The South Sumatra Metropolitan city is the second biggest city in Sumatra only to Medan. A city of 600,000 populations has grown on the banks of Musi River, about 200km from the coast. Forest products, rubber, coffee plantation in the vicinity contribute to the city's economy today, but oil is the real source of wealth that has turned Palembang into Indonesia richest city. Palembang as the capital city of South Sumatra is not only as the center of governance but also as the center of trade, industry, and tourism. There are many kind of heritage and megalithic goods in various size, both human and animals.
The houses along the banks are built of piles and are facing the water. The banks of Musi are covered with water at regular intervals. Palembang is also called 'Venice of the East' and from ancient times it is an important trade city between India and China. The name of the city is perhaps derived from the word 'Limbang', which means 'panning for alluvial gold'. People still dive in Musi for gold. There is another myth, which says that when emissaries were sent from the great kingdom of Majapahit to develop a colony on the East Coast of Sumatra, the ship sank near the mouth of Musi River. All that remained, which was a cargo of coconut, had to be used to reach the goal, so the coconut was cleft into two halves. These two halves were used as vessels, and the four people saved, who were brothers, took their places in them by two. So they sailed up the river, lurching (limbang-limbang) through the rippling of the water, and finally they reached a place, which they dubbed Palimbang, and with the passage of time people corrupted it to Palembang.
There are many festivals that are celebrated here and some of them are of Hindu origin. Sriwijaya Festival and Musi Festival are one of them.
Palembang was the capital of a Buddhist kingdom of the emperor Srivijaya. It remained the capital from the 7th century to the 14th century A.D. The Dutch established a trading post in the city in 1659, and also built a fort. The Japanese occupied it during the second World War, and currently, since it has a working port, is an important trade venue.
The Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport has both domestic and international flights. It connects Palembang with most important cities in Indonesia. There are some samples of architecture bearing the effects of Dutch colonization in the city.
The most important attraction is the bridge on the Musi river. It is the largest bridge in all of Indonesia. Another place to see is the Masjid Agung Grand Mosque. A beautiful mosque, it has gone through a number of renovation. It has traces of the Buddhist architecture from the days of the Buddhist empire in Palembang. A trip down the Musi river is also an immensely pleasant experience.
Palembang is famous for its traditional recipe, Pempek fish cakes. Pempek or Empek-Empek is a delicacy, made from fish and sago. It is eaten with a dark sauce called Cuko or Cuka, which is made from brown sugar, chili pepper, garlic and salt.
Accommodation in Palembang is top-notch, with modern hotels, with restaurants serving very good food and fast food outlets and joints abundant on the streets of the city.
The houses along the banks are built of piles and are facing the water. The banks of Musi are covered with water at regular intervals. Palembang is also called 'Venice of the East' and from ancient times it is an important trade city between India and China. The name of the city is perhaps derived from the word 'Limbang', which means 'panning for alluvial gold'. People still dive in Musi for gold. There is another myth, which says that when emissaries were sent from the great kingdom of Majapahit to develop a colony on the East Coast of Sumatra, the ship sank near the mouth of Musi River. All that remained, which was a cargo of coconut, had to be used to reach the goal, so the coconut was cleft into two halves. These two halves were used as vessels, and the four people saved, who were brothers, took their places in them by two. So they sailed up the river, lurching (limbang-limbang) through the rippling of the water, and finally they reached a place, which they dubbed Palimbang, and with the passage of time people corrupted it to Palembang.
There are many festivals that are celebrated here and some of them are of Hindu origin. Sriwijaya Festival and Musi Festival are one of them.
Palembang was the capital of a Buddhist kingdom of the emperor Srivijaya. It remained the capital from the 7th century to the 14th century A.D. The Dutch established a trading post in the city in 1659, and also built a fort. The Japanese occupied it during the second World War, and currently, since it has a working port, is an important trade venue.The Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport has both domestic and international flights. It connects Palembang with most important cities in Indonesia. There are some samples of architecture bearing the effects of Dutch colonization in the city.
The most important attraction is the bridge on the Musi river. It is the largest bridge in all of Indonesia. Another place to see is the Masjid Agung Grand Mosque. A beautiful mosque, it has gone through a number of renovation. It has traces of the Buddhist architecture from the days of the Buddhist empire in Palembang. A trip down the Musi river is also an immensely pleasant experience.
Palembang is famous for its traditional recipe, Pempek fish cakes. Pempek or Empek-Empek is a delicacy, made from fish and sago. It is eaten with a dark sauce called Cuko or Cuka, which is made from brown sugar, chili pepper, garlic and salt.
Accommodation in Palembang is top-notch, with modern hotels, with restaurants serving very good food and fast food outlets and joints abundant on the streets of the city.
