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Voykit pocket guide · Indonesia
Pekanbaru
Give Pekanbaru one night as a Riau stopover, or two if you want Siak; treat Selatpanjang as an overnight, not a day trip.
Pekanbaru is the capital of Riau province and Sumatra's third-largest city, an oil and palm-oil hub with a Malay-Muslim centre, a handful of landmark buildings and good Riau and Minangkabau food. It is not a sightseeing city: most travellers pass through on the way to Siak Sri Indrapura, Selatpanjang or Dumai, or use it as a clean, cheap overnight between flights.
- Country
- Indonesia
- Best months
- Feb, Jun–Sep (drier stretches)
- Avoid
- No clear dry season; expect rain year-round
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- IDR
- Money
- Rupiah (Rp) in small notes for warungs, parking, offerings and drivers; large cards are common in tourist restaurants but not everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rp350,000–600,000 excl. bed (2026 estimate) · Mid Rp600,000–1,200,000 excl. bed (2026 estimate) · High Rp1,200,000+ excl. bed (2026 estimate) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telkomsel, XL and Indosat sell tourist SIMs at airports; foreign phones must be IMEI-registered if staying over 90 days — check.
- Emergency
- General emergency 112 · Police 110
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European round pins.
- Tipping
- Warung: Nothing.; Restaurants: Often 10% service + tax on the bill; nothing more needed.; Drivers and guides: Rp50,000–100,000 a day.; Spa: Rp20,000–50,000.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; refill stations common in Bali.
- Toilets
- Western in hotels and cafés; squat toilets with a water scoop elsewhere; paper in the bin.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a kopitiam | Check |
| Noodle or rice plate at a local warung | Check |
| Gulai ikan patin with rice | Check |
| Beer | Check |
| Grab ride across the centre | Check |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | Check |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PKU · Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport
- Domestic flights connect Pekanbaru with Jakarta, Medan and other Indonesian cities; international routes and schedules check.
Typical fares
- PKU airport → centre, Grab
- Current fare and journey time check
- Trans Metro Pekanbaru single
- Rp4,000; buy at the stop
- Pekanbaru → Dumai shared minivan
- Current fare and journey time check
Get around
Grab and Gojek cover the city cheaply; metered taxis exist but agree the fare or insist on the meter. Trans Metro Pekanbaru buses run on part of the network with a flat fare bought at the stop. Angkot minivans are for locals and hard to use without Indonesian.
See and do
Known for
- Malay architecture and the An-Nur Great Mosque
- Riau and Minangkabau food, including gulai ikan patin
- Sang Nila Utama Museum
- Gateway to Siak Sri Indrapura and the Riau islands
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Siak Sri Indrapura | Road transfer east from Pekanbaru; transport options and journey time check. | Check |
| Selatpanjang | Ferry from Sungai Duku port; operators and schedules check. | Check |
| Dumai | Bus or shared minivan on the Trans-Sumatra road; journey time check. | Check |
Sleep
- Jl. Jend. Sudirman corridor
- The main spine: malls, durian stalls, most hotels and restaurants; walkable in patches, hot between them.
- Around Mall Pekanbaru and Pasar Bawah
- Central, near the old mosque and the market; best for one night with bags and easy food.
- Jl. Riau / Ciputra area
- Business hotels and malls; quieter at night, a short ride from the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Good morning | Selamat pagisuh-LAH-mat PAH-ghee |
| Thank you | Terima kasihtuh-REE-mah KAH-see |
| How much is it? | Berapa harganya?buh-RAH-pah har-GAH-nyah |
| I don't want it spicy | Jangan pedasJAH-ngan puh-DAS |
| Where is the toilet? | Di mana toilet?dee MAH-nah TOY-let |
| Please take me to this address | Tolong antar ke alamat iniTOH-long AN-tar kuh ah-LAH-mat EE-nee |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Light handshake then hand to chest; smile; avoid: Firm grips
- Left hand: Give and receive with the right; avoid: Passing anything with the left
- Temples: Sarong and sash; step around offerings; avoid: Standing higher than priests
- Keeping calm: Patience; indirect requests; avoid: Anger in public
- Pointing: Thumb; avoid: Index finger
Scams and watch-outs
- Traffic can make road journeys slow; allow extra time for airport and intercity transfers.
- Dress modestly when visiting mosques.
- Some kopitiams serve pork; ask if you need halal food.
- Air quality during haze episodes can deteriorate; check current conditions if you have breathing issues.
- There are no direct ferries from Melaka to Pekanbaru; the Malaysia ferry connection is via Dumai.
Pekanbaru is generally safe for visitors; the real issues are traffic, flash flooding after heavy rain, haze season and conservative dress norms. Use app transport at night and keep bags zipped in markets.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Pekanbaru yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Malay architecture and the An-Nur Great Mosque
- Riau and Minangkabau food, including gulai ikan patin
- Sang Nila Utama Museum
- Gateway to Siak Sri Indrapura and the Riau islands
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Pekanbaru, revision 5286036 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5286036
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Pekanbaru
Ke alamat ini, tolong
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Embassies are in Jakarta; check whether your country has consular representation in Pekanbaru.
Save your hotel address in Indonesian to show a driver.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/pekanbaru). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.