Siak Sri Indrapura, seat of once great Malay maritime kingdom

Tengku Agung Sultanah Latifah Bridge, Siak Indrapura

Jembatan Tengku Agung Sultanah Latifah Siak Indrapura

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Overview

The town of Siak Sri Indrapura at the mouth of the Siak river was once the seat of a great Malay kingdom that from 1723 to 1946 held sway over the seas around the entrance of the Malacca Straits all the way to Sambas in present-day West Kalimantan

The Siak Sri Indrapura kingdom was founded in 1723 by Raja Kecil Sultan Abdul Jalil, after he failed to gain the succession to the Johor-Riau throne. Nevertheless, he soon succeeded in developing his kingdom into a strong maritime nation, strategically situated at the entrance to the busy Straits of Malacca, which at the time was being fought among the European colonizing powers of Britain, the Portuguese, the Dutch as well as the Malay kingdoms on both sides of the Strait. Sultan Abdul Jalil was a descendent of the great Pagaruyung kingdom of the Minangkabau in West Sumatra.

In its quest for suzerainity, the kingdom of Siak was supported by the Orang Laut -  the sea gypsies – who were – and still remain -  an inseparable part of the sea trade and traffic around the islands.

In 1946, the last sultan of Siak, Sultan Syarif Kasim II decided to join with and integrate his kingdom into the Republic of Indonesia. Siak is now a district in the province of Riau on Sumatra. 

The people of Siak are staunch Muslims and have spread the religion from here to other parts of Sumatra, including to the Minangkabaus.  Nonetheless, as regards the matter of inheritance of a house, Siak still follows the Minangkabau matrilineal tradition, namely that a house is bequeathed following the female line.

Today, the town of Siak, officially called Siak Sri Indrapura, is a beautiful and clean town with wide and well paved avenues, situated some 2 hours by car from the province’s capital city, Pekanbaru.

See on The Map

To Stay

Siak has a number of small hotels to stay at, they are among others:

1. Grand Mempura Hotel

Jalan Perjuangan 88

Kecamatan Mempura,

Siak Sri Indrapura, Riau

2. Hotel Rindu Sepadan

Jalan Raja Minas Km. 23.

Minas

Riau

Tel.:  +62 761 29016, 70666

3. Hotel Perawang Makmur

Jl. Km 5 Raya Perawang

Riau

Tel : +62 761 91037, 22646

4. Hotel Istana Tujuh

Jala Perawang Km. 6

Perawang

Riau

Tel: + 62 761 92859, 92168

5. Hotel Yasmin

Jalan Indragiri no. 2 Kampung Repak

Siak Sri Indrapura

Riau

Tel : +62 0764 320888

Get There

Siak Sri Indrapura is 2 hours by car from Pekanbaru, or 1.5 hours from the town of Pangkalan Kerinci. You can rent cars in Pekanbaru. 

To Do

Siak has a number of attractions that are well worth a visit. Chief among which is of course the Palace , known as Istana Siak Indrapura.

Built in 1889 by Sultan Syarif Hasyim (1889 – 1908), there are in fact 4 palaces here , most important  among which is the Siak Palace, set in  a total estate of 32, 000 sq. meters.  They are the Istana Siak, Istana Lima, Istana Padjang, and Istana Baru, each standing on 1,000 sq meters land.

The architecture is a fusion of Malay, Arab and European styles. Istana Siak has two storeys, the ground floor is where receptions and meetings are held. There is a lounge for men and another for women. On the upper floor are the chambers of the Sultan and the queen, as well as rooms for special guests.

On the roof are 6 statues of eagles, the emblem of the Sultanate, while in the gardens are 8 cannons.

Another beautiful building is the Sultan Syarif Hasyim Mosque which is also the town’s Islamic Center. The mosque has 5 large blue domes encrusted with yellow patterns.

The Tengku Agung Sultanah Latifah Bridge spans the Siak river and is 1.2 km. long. It has four lanes for two way traffic , and  pedestrian streets on either side. Its fences are painted yellow with green ornaments, and it has picturesque Malay lamps for lighting. In the middle are two towers with lifts that can take one to an upper room. The local government plans to convert these into restaurants where diners can sit and watch the river and the sunset. 

