Dumai

Getting there

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 plane 1 Pinang Kampai Airport (DUM IATA) (approximately 10 minutes' drive from the center of town). TransNusa serves Dumai to and from Jakarta 9 times per week (Sunday (2 flights), Monday, Tuesday (2 flights), Wednesday, Thursday, Friday (2 flights)). Wings Air serves daily flights from Dumai to Medan, Batam, and Pekanbaru and back.

By boat All passenger ferry depart from 2 Dumai ferry passenger terminal. 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 (☏ +60 3-3167 1058). 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 (☏ +60 3-3166 0122). 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 ☏ +60 6-6471599) 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

Getting 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.

See

Religious buildings 1 Hock Liong Kiong Temple (Klenteng Hock Liong Kiong), Jalan Kelakap 7 (about 5 minutes walk from bus terminal). A Chinese temple. (updated Oct 2022) Vihara Buddha Padma, Jalan Nangka no 35 AB. A Buddhayana temple. Vihara Mudita Maitreya, Jalan Kamboja. 2 Grand Mosque Al Mannan (Masjid Agung Al Mannan), Bagan Besar, Bukit Kapur. (updated Oct 2022)

Others 3 Koneng Beach (Pantai Koneng), Medang Kampai. A white sand beach. (updated Nov 2022)

Do

Swimming 1 Kolam Renang Sasana Tirta, Komplek PT. Pertamina Refinery Unit II, Bukit Datuk, Dumai Selatan, ☏ +62 765 443 328. Sa-Th, 07:00-18:00. (updated Oct 2022)

Badminton 2 Gor Bulu Tangkis Olympia, Bukit Datuk, Dumai Selatan. (updated Oct 2022)

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

1 Keripik Cabe Ika, Jl. Raja Ali H., Purnama, Dumai Barat, ☏ +62 813 655 34469. 07:00-21:00. (updated Oct 2022) 2 Keripik Cabe Maisatun, Jl. Raja Ali H. Jl. Indah Sari, Purnama, Dumai Barat, ☏ +62 812 764 99994. (updated Oct 2022) 3 Keripik Cabe Barokah, Gg. Barokah, Tj. Palas, Dumai Timur, ☏ +62 823 877 73526. 05:00-22:00. (updated Oct 2022)

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.

HL Vegetarian, MCHR+8XP, Jl. Sultan Syarif Kasim, ☏ +62 82386748650. 7.00-17.30. Lacto-ovo vegetarian Asian food, coffee, salads. Free Wi-Fi. (updated Aug 2023) 1 Mie Sagu Marineford, Jl. Nelayan Laut Gg. Family No.16, Pangkalan Sesai, Dumai Barat, ☏ +62 853 748 04780. 16:00-22:00. Serves mie sagu, Riau specialty noodles made from sago starch. (updated Oct 2022) 2 Rumah Makan Pak Datuk, Jl. Jend. Sudirman No.321, Bintan, Dumai Kota, ☏ +62 765 31587. 09:30-21:00. Serves rice and gulai. (updated Oct 2022) 3 RM Pondok Kayu Resto, Jl. Sultan Hasanuddin No.110, Ratu Sima, Dumai Barat, ☏ +62 819 661 666. 10:00-22:00. Seafood dishes. (updated Oct 2022)

Drink & nightlife

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,

1 Moka Coffee & Food Addict, Jl. Ombak, Rimba Sekampung, Dumai Barat, ☏ +62 852 657 75028. 14:00-22:00. (updated Mar 2018) 2 Vienna Coffee & Tea, Jl. Nangka No.18 b, Rimba Sekampung, ☏ +62 852 717 38888. 15:00-22:00. Offers a variety of coffee, tea, and dessert. (updated Oct 2022)

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.

1 Hotel Cititel, Jl. Jendral Sudirman (just adjacent to Malacca's ferry agent). (updated Jun 2019) 2 Hotel City, Jl. Jendral Sudirman. (updated Jun 2019) 3 Hotel Comforta, Jl. Jendral Sudirman. Start from Rp400,000. (updated Jun 2019) 4 Hotel Grand Zuri, Jl. Jendral Sudirman. Neat and clean, near city center. Limited vegetarian dish is available. (updated Jun 2019) 5 Hotel Komala, Jl. Sultan Syarif Kasim. (updated Jun 2019)

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.