Bengkulu’s main beach, Pantai Panjang, is 7km of clean white sand. Strong surf and currents make it unsafe for swimming, but there are decent surf breaks towards the northern and southern ends of the beach. Unusually for Sumatra, there’s also a jogging track that stretches the length of the beach, shaded by pine trees.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.69 MILES
Set on a hill overlooking the Indian Ocean, the star-shaped Benteng Marlborough, a former British fort, became the seat of British power in Bengkulu after…
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27.17 MILES
A straightforward hike here through coffee and palm-sugar plantations finishes at a campsite near an idyllic natural hot spring, from where you can take…
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28.78 MILES
Famous for its seven multicoloured boiling pools, the whitest allegedly home to the Kawah Putri spirit who’ll come if you call her, Bukit Daun makes for a…
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0.89 MILES
This is the house where Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, and his family lived in detention for three years from 1938–41 under Dutch rule. It features…
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1.54 MILES
A fascinating remnant from the British rule in Bengkulu is this historical cemetery featuring gravestones of the English dating back to 1770. It's a well…
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6.22 MILES
Reachable via a 30-to-40-minute fishing boat ride (from 750,000Rp), this small island 15km west of Bengkulu is surrounded by coral reef, making it an…
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State Museum of Bengkulu Province
1.52 MILES
Like every provincial capital in Sumatra, Bengkulu has a museum covering the local traditional culture, with exhibits including Arabic-influenced lettered…
Nearby Sumatra attractions
0.89 MILES
This is the house where Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, and his family lived in detention for three years from 1938–41 under Dutch rule. It features…
2. State Museum of Bengkulu Province
1.52 MILES
Like every provincial capital in Sumatra, Bengkulu has a museum covering the local traditional culture, with exhibits including Arabic-influenced lettered…
1.54 MILES
A fascinating remnant from the British rule in Bengkulu is this historical cemetery featuring gravestones of the English dating back to 1770. It's a well…
1.69 MILES
Set on a hill overlooking the Indian Ocean, the star-shaped Benteng Marlborough, a former British fort, became the seat of British power in Bengkulu after…
6.22 MILES
Reachable via a 30-to-40-minute fishing boat ride (from 750,000Rp), this small island 15km west of Bengkulu is surrounded by coral reef, making it an…
6. Beringin Tiga & Curug Embun
27.17 MILES
A straightforward hike here through coffee and palm-sugar plantations finishes at a campsite near an idyllic natural hot spring, from where you can take…
28.78 MILES
Famous for its seven multicoloured boiling pools, the whitest allegedly home to the Kawah Putri spirit who’ll come if you call her, Bukit Daun makes for a…