Travel information

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By plane

From inside Indonesia

  • Air Asia,Firefly Airline, Garuda Airlines, and Riau Airlines all fly in and out of Pekanbaru, although Riau Airlines services can be ad hoc, often not flying if the plane is not full.

From elsewhere

Malaysia

  • Air Asia [1] (Call centre 0804-1-333333 in Indonesia; 1-300-88-9933 in Malaysia) flies three times a week between Kuala Lumpur and Pekanbaru. Flights to Pekanbaru are on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. There is a direct daily flight from Singapore to/from Pekanbaru as well. Effective October 2009, Air Asia has cancelled direct flights to Singapore.
  • Firefly [2] ( Call centre: +603-7845 4543 in Malaysia) flies daily from Subang airport ( Kuala Lumpur) to Pekanbaru.
  • Riau Airlines [3] (Jl. Jend. Sudirman No 474, Pekanbaru, Tel: +62-761-855333; Batu Berendam Airport in Malacca, Tel: +60-6-3174577) flies between Malacca and Pekanbaru five times weekly (no flights on Wednesdays and Fridays). Flights depart Pekanbaru at 0730 and arrive at Malacca at 0920. On the return leg, they leave Malacca at 1005 arrive at Pekanbaru at 0955. Tickets cost RM247 one way from Malacca before taxes and other charges.

By boat

From inside Indonesia

  • To Riau Islands: Several companies operate ferries to Sekupang, Batam. Most ferries make a stop at Tanjung Balai on Karimun Island as well as Tanjung Buton and Selat Panjang in Riau.

From elsewhere

  • To/from Malacca, Malaysia:
    • Tunas Rupat Follow Me Express (Pekanbaru agent: Jl. Tanjung Datuk No 153, Pekanbaru. Tel: +62-761-858777. Malacca ticketing booth at Jln PM10 Melaka Raya. Tel: +60-6-2816766, office Tel: +60-6-2832506, +60-6-2832516) has ferries from Malacca to Pekanbaru on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 0930. From Pekanbaru to Malacca, they depart on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 0900. Journey time about six and a half hours. Tickets cost RM120/210 one-way/return from Malacca to Pekanbaru.
    • NNH Ferry Services (Malacca ticketing booth G-15, Jln PM10, Plaza Mahkota Melaka Raya. Tel: +60-6-2881334) runs the Pelita Jaya ferry from Malacca to Pekanbaru on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9am.

There are three major malls in Pekanbaru that visitors should consider visiting. The two best are Mall SKA and Ciputra(pronounced Chiputra). The slightly older Mall Pekanbaru is not as well maintained as the other two but it does offer a decent restaurant selection. Most if not all of the people in Pekanbaru know where these three malls are located so getting there shouldn't be a problem. There are several other malls in Pekanbaru but they are more run down and are closer to an indoor market then a mall (great place for bargains though!).

Around the bridge there is a strip of little restaurants along the river.

  • Super Kitchen, Komp Riau Bisinis Center (Jalan Riau), ☎ 0761 860968. Chinese restaurant located in the Grand Elite Hotel not too far from Ciputra Mall.  edit
  • Restoran Taman Anggrek (previously Anom, new location), ☎ 571398 or 571425. If your taxi driver can find it, good Chinese and Indonesian food. The chili garlic crab is excellent and if the matriarch is there the service is excellent.  edit