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victorwkf Says: Like other parts of the Riau Islands e.g. Bengkalis and Karimun Island, bird's nest is big business at Selatpanjang. The bird's nest is actually made from the hardened saliva of the swallow birds and it is an expensive delicacy of the Chinese. The swallows actually build...
victorwkf Says: While you are heading towards the town centre of Selatpanjang from the ferry terminal, you will come across a lotus pond by the roadside. I was told that years ago when the fresh water supply was lacking, the locals actually get some of their fresh water from this pond.
victorwkf Says: The town centre area of Selatpanjang is located next to the river leading to the sea, and there are full of activities during the day time. There are many shops and markets here, and the streets are full of people, motorcycles, bicycles etc. Very crowded and exciting...
victorwkf Says: While you are travelling to Selatpanjang by ferry, do go to the top deck (if possible) and experience the beautiful scenery of the sea, river and surrounding mangrove swamps as you approach the town.
victorwkf Says: As you head into Selatpanjang town from the ferry terminal, you will pass by a busy market area with lots of locals going about their daily life. It is worth to stop by and experience the atmosphere, but do be careful of your belongings.
victorwkf Says: Selatpanjang is actually located on Tebingtinggi Island, which is very close to the Sumatra mainland. This island is next to another island called Rangsang Island, as well as Bengkalis Island (see my VT Bengkalis page), all which are located along the famous Straits of...
Waterfront scenes from the ferry terminal
victorwkf Says: One of the best view of Selatpanjang must be the waterfront scenes of the town, which are best viewed when you are at the ferry terminal, especially on a clear morning.
Avocardo juice and coconut drink
victorwkf Says: The avocardo juice at Selatpanjang is famous and is a must try as it is different and more tasty than other places e.g. Singapore. Also, the coconut drink here is very refreshing especially on a hot and humid day.
victorwkf Says: One of the dishes you must try at Selatpanjang is the mud lobster, which is very difficult to find in other places even around the region. The mud lobster is usually steamed, and it tastes somewhere between a crab and lobster. These mud lobsters can actually be found in the...
victorwkf Says: As there are virtual no cars in Selatpanjang, the best way to travel around (besides walking) is on motorcycle, bicycle or on a trishaw. Most of the locals ride motorcycles, and you need one of these if you want to explore the rural areas.
victorwkf Says: There are regular ferry services from nearby islands such as Bengkalis, Karimun Island and Batam Island to Selatpanjang. You can either start from Singapore and make your way to Batam Island followed by Selatpanjang or from Pekanbaru (capital city of Riau province) to...
Helpfulness
Fresh water supply can sometimes be lacking at Selatpanjang, especially during the dry season so be prepared. Also, there are occasional power failure here. Since there are many swallow birds around town due to the booming birds nest harvesting, it can be quite noisy around town from morning till early evening. Lastly, Selatpanjang is a simple town so there will not be much luxury here. The town is relatively save and the locals are generally friendly, but most do not speak English unfortunately.
Written Apr 17, 2006
victorwkf Says: There is a relatively new and simple bridge in the rural areas outside Selatpanjang which offers a very good view of a river with surrounding mangrove swamps. The locals use this bridge very often to go outside of the town.
victorwkf Says: If possible, you should visit the rural areas outside Selatpanjang, especially on a motorcycle as all the locals travel outside of town by this way. Once outside town, you will be able to experience the tranquil and beautiful rural scenery which is typical of Indonesia. More...
victorwkf Says: One of my fondest memories of Selatpanjang is the cheap, tasty and unique local food such as the wanton noodles (see photo, which are somewhat different from other places), seafood including the mud lobsters and some fishes which are seldom found eslewhere, tasty avocardo...
victorwkf Says: Like in many other parts of Indonesia, you will see many streetside food vendors selling local food while you are walking along the streets of Selatpanjang.
victorwkf Says: Although Selatpanjang is predominantly Malays who are Muslims, there are many Chinese staying here and you can see a few nice Chinese temples such as the ones shown in the photographs.
victorwkf Says: Like nearly all parts of Indonesia, Islam is very strong in Selatpanjang and you can see several mosques around the town.
Selatpanjang - Idyllic River Town at Rangsang
Selatpanjang is a small and idyllic town located on the shores of the river seperating Tebingtinggi Island and Rangsang Island (Pulau Tebingtinggi and Pulau Rangsang in Malay language respectively)......
Build your own Pulau Rangsang page
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