The once sleepy river port on sungai Siak, has transformed into one of Indonesia’s oil capitals, with all the hustle and bustle of a modern city. Long before today\'s affordable air travel, it served as a transit point for tourists between ferries from Singapore. Following the Americans striking oil back in the 1930\'s, Pekanbaru\'s economy was heavily dependent on oil revenues and now its not uncommon to have a conversation with a Western oil executive, on a business trip when visiting.
Johor Bahru is the state capital of Johor and situated on the Straits of Johor (also known as the Straits of Tebrau), which separate Malaysia and Singapore. The Johor-Singapore Causeway connects Johor Bahru to Woodlands Singapore. The royal village, Pasir Pelangi, is nestled within Johor Bahru. In the mid-1990s, a central business district was developed in the centre of the city. This city is more well known as an industrial city. Its major industries include electronics, resource and petrochemical refinery, and shipbuilding. Johor Bahru is also a rapidly growing city.