From the 7th until the 13th century, the Province of South Sumatra was the political centre of the ancient Buddhist Kingdom of Srivijaya. The kingdom’s capital, Palembang, is now the capital of this Indonesian province.

The Musi River divides Palembang into two distinctive sides: Seberang Ilir in the North as the economic centre & Seberang Ulu in the South as the political centre. When you are there, you definitely have to try its most famous cuisine, Pempek, a deep-fried fish paste dish.

Major tourist attractions in Palembang:

• Ampera Bridge, built by the Japanese as a war reparation after the 2nd World War
• Srivijaya archeological sites west of Palembang, especially Seguntang Hill
• Masjid Agung (Grand Mosque), this majestic building was built by Sultan Machmud Badaruddin 1 in 1740
• Museum Sultan Machmud Badaruddin 11, built on top of the ruins of the Sultan’s palace
• Pasar 16 Ilir, a floating market where you can buy “Songket”, a traditional Palembang textile

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