Shouth Sumatra over a thousand years ago. Located in the southem-most rim of the Shout China Sea, close to one of the world's busiest shipping lanes linking the Far East With Europe, the region's historical background is rich and colorful.

The Sriwijaya Kingdom practiced a bustling and lucrative trade with ancient China its era of powerful dynasties and in 672,the Chinese scholar Tsing recorded that a thousand monks and scholars could be seen translating and studying Sanskrit in what is now the regional capital of palembang. However, few relics of this memorable era remain.

Streching from the foothills of the mighty Bukit Barisan mountain range in the West Sumatra to the island of Bangka and Belitung in the East, the province of Shout Sumatra is relatively flat but very fertile, with numerous rivers cutting across the landscape and meandering their way to the sea. Coffee and tea are grown in plantations in various parts of the province but the area's enermous wealth comes from oil, natural gas, coal, tin and quartz.

Palembang is still the gateway to the province, and together with Pangkal Pinang on the island of Bangka and Tanjung Pandan on Bilitung, provides the region with three major airports. All three cities have direct connections with Medan, Batam, Padang and Jakarta and the future will see the introduction of flights to Singapore. Air-conditioned busesfrom points north and west of Palembang are also regulary available, as well as from major cities in Java and Bali.

The province of Jambi located on the east coast of Central Sumatra faces the Straits of Malaka sharing borders with four other provinces in Sumatra and has long been a melting pot for different ethnic groups. The earliest inhabitants were the Kubus, who were among the first wave of Malays to migrate to Sumatra. The ancient kingdom of Melayu developed and grew in Jambi and maintained relations with the mighty kingdoms of Sriwijaya, Majapahit and Singasari, but was eventually attacked and annexed by Sriwijaya in the middle of the 17th century. Encompassing an area of 53,435 sq.kms, almost 60% of which is forest, the province is hometo a large variety of fauna and floraand and an exhilarating place for active and adventurous visitors.

^ PLACE OF INTEREST

The State Museum
Relatively new the building was erected in 1977 only, however, its collection of around 2000 relics and antiquities originating from the province would make a visit here definitely worthwhile. See ancient household articles, utensils, looms, hunting tools, a bridal room and some preserved animals of the region.

Ki Gede Ing Suro Ancient Cemetery
This cemetery dates back from the 1 6th century where as many as 38 ancient tombs are found of which one of them belongs to Ki Gede Ing Suro, one of the prominent forefathers of South Sumatra's present society. Notably, these 38 tombs are found under one roof of one building.

"Punti Kayu" Natural Pine Forest
This recently built recreational complex covers an area of 50 hectares, consisting of four parts: an amusement park, a recreation park, an natural forest, and a man- made lake.

In this complex are to befound a children's playground, a cultural park, a souvenirs shop, restaurants and an imformation booth. Because of its proximity to the capital and easy accessibility, this complex actually mainly caters to the local inhabitants of the city of Palembang, however, international tourists may enjoy passing a calm day here to watch urbanites amuse themselves.

"Tenang waterfall"
Rich in the number of small as well as big rivers flowing through this province, waterfalls of various sizes come with them too. The biggest in the region is the "Tenang" waterfall where the water smashes down from a height of 90 meters into a deep pool and further downstream in a strong current. By public transportation it takes 2 hours from Palembang, however, less by private car. Located in the Muara Enim regency.

Kamero Island
Forty kilometers from Palembang, Kamero Island is a popular recreation site in the middle of the Musi river. The island has a Buddhist temple.

"Limas", the traditional house
Another interesting item to see is the Limas house which are still found scattered over the province, most of them built on riversides, however, not facing the waterfront.

One explanation could be that daily household activities can be done in full privacy, out of sight of passers-by. These very ornate wooden houses built on stilts have rather sizable measurements: from 15 to 20 m in width and from 30 to 60 m in length. A good part of the house has hand carved columns, door and window frames and cross ventilation between the rooms by placing wooden panels with flow-through carvings just below the ceilings. Indeed, it would almost be a must to observe the architecture and style of these Limas houses, some of them open to the public.

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