Palembang
Palembang is the capital city of the Indonesian province of South Sumatra.
The city proper covers 348.34 square kilometres on both banks of the Musi River in the eastern lowlands of southern Sumatra. It had a population of 1,668,848 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2025 was 1,829,745. Palembang is the second most populous city in Sumatra, after Medan, and the twelfth most populous city in Indonesia.
Getting to Palembang
- 01Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport
Bandara Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II, Talang Betutu, Sukarami 30761 ( Bandara SMB II LRT).
- 02Kertapati Station
However service is limited to trains from Bandar Lampung in Lampung, to Lubuklinggau in western South Sumatra, and a railbus to Sriwijaya University at Indralaya.
- 03Alang-Alang Lebar Terminal
Where to eat
Palembang cuisine is the second most well known from Sumatra after Padang. They primarily use freshwater fish and prawn as ingredients due to the paramount role of the Musi River for the area. Spices are also generally included although not as liberal as its same-island counterpart. Malay, Indian, and Chinese culture has also influenced Palembang's culinary scene.
- 01Mie Celor
- 02Ilir H
The most famous mie celor restaurant in Palembang, situated at a market.
Getting around Palembang the local way
- Get aroundIt is quite easy to get around in Palembang since there are a lot of public buses, modified vans (Angkots or Angkutan Kota) and for short distances there is always becak.
- Get aroundDon't be surprised if they keep packing the buses and angkots with people even though they are full.
- Get aroundOn land, motorcycle taxis, ojeks, are cheap, quick, and everywhere.
- Go nextTravel by road to Jambi Go to Lampung by train Travel by ferry along the Musi River estuary to Bangka Island
From Wikivoyage: Palembang, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.