Turap is a park along the Siak river where people can sit and watch the river pass by, with a romantic view on the large Sultanah Latifah Bridge. People come here to watch the sunset and the food offered at the many cafes.

Surfing Kampar River’s stunning Bono Tidal Bore

Sungai Kampar

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Overview

Only recently discovered by the international tidal river surfing community, the Bono Tidal Bore by the estuary of the Kampar river in the Riau Province is drawing surfing communities from around the world to this amazing Indonesian pororoca. 

In February 2013, tidal bore surfer champion Steve King, who already holds two world records for long distance surf rides, broke his own Guinness World Record that he made on the Severn river in England, by  riding an incredible  20.65 km (or 12.8 miles) in 1 hour, 4 minutes on the Bono bore of the Kampar river on  10-13 February 2013 (For details click our News: UK’s Steve King breaks world record for longest, continuous bore ride on Riau’s Kampar River) 

Kampar is a long river that rushes down from the Bukit Barisan mountain range that forms the spine of the island of Sumatra along its west coast. The river then meanders through the Riau province, to finally pour out in the Malacca Straits, on the east coast of Sumatra.  Along its long course the river dvides itself into two large branches known as the Kampar Kanan (the right branch of Kampar) and Kampar Kiri (its left branch).  They then converge at Langgar in the district of Pelalawan at Kampar’s estuary. Here they are joined by many other rivers causing Kampar to funnel out into a wide river mouth. At each high tide, high waves from the sea flow in and meet the down stream current of the Kampar. Where the two opposing energies meet, - and furthermore, caused by the funnel shape of the river, -   Kampar’s phenomenal tidal bores emerge, rushing deep inland reaching to over 60 km. upriver. 

These tidal bores are known locally as “Bono”, which rush in with loud roaring sound at a speed of 40 kilometers an hour.  The surf on the river can rise as high as 4 to 6 meters, at times creating barrels, the darling of surfers.

Best site to surf by the village of Teluk Meranti, although there are other spots like Tanjung Sebayang, Tanjung Pungai, and Pulau Muda, all in the district of Pelalawan.

Although quite used to the phenomenon, local inhabitants are mostly scared when the Bono appears, which they believe are spirits of the Seven Ghosts. Many boats have sunk in this river when caught in the bore.

See on The Map

To Stay

As Teluk Meranti has only recently started to receive tourists, there are no large hotels here as yet. There are homestays, rooms available at houses of locals that are rented out to visitors. Most popular is the “Mega Lestari” a Bed and Breakfast type of inn that has 8 rooms. It is clean but has no air-conditioning. Rooms have fans. 

Across the road are small eateries where you can find Indonesian dishes, like fried rice, noodles, fried or barbecued fish or chicken, some vegetables and mineral water. 

For more information and booking, check : www.bonosurf.com

Get There

To get to Teluk Meranti one must travel through Pekanbaru, capital of the province of Riau.  As a busy business airport, Pekanbaru is served from most major cities in Indonesia, most often from Jakarta, Medanand Batam.

Internationally, Pekanbaru is served from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, by Air Asia. It takes some 4 to 7 hours by car from Pekanbaru north to Teluk Meranti. There are car rental companies in Pekanbaru.

The ride from Pekanbaru to Pangkalan Kerinci lasts 1.5 hours, then from here to Teluk Meranti takes another 4 hours. Alternatively you can take a speedboat from Pangkalan Kerinci to Pulau Muda or Teluk Meranti, which takes around 4.5 hours.

Whereas, when you travel from or through Singapore, the journey to Teluk Meranti  is by sea through a rather arduous route.  From Singapore’s Ferry Terminal take a boat to Sekupang in Batam, then connect with a ferry to Tanjung Batu, in the Karimun islands, where you can find ferries to take you to Teluk Meranti.

To Do

At the moment, those who travel to Kampar are mostly avid surfers, eager to catch and conquer Kampar’s awesome tidal waves.

Surfers coming here for the first time to Kampar need to know that waves on the river behave differently than in the open sea.  Because of the strength of the oncoming tide, currents that rush upriver will cause waves from both the right and the left sides after hitting both river embankments, next to streaming in directly from the center of the river mouth.

