South Sumatra

One of the greatest kingdoms in Indonesian history, the Buddhist Empire of Sriwijaya, prospered along the banks of the Musi River in South Sumatra over a thousand years ago. Located on the southern-most rim of the South China Sea, close to one of the world's busiest shipping lanes linking the Far East with Europe, the region's historical background is rich and colorful.

The Sriwijaya kingdom practiced a bustling and lucrative trade with ancient China during its era of powerful dynasties. In 672 the Chinese-scholar, I Tsing, recorded that a thousand monks and scholars could be seen translating and studying Sanskrit in what is now the regional capital of Palembang. Few relics of this memorable era remain.

Stretching from the foothills of the mighty Bukit Barisan mountain range in West Sumatra to the islands of Bangka and Belitung in the East, the province of South Sumatra is relatively flat but very fertile, with numerous rivers cutting across the landscape and meandering their way to the sea. Coffee and tea plantations are scattered across the province, but the area's enormous wealth comes from oil, natural gas, coal, tin and quartz reserves.

Palembang is still the gateway to the province with one of the region's three major airports. The other two are on Bangka and Belitung islands. All three provide direct connections with Medan, Batam, Padang and Jakarta. Air-conditioned buses from points north and west of Palembang are also regularly available, as well as from major cities in Java and Bali.

The Province of Jambi, located on the east coast of Central Sumatra, faces the Strait of Malaka and shares borders with four other provinces in Sumatra. It has long been a melting pot for different ethnic groups. The earliest inhabitants of Jambi were of Malays to migrate to Sumatra. The ancient Jambi kingdom of Melayu maintained relations with the mighty kingdoms of Sriwijaya, Majapahit and Singasari, but was eventually attacked and annexed by Sriwijaya in the middle of the 17th century. Encompassing an area of 53,435 sq. km, almost 60% of which is forest, the province is an exhilarating place for active and adventurous visitors.

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