One of the most amazing, random trips I had in my life was my trip to the city of Palembang, on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. I was pulled deeper into the fascination of the ancient world, following my visit to the alleged world’s oldest pyramids which I have seen in another region in Indonesia.
It wasn’t exactly the city that made it a top-notch destination but finding a gem hidden away in the mountains of southern Sumatra — the ancient city of Pagar Alam. Have you heard about it? Chances are, you haven’t.
In a nutshell, here’s what to expect from a trip to Pagar Alam:
The Context
This trip would not have happened if I didn’t accidentally spot a promo from Scoot Airline for its new route from Singapore.
They were selling a one-way flight to Palembang for only $15 SGD / 9.15 EUR, so cheap that I impulsively booked it without knowing what to expect there.
Nobody could tell me about Palembang, except a friend who said that the founder of Singapore originated there. I find this surprising given that this city appears to be nearer to Singapore than Indonesia’s capital Jakarta.
A few days before the trip, I discovered an interest in visiting the islands of Belitung, located 3-hours away by a ferry from Palembang, and is supposedly laced with beautiful sandy beaches.
However, after a bit more research, I read something about the land of a thousand waterfalls and megaliths.
This led my decision to explore the prehistoric features of the City of Pagar Alam, despite it being located 300 KMs away from Palembang.
How to fly cheap from Singapore to Palembang?
Here’s how I travelled to Palembang from Singapore:
- From Singapore Central Business District (CBD), I went to Harbourfront MRT station and took a ferry to Batam Island, in Indonesia. I spent a night in a cheap but decent hotel there.
- I flew with Citilink Airline to Palembang from Hang Nadim Airport in Batam on early Friday morning.
- From Palembang’s Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport, I took a taxi to the city to catch the train to the town of Lahat, located halfway between Palembang and Pagar Alam, but I missed it and ended up riding a bus instead.
- I took a bus from Palembang to Pagar Alam. I left around 10:00 AM and reached Pagar Alam around 5:00 PM. That’s a staggering 7 hours of travel, but all worth it.
Where to Stay in Pagar Alam
There are not many choices in terms of accommodation in Pagar Alam. But I was lucky to find Safira Homestay on Booking.com. I can’t overstate how amazing and comfortable my stay there was, thanks to the incredible hospitality of its owners.
They were attentive to my needs and ensured that I would experience the best of Pagar Alam during my trip and that I’d come back to Palembang safe and sound.
Have you been to this city? Let me know in the comments below!
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