South Sumatra (Sumatera Selatan)

1.Ampera Bridge

Ampera Bridge was constructed in April 1962, after getting approval of President Soekarno. At first, this 1,177 meters long and 22 meters wide bridge was called Bung Karno Bridge. It was officially opened on 30 September 1965 by Let. Gen. Ahmad Yani. However, following a political turmoil in 1966 i.e., when anti-Soekarno movement was stronger, the bridge was renamed to Ampera Bridge. Palembang citizens, however, prefer to call it "Musi Project". Parts of this 944 tons bridge can lift up and down about 10 meters per minute. It has two lifting towers of 63 meters tall. Distance between these two towers is 75 meters. They have two pendulums, weighing about 500 tons each. When the middle shares of the bridge is lifted, wide ship of 60 meters wide and a maximum of 44.50 meters tall can pass to ford of Musi River. And when the middle shares of this bridge is not lifted, maximum height of ships that can pass under the bridge is only nine meters above the water level. Unfortunately, at present, the bridge cannot be lifted for safety reasons. Ampera bridge is one of Palembang’s icons. Therefore, you should take pictures with Ampera as your background while enjoying watching the bridge from Musi River.

2.Goa Putri

Goa Putri is a leading tourist destination in South Sumatra province. It is located 230 kilometers from Palembang, or 35 kilometers from Baturaja, the capital city of Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU). This cave is located about one kilometer soth of Sumatra trans road connecting Baturaja and Muara Enim. The cave is full of stalactites and stalagmites. Stalactites are deposits of calcium carbonate which hang from the ceiling and can be found in limestone caves. Stalagmites are icicle shaped rocks facing upward which can be found on cave floors. In Goa Putri, stalactites and stalagmites meet to form pillars. This cave also has a pond fed from the caves waters which originate from the Semuhun River, which empties itself into the Ogan River. You can walk through a steep and slippery path for about 200 meters. Most of this area is still closed to visitors due to dangerous and dark paths that are usually occupied by bats which you will hear when entering this cave. This amazing cave is famous for its stalactites and stalagmites. Visitors can enjoy this scenery while sitting on the rocks and taking pictures. Please don’t forget to wash your face at the pond of Prince Dayang Merindu. Local inhabitants believe that those who wash their faces in the pond while praying, will have their prayers come true.

3.Kemarau Island

Kemarau Island is in the Musi River delta. The name Kemarau Island was given by local inhabitants because this delta is always dry and never floods, even during high tides, as if it is a floating island. It is a very special place for the local ethnic Chinese. On this island, there are pagodas and temples. Its presence is closely related to a legend which says that the delta appeared as evidence of the love of Princess Siti Fatimah (daughter of King Sriwijaya) to her husband. Her story is similar to that of Romeo & Juliet, or Sampek Eng Tay. It started at the end of the 14th century when a prince from China, Tan Bu An, came to Palembang to study. After living here for some time, he fell in love with princes Siti Fatimah. He then came to her palace to propose to her. Her parents granted their approval on one condition; Tan Bu An must give a present. Tan Bu An then asked his messenger to return to China to ask for such a present from his father for the King. Soon after, the messenger returned with vegetables and fruits. Tan Bu An was surprised and angry because he expected his father to give Chinese jars, ceramics and money. He threw the ships cargo into the Musi River, not knowing that his father actually put some money inside the vegetables and fruits. Because he was ashamed after finding out about his mistake, he collected what he had thrown away in the river. Tan Bu An never returned as he drown together with the vegetables and fruits. When she heard about the tragedy, Siti Fatimah ran to the river and drown trying to follow her lover. Before that, she left a message; "If you see a tree grow on a piece of land where I drown, it will be a tree of our love ". The princess then drown and a piece of land appeared on the rivers surface. The local community believes that this new land is the couple’s tomb and therefore, they call it "Kemarau Island" which means despite high tides in the Musi River, this island will always be dry. The local ethnic Chinese believe that their ancestor, Tan Bun An, lives on this island. As a result, this area is always crowded during Chinese New Year. In 2006, a pagoda was built as a worship place and a location for other events. On this island, you can go to a fortune teller who is the guardian of Kemarau Island. You could also see the Love Tree, land that can expands by itself, and the pagoda.

4.Musi River Tour

You will find something missing if you visit Palembang without taking a Musi River tour. This famous river is the longest in Sumatra at 750 kilometers long. Taking the Musi River tour is a must for visitors who wish to know the Palembang of the past. Long ago, the native population in Palembang lived along this river. Some even built their homes along the river banks. When taking the tour, you can find several tourist sites such as Kemarau Island and temples. Local people rely on this river for their transportation. You can see many motor boats (taxis) taking passengers to the other side of the river.

To travel around the Musi River, you must use a motor boat. You can rent one under the Ampera bridge, in front of Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Museum, or in front of Fort Kuto Besak. There are several types of motor boats such as speed boats, Ketek, and small vessels. Their rates range between Rp20,000 to Rp100,000 (or 2 to 10 US Dollars). Don't pay if it is more than these rates. After that, you could enjoy taking the Musi River tour. Along the Musi River, there are several tourist sites such as Kemaro Island and the tomb of Ratu Bagus Kuning. You can ask the boat driver to take you to these sites. They certainly know these areas well.