The river and the banks are said to be inhabited by crocodiles and snakes. While crocodiles are mostly found higher upstream, it is wise to beware of these predators when surfing on the river. Snakes, nonetheless, are around but most are non-poisonous and are of the constrictor kind, like boas and pythons.

Taking these challenges in mind, it is wise to use a speedboat that is best adaptable to the river’s conditions.  There are speedboats availabe in the town of Teluk Meranti, but according to experts and those experienced, they are not quite right, nor sufficently agile to help in emergencies.

Therefore, when surfing on the Kampar it is best to use an experienced company or organization that knows local conditions.

As travel to Teluk Meranti usually passes Pekanbaru, you can find a number of attractions around the city and its surroundings. 

Other activities that are fun to do when you are not surfing is rent a motorbike and scour the countryside to watch activities of the village.

Pekanbaru, capital of the Riau Province

Cagar Budaya Situs makam Marhum Pekan

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Overview

Pekanbaru is the capital of Riau Province and is the third largest city on the island of Sumatra, after Medan in the North and Palembang in South Sumatra.  A large and clean city, Pekanbaru is better known as a business city for its exports of crude oil, palm oil, and pulp and paper. It is cut from west to east by the Siak river, which serves as river transport.  

In the old days, the town was a main trade and distribution hub for commodities and goods that include coffee and coal produced in the highlands of theMinangkabau in West Sumatra, to be carried to the busy trading ports along the Straits of Malacca.

The palace of the Sultan of Siak also lies at the mouth of the Siak river by the Straits of Malacca in the town of Siak Sri Indrapura, some 130 km. northwest of Pekanbaru.

Lately the Riau province has come into international limelight when UK’s Steve King broke his own world record by surfing up the Kampar river on the Bono bore, covering the length of 20.65 km (12.8 miles) in 1 hour and 4 minutes, setting a new World Record for the Longest, Continuous Bore Ride.   

Also by the Kampar Kanan river In a jungle clearing are the ruins of the enigmatic 9th century Muara Takus Buddhist temple complex. Muara Takus lies 122 km. from Pekanbaru.    

At Indonesia’s Independence in 1945, Riau was one with its neighbouring province of the Riau Islands, situated south of Singapore and Malaysia.  Together they formed part of the larger Johore-Riau kingdom. Today, Pekanbaru is capital of that part that lies on the larger island of Sumatra only, that is known as the province of Riau, while the town of Tanjung Pinang on Bintan island is capital of the Riau Islands province , which include among others, Batam, Bintan, Karimun and the Natuna islands. 

Around Pekanbaru you will find miles of palm oil plantations, and a number of oil drillings in Dumai and Rumbai. The town also has a number of manicured Gof courses and boasts a large Sports Center.  

Because of its history, Pekanbaru is a cosmopolitan city inhabited by a number of ethnic groups, including Malays, Minangkabau and a sizeable Chinese population.

See on The Map

To Stay

As an export center for oil and other important commodities, Pekanbaru has a number of luxurious five and four star hotels, to serve top management and VIP guests, as well as hotels that are more moderately priced.

Here is a short list of hotels:

The Labersa Grand Hotel & Convention Center
Jalan Labersa Parit Indah
Pekanbaru, Riau
Tel +62 761 41555
Email : reservation @labersa.com
Website : www.labersa.com

Tune Hotel
Jalan Tengku Zainal Abidin 23
Pekanbaru , Riau 28112
Tel : +62 761 851008
Website : www.tunehotels.com


Hotel Aryaduta Pekanbaru
Jalan Diponegoro 34
Pekanbaru, Riau
Tel : +62 761 44200
Email : infopekanbaru@aryaduta.com
Website : www.aryaduta.com


Premiere Hotel Pekanbaru (Grand Zuri group)
Jalan Jenderal Sudirman 389
Pekanbaru, Riau 28116
Tel : +62 761 21286
Email:reservation@premierehotelpekanbaru.com
Website : www.grandzuri.com


Swiss-belinn SKA Pekanbaru
Jalan Soekarno-Hatta lot 69
Pekanbaru, Riau 28294
Tel : +62 761 61888



  

Get There

As a business city, Pekanbaru is easily accessible by air and overland.

