Indonesia · Sumatera Selatan
Where to Stay in Palembang, Sumatera Selatan
Palembang is one of Indonesia's oldest cities, the old capital of the Srivijaya empire on the Musi River in South Sumatra.
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Where to stay in Palembang
Each area has its own feel; here's who each one suits.
Where you stay in Palembang turns on the river. The streets along the Musi near the Ampera Bridge keep the fort, the museums, and the markets within reach, and staying by the water suits anyone here for the old river city. The riverfront lights up at night.
Rooms sit above the boats and the bridge. Out toward the newer districts and the airport, the city spreads into wider streets. A room away from the river trades the busy quays for space, parking, and an easy road to the airport.
The flat lowland opens past the edge. If you want the river and the fort, stay by the water; if you want the road, take a room outside. Either way, the great river is close at hand.
About Palembang
Palembang is the ancient river city of Sumatra.
What is Palembang known for?
Split by the broad Musi River and crossed by the great red Ampera Bridge, the town was once the heart of the Srivijaya empire, a Buddhist sea power that ruled the region a thousand years ago. River boats still crowd the water. Trade and empire mark the city.
What are the main landmarks in Palembang?
The Ampera Bridge spans the Musi at the heart of Palembang. The great red bridge links the two banks of the river over the water, the emblem of the city, above the boats. Forts and museums line the shore.
The Kuto Besak Fort guards the north bank, while the Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Museum and the Sriwijaya Museum keep the story of the empire and the sultans.
What is the history of Palembang?
Palembang was the seat of a great sea empire. In the seventh century it became the capital of Srivijaya, a Buddhist kingdom that ruled the seas and trade of the region for six hundred years and drew monks and merchants from across Asia. The river carried its power.
Ships sailed up the Musi to the royal city, and pilgrims stopped here to study before sailing on to India, so that Palembang grew rich on the trade of the straits. Later a Malay sultanate rose on the river. After the old empire faded, the Sultans of Palembang ruled from a fort above the Musi and built mosques and palaces on the water.
The Dutch took the town in the end. Colonial rule ended the sultanate in the nineteenth century, and Palembang grew into a port for the oil and rubber of Sumatra. The river still rules the city's life.
Palembang looks out over the Musi as it has for a thousand years.
Where is Palembang?
Palembang lies on the Musi River in the lowlands of South Sumatra. The city spreads across both banks of the broad river near the east coast of the island, in a flat land of swamps, rivers, and rubber country, where the Musi runs slow to the sea. Wetlands stretch around the town.
The great river winds through the plain.
What is the climate of Palembang?
Palembang lies deep in the wet tropics, its weather steady and sultry. Heat and heavy rain hang over the river city through most of the year, with a rainier spell around the turn of the year and a shorter dry season in the middle. Afternoon storms sweep up the Musi.
The damp air stays warm year-round.
How do you get to Palembang?
Palembang lies inland on the Musi in South Sumatra. Its airport links the city to Jakarta and the region, and roads and rail run across the island and up to the town, while boats work the river. Buses reach the Sumatran towns around.
Most arrive by air or up the river.
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Updated August 2026