Pekanbaru, Indonesia
Pekanbaru is a regional capital of 1,167,599 people in Riau, Indonesia, founded in June 22, 1784.
Why visit Pekanbaru
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 17 parks and trails, 129 places to eat, 65 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Riau University, State Islamic University of Sultan Syarif Kasim II, Harimaru and Museum Sang Nila Utama.
Weather in Pekanbaru
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Pekanbaru
Pekanbaru ([pəkanˈbaru]) is the capital city of the Indonesian province of Riau, and a major economic centre on the eastern side of Sumatra Island with its name derived from the Malay (Indonesian) word for 'new market' ('pekan' is market and 'baru' is new).
From the Wikipedia article Pekanbaru (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Pekanbaru on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do3
State Islamic University of Sultan Syarif Kasim II
School · 11.1 km
Academic publisher
Museums and landmarks12
Harimaru
Monument and historic site · 13.6 km
Cave and archaeological site in Indonesia
Istana Hinggap Siak Royal Rest House
Monument and historic site · 2.4 km
Cultural heritage building, formerly royal rest house to the Sultanate of Siak, currently a private residence by the heirs of Tuan Kadi...
266 Gang Pinggir, Pekanbaru
House of the Controleur of Kampar-kiri District
Monument and historic site · 2.1 km
Cultural heritage building, former residence of Dutch East Indies' Controleur, Riau Shu Chōkan during Japanese Occupation, currently...
House of the Harbourmaster of Pakan Baroe
Monument and historic site · 2.5 km
Cultural heritage building, former residence of Dutch East Indies' Controleur, Riau Shu Chōkan during Japanese Occupation, currently...
Parks, trails and playgrounds17
Kompleks Masjid Raya An-Nur Provinsi Riau
Park · Sunni · 1.6 km
Jalan Hang Tuah, Sumahilang, Kec. Pekanbaru Kota, Kota Pekanbaru, Riau
24/7
5 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes129
PINDANG PATIN & AYAM PELANGI YURIKA
Restaurant · Asian, Chicken · 1.7 km
67 Jalan Dokter Sutomo, Pekanbaru
Mo-Su 10:00-22:00
MIT Coffee Food & Beverages
Cafe · American, Coffee Shop, Burger, Chinese, Regional, Asian · 1.1 km
17 Jalan Kartini, Sumahilang, Kec. Pekanbaru Kota, Kota Pekanbaru, Riau
24/7
Rujak Sumber
Restaurant · Indonesian, Salad · 2.4 km
Sell Indonesian Minangkabau signature Rujak fruit salad and Lotek noodle peanut salad
154 Jalan Kereta Api, Pekanbaru
sunrise-sunset
kowA Kopi
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Burger, Sandwich, Chicken, Noodle, Tea, Indonesian · 0.9 km
1 Jalan Seberut, Kota Pekanbaru
Monday - Saturday 7:00 - 21:00
Lotek Muaro Padang
Restaurant · Salad · 2.3 km
Jalan Durian, Pekanbaru
Mo-Su 18:00-01:00
Tekotara Cafe
Cafe · Coffee, Tea · 1.1 km
69 Jalan Kartini, Pekanbaru
Mo-Su 09:00-23:00
nadya cafe
Cafe · Pizza · 2.3 km
Semua bahan nya tanpa pengawet
Jalan Riau, Pekanbaru
117 more on the map.
History
On 14 December 1745, the Siak region was ceded by the Sultan of Johor Sulaiman Badrul Alam Shah from the Johor Sultanate to the Dutch East India Company (VOC) under the terms of a treaty in return for Dutch help against the enemies of Johor. Siak was put under Dutch administration. The Sultan moved residence to a palace in Senapelan built in 1760.
The origin of Pekanbaru was inseparable from the existence of the Siak River as a distributing route for commodities from the Minangkabau Highlands to the Strait of Malacca. During the 18th century, the Senapelan region on the banks of the Siak River became a market for the Minangkabau merchants. Over time, the area evolved into a crowded residential area. On June 23, 1784, based on the consultative meeting of the Council of Ministers from Sultanate of Siak Sri Indrapura, consisting of four tribal leaders (datuk) of Minangkabau tribes (Pesisir, Lima Puluah, Tanah Datar and Kampar), the area was named Pekanbaru. This date was later celebrated as the anniversary of this city.
At Senapelan Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah Alamudin unsuccessfully tried to organize a major regional fair but in the early 1780s his son Sultan Muhammad Ali managed to establish the grand fair.
From the History section of Pekanbaru on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay65
Churches and places of worship139
Gereja Bethel Indonesia Rayon XI
Church · Protestant · 1.1 km
Jalan Tuanku Tambusai, Pekanbaru
Masjid Amal Jariyah
Place of worship · Sunni · 1.5 km
12 Jalan Diponegoro III, Pekanbaru
Mesjid At-Tholibin
Place of worship · Sunni · 1.4 km
55 Jalan Diponegoro, Pekanbaru
Shopping35
Gas and EV charging11
Schools, colleges and libraries112
Healthcare43
Puskesmas Harapan Raya
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.5 km
Jalan Haji Imam Munandar, Pekanbaru
Map of Pekanbaru
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport (PKU) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 km away.
- Balai Pungut 63 km north, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Riau, D.W. Fisher-Freberg, CC BY-SA 3.0
- State Islamic University of Sultan Syarif Kasim II, Muhamad Izzul Fiqih, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Museum Sang Nila Utama, Harditaher, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 3, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.