Pekanbaru is served by a number of domestic and international airlines.Garuda Indonesia flies 6 times daily from Jakarta, and has also flights from Medan. Sriwijaya Airflies to Pekanbaru from Jakarta,Medan and Batam. While Air Asia flies from Bandung and Medan, and internationally from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  as does Firefly.

Wings Air offers  twice weekly flights from Malacca in Malaysia, while Singapore Airlines fliesSingapore-Pekanbaru 5 times weekly.

Pekanbaru’s airport is called the Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport.

Overland, Pekanbaru is connected to Medan and Padang by highways. The bus terminal is at Bandar Raya Payung Sekaki. 

To Do

There are a number of attractions that you can go and see while in Pekanbaru. Do take time to see the Sang Nila Utama Museum at Jalan Sudirman, which relates the history of Riau

Located next to the museum at Jalan Sudirman is the Balai Adat Melayu Riau,  or the Riau-Malay building which houses art and cultural legacies.

The Idrus Tintin Arts Hall is a landmark of the city with its architecture fusing Malay and modern elements. Events are held in this building regularly.  

For a glimpse of the life of the Chinese community in Riau, browse through theChinese-Malay Quarters on Jalan Dr. Leimena and Jalan Karet.

Pekanbaru also has a number of recreation parks, among which the Labersa Waterpark at Labersa Parit Indah, which has a waterpark, a golf course and a 5 star hotel.

The other is the Taman Puteri Kaca Mayang Park at Jalan Sudirman located  right opposite the municipal office, that offers fun for family recreation, fishing and outbound activities.

Golf lovers will be spoilt with a choice of golf courses. Besides the Labersa Golf Course, there is the Pekanbaru Golf & Country Club, the Simpang Tiga Golf Course, at Simpang Tiga, and the Rumbai Golf Course at Rumbai Chevron Camp.

For shopping, Pekanbaru has a number of malls, Hotel Swiss-belinn Pekanbaru is located in the SKA mall.  Pasar Bawah is an interesting market that sells antiques, ceramics, old lamps, and a lot of interesting bric-a-brac.

Kerumutan Forest Reserve: Sumatran Tigers, Elephants, Sunbears and Protected Peat Preserve

Hutan Suaka Margasatwa Kerumutan

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Overview

Kerumutan Forest Reserve is a Wildlife Reserve spanning over 1.3million hectares of lowland forests, and inhabited by hundreds of species of flora and fauna. The grand Kampar River runs along its border, lined with thick mangrove trees. The reserve’s boundaries are the Kampar River, the Indragiri River, the East Coast of Sumatera, and Jalan Lintas Timur Sumatera, the Cross East Sumatra Highway. The forest extends across two regencies, Pelalawan and Indragiri Hulu, in the RiauProvince, in the central part of Sumatra.

Kerumutan’s carbon rich peat-lands are some of the largest remaining carbon reserves in the world, which make the forest a key defense against climate change. The area is composed of 75% peat and 25% dry marsh, with much of the area’s peat reaching deeper than 3 meters, making it illegal to clear under Indonesian law.

Kerumutan is well known as a haven to the critically endangered Sumatran Tigers, Sumatran Elephants and Orangutans, and is also habitat to Sunbears, Hornbills, Long-Tailed Macaque, White Egrets, Arowana Fish, Wild Ducks and Crocodiles, to name a few. The forest has also become a destination for a variety of migratory birds, and has been recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA,) and an Endangered Bird Area (EBA.)

In addition to migrants from other parts of Sumatra, Java and the Malay coast, the area around the forest is inhabited by certain indigenous people, such as the Duanu Tribe and the Petalangan Tribe. Government census puts the population of the Kerumutan Forest Reserve at about 27,000 persons.

Kerumutan was established as part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Network in 2009. Biosphere Reserves are globally considered as sites used for the conservation of biological and cultural diversity and economic and social development between people and nature. These sites are also used to demonstrate innovative approaches to sustainable development, both locally and internationally.

