Pekanbaru Unfiltered: Skateboarder’s Guide to Rolling the City

hey, so you wanna roll through pekanbaru like a local? let me spill the tea (or the oil from my board) while i’m half asleep and half caffeinated.

*RIVER

the RIVER that cuts through town is basically the city’s veins. i’ve seen skaters ollie over the bridges at dawn, and the water’s so calm it feels like glass. just a short drive from the RIVER you’ll hit the outskirts of Dumai, a neighbor city that’s a quick ferry hop away if you’re itching for a change of scenery.

MARKET

the MARKET at jl. pasar 1 is a chaotic mash of street food stalls, cheap clothes, and the occasional skateboarder selling mixtapes. rent for a tiny room near the market runs around 400k IDR a month, which is cheap enough that you can afford to eat nasi goreng three times a day and still have cash for a cheap beer. locals whisper that the night market is where you’ll hear rumors about a hidden skate spot behind the old cinema - drunk advice, but i’ve seen it.

TRAM

the TRAM isn’t a real tram, it’s just the old city bus that runs like a late‑night jam session. you can catch it from the central bus terminal and it’ll drop you off near the MUSEUM of Riau, which is a cool spot to chill if you need a break from the heat. the bus fare is like 3k IDR, basically peanuts.

overheard gossip: “the cops are cool, but don’t flash your board too hard near the police station on jl. merdeka - they’ll think you’re a tourist and give you the eyes.” that’s the kind of street‑level intel you need.

reviews (drunk advice): “the coffee at kedai kopi 99 is actually fire, but the Wi‑Fi is slower than my board’s grind on a hill.”

If you’re looking for a place to crash, check out the youth hostel near the PARK - it’s cheap, and the rooftop is perfect for watching the sunset over the RIVER*.

external links:
- TripAdvisor: Things to Do in Pekanbaru
- Yelp: Best Street Food in Pekanbaru
- Reddit: r/PekanBaru
- Google Maps: Pekanbaru Central

the vibe here is humid but oddly refreshing, like a summer skate session that never ends. just remember: the city’s pulse is slower than a skate video replay, so take it easy, roll with the flow, and keep your board waxed.

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