5.Palembang Grand Mosque

Palembang Grand Mosque is one of the inheritances of the Palembang Sultanate. This mosque is known as the center of Palembang city. It was built from 1738 to 1748 by Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin I, also known as Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin Jaya Wikramo. Some say it was the largest mosque in Indonesia at that time. When it was first built, it covered a land area of 1,080 square meters (about 0.26 acres) with a capacity of 1,200 persons. It was then expanded by Sayid Umar bin Muhammad Assegaf Altoha and Sayid Achmad bin Syech Sahab under the leadership of Prince Nataagama Karta Mangala Mustafa Ibnu Raden Kamaluddin. You can walk around to explore this great mosque, and visitors will find it unique in every corner of the building. If you are a Muslim, don't miss the chance to pray here, while reading Asmaul Husna (99 names of Allah) written on the mosque ceilings. If you want to know more about this mosque, you can go to its library for free.

6.Sembilang National Park

Sembilang National Park is a natural coastal wet land area with various forest ecosystems of peat moss swamps, fresh water swamps, mangrove forests and mud flats. Administratively, it is part of Banyuasin district and has been a national park since March 19th 2003, when it was separated from the Berbak National Park in Jambi. This area is called Sembilang because it has many Sembilang fish (Plotosus canius). The Banyuasin Peninsula, located on the east coast of South Sumatra, is a haven for water birds. Its muddy lands and sands border mangroves resulting in ideal habits for various types of invertebrates such as worms, mollusks, and crustaceans. The actual peninsula sticks out into the sea for 1.5 kilometers which makes this land an ideal stop for migrant birds from Asia and Europe from October to December. To explore this area, you can take a speed boat or barge except when you wish to explore swampy areas. It will be more fun if you use a canoe. To visit the transit area of the migrant birds, you have to walk 500 meters to the sea through mud because the water level is only as high as an adult's chest. Enjoying the beauty of mangrove forests in Sembilang National Park is another attraction in the swampy areas along the rivers and sea. You can ask officials to take you to crocodile, snake, and bird nests, or to marvel at the endangered plants. You can also fish here catching five kilograms of fish within one hour according to local inhabitants.

7.South Sumatra Museum

The South Sumatra Museum consists of two smaller museums, Balaputera Dewa and Sriwijaya. This museum is more popularly known as Balaputera Dewa Museum. Balaputera Dewa Museum is a public museum which stores and maintains historical and cultural objects. Balaputra Dewa is the name of a Sriwijaya king. This 23,565 square meter (5.8 acres) museum has 3,715 collections consisting 16 geological, 26 biological, 2,073 ethnographical, 87 archaeological, 37 historical, 456 numismatic, 29 philological, and 221 ceramologic collections; and 55 art objects, and 15 modern technological collections.

The Balaputera Dewa Museum also has collections of Limas and Ulu traditional houses, and statue wards. The Sriwijaya Museum is a special museum for historical objects of the Sriwijaya kingdom which lasted from the 7th to 13th centuries. It has 191 collections.

Both museums are only closed on Mondays and national public holidays. They are open from 08:00 to 15:30, except for Saturdays and Fridays, which are half days. The entrance fee to Balaputera Dewa Museum is Rp 500 (5 cents US) per child and Rp 1,500 (15 cents US) per adult. The entrance fee to the Sriwijaya Museum is only Rp 250 (2.5 cents US) per child and Rp 500 (5 cents US) per adult.

8.Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Museum

This great museum is 32 meters long, 22 meters wide, and 17 meters high. It was first built by the Dutch colonial government in 1823 and completed in 1825, for the Dutch resident's official home in Palembang. Earlier, this area was a palace of Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin Jayo Wikramo, popularly known as Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin I in 1737. After losing a battle to the Dutch in 1821, the palace was destroyed and Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II was exiled. The function of this building was changed over time in line with local dynamics. It was once used as a Japanese headquarters during the Japanese invasion, TNI's headquarters at the early stages of Indonesian independence, a local government office and eventually a museum.

This Museum has many historical objects related to Palembang city and its cultures including the Buddha Siguntang statue and Palembang traditional dais.

To enter this site you will pay only Rp 1,000 (about 10 cents US). This Museum is open everyday, except for national public holidays. From Monday through Thursday and on Saturday and Sunday, this museum is open from 08.00 to 16.00. On Friday, this museum only opens half a day from 08.00 to 11.30.

The Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Museum is not a large area. To explore this museum, visitors should only follow directions given by the management.

9.Wood Carving Center in Palembang

The wood carving center in Palembang is located on Faqih Jalaluddin Street, near the Palembang Grand Mosque. Dozens of showrooms, which are also used to give finishing touches to wood carvings, are available in this city center. Palembang wood carvings, which are identified by dark red and golden colors, are displayed along this street. You can also find unfinished products, those which have not been softened or painted. Workers in each shop usually give their final touch before sale. Gold is the most dominant color in Palembang carvings. It distinguishes Palembang carvings from carving products from other parts of Indonesia, such as Jepara in Central Java. Cupboards bodies, doors, or glass, as well as picture frames are usually painted in gold color. Other parts are covered by dark red and black colors. Pictures of flowers in black make these carvings more beautiful.

(references: www.indonesia.travel and www.my-indonesia.info)