Bengkulu

Founded by the British as their main pepper-trading post and held for nearly two centuries before being exchanged for Malacca in 1824, Bengkulu is a coastal city on the southwest of Sumatra with a slow-paced beach culture — locals gather on the shore in the late afternoon to buy freshly caught fish and watch the sun set over the Indian Ocean. The walkable centre has a good spread of cafés and restaurants, and mountains are visible from the city.

• Population373,591
• Nearest water1.3 km
• Nearest mountain29.0 km