Dumai

Dumai is the main port city in Riau province on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Typical of such cities, it is quite seedy and there is nothing really much to do once you have arrived except to get out as soon as you can. However, you may well find yourself arriving here as it is a major ferry port with connections to the Malaysian cities of Port Klang, Port Dickson and Malacca as well as other Indonesian cities like Bengkalis and Batam.

By road
Dumai is well connected by road from Pekanbaru and Medan. The Trans-Sumatran Highway doesn't directly cross over the city, but goes near the city's edges.

From Pekanbaru, it takes approximately 5 hours to reach Dumai. The primary mode of transport is either buses or "travels" (shared car pool). It costs approximately Rp70,000 per person by "travels" and Rp50,000 by bus. If you book a full car, it is roughly Rp450,000 from Pekanbaru. The roads are not good however.

From Medan, it takes about 10 hours. The cost of travel is approximately Rp200,000-300,000 per person, depending upon the bus.
 * Makmur/Halmahera, Jl. Sisingamangaraja Km 6, 7 Medan. Large buses (AC or non-AC), runs daily (usually overnight).

The main bus station is inconveniently located. An office for shared taxis to Pekanbaru can be found about 300 m from the northern end of Jalan Sudirman, on the east side.

By boat
All passenger ferry depart from. Beware not to go in the wrong gate as the terminal gate is just side by side with cargo port gate.

From Malaysia
Ferries operate from the following Malaysian cities:


 * Port Klang: Several operators run daily ferries to/from Port Klang, the port for Kuala Lumpur. They include:
 * Indomal Express/Malaysia Express: Contact Doyan Shipping in Port Klang . From Malaysia, RM100 one-way. Journey takes just under 3 hours.
 * MV Pelita Jaya Express/Sabang Marindo II: by NKH Ferry Services in Port Klang . Daily departures from Dumai at 1300; from Port Klang 1030. From Malaysia RM80/150 one-way/return.

The Port Klang passenger terminal charges a departure tax of RM 20 whether you arrive from Dumai or depart from Port Klang, if you don't have the amount in Malaysian Ringgits you are allowed to pay in Indonesian Rupiah but the rate are quite bad.


 * Port Dickson:
 * The Acob Express (Port Dickson Jetty office ) operates daily to/from Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan. From Malaysia, it is RM85/160 one-way/return. Departs Dumai 1300, Port Dickson 1030.
 * Indomal Express depart from/to Port Dickson on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Dumai to Port Dickson : 11:00 (local time) & Port Dickson to Dumai : 09:00 (local time)


 * Malacca: one ferry daily, operated by Tunas Rupat (Dumai agent at Jl. Jend. Sudirman No. 423, /37805, open from 07.00 till 17.00; Malacca Ticketing booth at Jln PM10, Plaza Mahkota Melaka Raya. Tel: +60-6-2816766 or office at +60-6-2832506/2832516). Ferry depart depart at 09:00 local time except Friday depart at 10:30 from Dumai and 08:30 from Malacca. Journey time just under two hours. Tickets from Malacca cost RM110/170 one-way/return (at Dumai, cost Rp 300,000/600,000 one-way/return for adult, children 1-12 yo cost half). On high demand season, they may add more trips daily. You have to check-in 2 hours minimum at ticket counter. Indomal also runs ferries on this route 5 times per week.
 * Malacca to Dumai Ferry.. Tickets can be purchased from the Malacca International Ferry Terminal, about a 5-minute walk from the Tourist Information Office near the Clock Tower. When purchasing a ticket, an exit ticket from Indonesia is asked for. If you do not have an exit ticket, they are happy to sell you an open return ferry ticket (195 Malaysian ringgit, as of July 2019). This return ticket is valid for six months. Ferry departure time is 10:00. The immigration office opens at 09:00. Money can be exchanged at the ticket purchasing counter. You are able to carry your luggage on to the ferry, but larger items will be stored separately. It takes about two hours to sail to Dumai and depending on the number of passengers, and where you are in the queue, up to an hour to clear immigration. If you want the 60-day visa on arrival, the cost is 500,000 Indonesian Rupiah (July 2019). This process is rather straightforward with no complications.

From other parts of Indonesia
In Batam, ferries dock at Sekupang, next to the international ferry terminal where there are connecting ferries to Singapore. In Bintan, ferries arrive/depart from Tanjung Pinang harbour in the middle of town.
 * Batam, Bintan and other Riau Islands:
 * Dumai Express ( Office at Jl. Jenderal Sudirman No.425) operates several ferries to/from Batam and Bintan. Most ferries stop by Bengkalis off the coast of Riau, and also Tanjung Balai on Karimun Island.
 * Batam Jet (Office at Jl. Jenderal Sudirman No.441) has daily ferries to Batam.

Indonesia's national passenger shipping company Pelni ships call at Dumai, linking it with Sumatran ports like Medan and other Indonesian islands like Java, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.
 * Other islands:

Get around
Nothing much to see even if you don't have a transport. The town is quite small where you can walk around in half a day just like Kuah, Langkawi, Malaysia. Grab car serves the city.

There's a public park in Sudirman street called Taman Bukit Gelanggang where you can rent a "delman"; a traditional horse-drawn cart.

Buy
Prices are high here because of the small size of the town, and the fact that nothing is grown in the area except palm plantations. There is small shopping mall called Ramayana. For fruit and vegetables there is Pasar which is open during the day 7 days a week.

Food souvenirs
Keripik cabe, cassava crisps with chili spices

Eat
You can taste a lot traditional food in Dumai. Ayam Penyet (Smash Chicken) is a fried chicken with hot/nice traditional chili. You can find sellers in Patimura street, Sei masang, and almost every street in Dumai. Pecel Lele is a fried fish with traditional chili. You can find a lot of food in Hasanuddin (Ombak) street, especially fresh seafood.

Beware though if you visit here during fasting month of Ramadan, it will be very hard to find food for lunch. Only several fast food chain and Chinese-operated restaurant will open.

Drink
Air akar and es samudra is a local Riau drink and you may find it in Dumai.

Coffee shops
There are several good coffee shops in Dumai,



Sleep
There are two or three nice and new hotels. Once you reach the jetty, do not allow any touts to bother you. Walk fast and get a tricycle (or better, book Grab before going out from terminal) to go to your hotel. Do not tell anybody how long you are going to stay. You can say you came for business meeting with your boss. Your boss is arriving later. You won't be bothered after that. Otherwise the van touts and tricycle touts will try to push prostitutes.



Go next

 * The local bus station is about 3 km out of Dumai where buses leave for the next most tourist destinations in Sumatra, Bukittinggi (ca. 8-9 hr) or Lake Maninjau.
 * To Beting Aceh Island, an island with white sand beaches. Take a boat from Dumai.