Hoping to find someone that kind provide some info on this location. It's not on the tourist route, so I anticipate if any FT'ers have feedback it may be from an expats point of view.
Websites or other references are appreciated. Some of the things I am hoping to find out are about living & working there, logistics getting there and out, etc...
From some additional searching around it looks like the biggest "near" by town and airport is Pekanbaru (This is the Duri in the Riau Province).
I think we are going to pass on the job opportunity. Although we really want to live internationally in asia for a while, this location is way too remote.
Thanks for the links -- virtual tourist was pretty amusing as 1 person had posted under things to do. The post was blank, so guessing they were saying something with that.
There is a golf course on the compound as well as tennis courts, so I suppose I could try and improve my game to get on the senior tour when that roles around.
Okay, I live in Duri, Riau province. It is an expatriate town with a very small school. There are three kids in the eighth grade right now making it the smallest class. The largest class was ten last year. There isn't much to do and most families bring in their food from Singapore or fly it in via the co-plane. It's a nice place to live and has a salon, golfcourse (very cheap), and it's pretty clean.
I lived two years in Duri as an expat managing Sumatra Light North Oil & Gas projects for Chevron and I can tell you that outsidethe Cheveon compound Duri is a nasty nasty place with NOTHING. It has absolutely nothing to do and it is filthy beyond belief and the Chevron employees are not even supposed to leave the compound. That is how bad it is. Oh and do NOT eat any food outside what you make yourself ( assuming that you are going to be working for and living on the Chevron compound ) or you will most likely find yourslf in the hospital with an IV in your arm. Oh and there is not hospital in Duri so if you make it out of there and make your way to Jakarta or Singapore,, you can get your IV there. Pekanbaru is an equally filth place with a few little bright spots of stuck in the middle of all the filth. Lovely people though. Their most important duty is to peep at every move you make and keep track of where you are, where you are going, or where you have been. Enjoy your time there.
My original post was about 4 years ago. We passed on the opportunity as the location was way to remote for the goal of having a central location to explore the region. It seemed like it would take an entire day to get in/out of the area.
Aside from the remote location and restricted travel, it did not appear to have the quality of life I would be looking for in a foreign assignment.
Hi it was a while ago but i spent two very happy years in Duri,
But duri is an oil camp as i am sure you will know by now Senpangperdang is the local town and Mama's makes the best rice and prawn dish in the area Nasi-gorang?
there is not much there otherr than the oil camp
have fun
Norm
Hi
Well i have just read the other posts and its not the Duri i recall, I worked for Caltex / RMI there was lOADS to do Squash Tennis pool ten pin bowling, a great resteraunt on the camp.
after 6 months my wife joined me and we lived in a house in Senpang-perdang we were never troubled by anyone and the food in town was fine there were many contractors working on the site that was one of the best overseas postings i have done. Compared with The Sudan and most other African post it was Fantastic!!
You missed a great place and the people were great!!
Hi Norm
My husband has just been offered a job with a contractor in Duri, living outside the compound.
The co has very little info. it seems we will have access to the compound facilities. What are the houses like in general? Do they have aircons for instance?
We have been told we don't need vaccinations and yet the WHO recommends rabies and Japanese encephalitis. Typhoid as well, I think.
We have just been looking into the tax situation and it seems that we have to register for tax? We are from the middle east where the environment is tax free and it has come as a bit of a surprise. While the co says it covers tax it appears that we are responsible for making sure it's paid.
How easy is it to get a driver's licence? I have been trying to find someone in the co to phone who is in Duri, but my hubby will be the boss and so far no one else has been appointed! We have very little idea of what to expect, but have no illusions about how it will be. We are presently based in South Africa and are used to third world standards!
Antoinette.
Hi, I visit Duri regularly. It's apparently a great place to be an ex pat if you're a compound ex pat. It's hot, steamy and a poor town. Hard and dangerous to get to, you wouldn't drive yourself at all, too dangerous and risky. Lots of snakes. Great place to save money, nothing to spend it on, 5 hours drive to semi civilisation. I hope you love your husband, I think you need to be close as a family to enjoy Duri.
Have stayed in Dumai a couple of times. Grad Zuri hotel is fine (not exactly 5 star but OK). Small town, easy to walk in, lots of small shops and eating places. I was likely to be the only non-Indonesian in town. Very nice people.
Well.I'm now in Duri and I do have to say for anyone out there thinking of coming here...Don't..
From what I can see..unless one has a local partner and an extended family, there is nothing to do here. You can definitely not come to live here as an expat unless you are going to be living in a compound.
Firstly..the traffic is really dangerous and one has to have a driver. that means always having someone along with you when you go out. that means a total lack of privacy..which leads to
Secondly..a total lack of privacy. assume that everything you do is noticed and talked about. I have seen only three western women since arriving in Jakarta and that means that I feel like a zoo animal. people stare quite unashamedly at you and laugh and point. not a comfortable experience.
Thirdly..there is little access to any groceries we would find familiar and while I love travelling for the novelty of everything, having to drink milk that tastes like watered down condensed milk and food that leaves one feeling hungry hasd made me long for a good old hamburger. The eating places are spread v thinly and the food is totally marginal..really just edible.
Fourthly..I thought duri would be a good hopping off spot to explore Asia..Wrong..it is so dangerous to get in and out of and you need the driver..again..so it really is like living in a prison. in fact, the hubby who was in Iraq living in a container says that Iraq was better. I know Kuwait was.
Fifthly..i had to have vaccinations for typhoid, cholera, Japanese encephalitis, hepatitis..and have to take anti malarials..People tell you not to worry..and then it comes out that they have had typhoid or malaria but survived. What they don't say is that it is no picnic being sick in this place.
Sixth..no one speaks english..makes for having to learn Indonesian which I started, but let's face it..unless yr going to settle here..a waste of time..
In short..and sorry for my rant..Don't come to Duri..there are lots of better places..
Norm
Norm
