Muara Jambi is the largest and one of the richest archaeological complexes in Sumatra. It is a boat trip away from the provincial capital, Jambi, making it easily accessible.
Muara Jambi lies along the Batanghari River, as does Jambi City. It features eight temple buildings that date from around the 14th century and also has brick built canals to match. The three main buildings - Candi Tinggi, Candi Kedaton, and Candi Gumpung - have recently been restored.
Apart from the temples themselves, Muara Jambi lies in a lovely spot along the river and is good for picnics and relaxing. Jambi, the modern capital, is less than an hour away and comes with plenty of hotels and shops. It does particularly well in the field of handicrafts.
Getting There & Away
Muara Jambi is accessible via Sultan Thaha Airport in Jambi, a 60-minute flight from Jakarta. Flights also come in from elsewhere on Sumatra as well as from Singapore. You can also get to Jambi by bus from Bengkulu in the south (10 hours). Bemos, taxis, and boats run to Muara Jambi from Jambi in an hour.
Things to Do
Muara Jambi Attractions
- Muara Jambi temples
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The star attraction is a huge complex of temples in fine grounds and is an easy trip from jambi.
Side trips from Muara Jambi
- Jambi City
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The provincial capital has some good handicrafts shopping at the batik & handicraft atelier, a kilometer or so out of town.
Events
- Muara Jambi Festival
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Featuring arts and crafts and a celebration of the seat of the melayu kingdom.