The forest consists of three main types of soil, and is therefore divided into three areas: Kawasan Inti, or Core Region, covering about 93,000 hectares, Peat Protected Areas, currently covering 52,000 hectares, but which may potentially be expanded, and the Non-Core Regions, a group of preserved forest ecosystems, covering 1,178,000 hectares.

Despite being a National Reserve, much of this area has been designated towards industrial plantation development and the landscape is actively being drained and cleared.

See on The Map

To Stay

If you wish to stay in Pelalawan, here are a few of the hotels in that area:

Dika Raya Hotel
Jl. Maharaja IndraPangkalanKerinci
Telp. 0761 95024, 95192

Hotel Unigraha
Komplek RAPP PangkalanKerinci
Telp. 62 761 95529, 95725, 95555
Fax 0761 95666

WismaDinda

Jl. Maharaja IndraPangkalanKerinci
Telp. 0761 493382

WismaIntan

Jl. Dahlia PangkalanKerinci
Telp. 0761 95895

If staying in Pekanbaru, these are a few places you could try:

Grand Jatra Hotel is a 5-star hotel located close to the city’s business district and shopping areas. Itis situated just 20 minutes from SSK II International airport, offering a blend of local culture and international luxury. Rooms include showers with hot and cold water, satellite TV, minibar, and 24-hour room service. A swimming pool, children’s pool, Spa, fitness center, ballroom, meeting room and two restaurants are also found in the hotel compounds.

Address: Jl. TengkuZainalAbidin No.1, Komplek Mal Pekanbaru

Phone: 62 761 850888

Email: reservation@jatrahotelpekanbaru.com

Website:www.jatrahotelpekanbaru.com

Hotel Furaya Pekanbaru is located strategically in the center of Pekanbaru and offers and extensive range of rooms to suit your needs and budget. Facilities include a 24-hour coffee chop, mini-mart, spa and fitness center, travel agents, and banquet and business facilities. Restaurants serve a blend of Indonesian, Chinese and International cuisines.

Address: Jalan Jendral Sudirman No 72 – 74

Phone: 62 761 26688

Email: marketing@furaya.com

Website: hotel.furaya.com

Hotel Aryaduta Pekanbaru is set in the heart of the government district, just 15 minutes from SSKII International Airport. The luxurious 9-storey hotel boasts 160 tastefully decorated and well-appointed rooms with 2 suites to satisfy the needs of both business and leisure travellers. Spacious rooms feature unique local artwork, and display a choice of city or garden view.

Address: JalanPangeranDiponogoro No 34

Phone: 62 761 44200

Email: info.pekanbaru@aryaduta.com

Website: http://www.aryaduta.com

Get There

To get to Pelalawan, one must first make way to Pekanbaru, capital of the Riau province. The SSK II International airport serves the International destinations of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur,Dumai, Rengat and locally, and domestically, Jakarta, Padang,Medan , Batam and Tanjung Pinang.

From Pekanbaru, you can hire a car to take you to Pangkalan Kerinci, the Capital of Pelalawan. It is approximately 70 km away, or 1.5 hours.

Kerumutan Forest Reserve is located in the Village of Kerumutan, Pelalawan. This is about 2 hours away by road, across rocky terrain, or alternatively, you could hire a car direct from Pekanbaru, which will take approximately 4 hours by road, followed by an hour by speedboat.

To Do

Upon entering the Forest Reserve, roads are lined on either side with neat rows of towering palm trees. When you reach Pangkalan Kopau, the entrance to the wooded area, you can continue your tour by motor-boat, along the tree-lined corridor that is the Kerumutan River. Amidst the deep, lush rainforest, once the sounds of the motorboat cease, all that is left to be heard are the crisp and clear songs of the birds from the surrounding foliage.

The stretches of peat-swamp forests are worth exploring to examine the various elements of the swamp ecosystem. Living within the swamp are wild ducks, white egrets, arowana fish and even crocodiles. Bring binoculars and try spotting the hornbills perched high within the canopy overhead, or observe the varying species of migrating birds, if it is that season. Long-tailed Macaques swing from treetop to treetop, and if you’re lucky, you may even see tigers or bears resting amongst the branches.