Current Time in Pematangsiantar, Indonesia

Pematangsiantar is the second largest city of the Indonesian province of North Sumatra, lying about one hundred and thirty kilometres south-east of the provincial capital Medan. It stands at some four hundred metres above sea level on the rolling plateau that rises towards the volcanic highlands of the interior, and the moderate altitude gives it a fresher, more comfortable climate than the steamy coastal plain. Plantations of oil palm, rubber and tea surround the town, and the mountains that hold the great crater lake of Toba begin a short distance to the south.

Around two hundred and seventy thousand people live in the city. Its economy is closely tied to the plantations of the surrounding Simalungun district, with processing of palm oil, rubber and tea, along with food and beverage industries, textiles, cigarette manufacture, trade and transport. The city has long served as the commercial centre for a wide agricultural hinterland, and the produce markets are among the busiest in the province.

The area is the homeland of the Simalungun Batak, one of the Batak peoples of northern Sumatra, and the name refers to a settlement on an island in the Bah Bolon river where the local raja had his seat. Dutch colonial expansion in the late nineteenth century brought plantations, missionaries and a European quarter, and the town grew quickly as a plantation administrative centre with a hospital, railway and hotels. During the struggle for independence it was an important base, and after 1945 it developed into a substantial provincial city while retaining much of its early twentieth century townscape.

Pematangsiantar is famous throughout Indonesia for its becak, motorised rickshaws powered by vintage British BSA motorcycles left behind after the Second World War. Kept running for eight decades by ingenious local mechanics, they rumble through the streets and have become the symbol of the city. Other attractions include the Siantar Zoo, one of the oldest in the country, the Simalungun Museum with its collection of Batak carvings, textiles, weapons and bark manuscripts, the colonial-era Siantar Hotel, the large Vihara Avalokitesvara Buddhist temple with its towering statue, and the churches and mosques that stand side by side downtown. The city is also the natural stopping point on the road to Parapat and Lake Toba, the largest volcanic lake in the world.

Society here is notably diverse, with Simalungun, Toba and Karo Batak communities alongside Javanese, Malay, Chinese and Indian populations, and a mixture of Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu worship. Batak choral singing, gondang drum and gong music, wood carving and ulos weaving are living traditions, and the food ranges from spicy Batak dishes to Chinese noodles and Padang cuisine.

Buses and shared vehicles run constantly to Medan and Parapat, a toll road has cut journey times, and Silangit and Kualanamu airports serve the region. Several universities, including Simalungun University and a large Protestant university, bring students to the city.

Pematangsiantar is worth knowing for its Batak heritage, its colonial architecture and its role as the gateway to Lake Toba.