Travel Guide Bengkulu

Capital of the province of the same name, Bengkulu is not widely visited, but is still very well known. It has a population of around 60,000. Singapore regulars swear by Bencoolen Street (Bencoolen is the English name for Bengkulu). In fact, the town became a specialized pepper trading post.The first English factory dates back to 1685, but the early days were very difficult. When Napoleon was defeated, the English returned their colonies to the Dutch, but they tried to remain in Bencoolen, which was the last British stronghold in Insulinde. The colony was unprofitable until the arrival of Raffles, driven out of Batavia. He took control of the region, freed the slaves and restored peace. He developed pepper, coffee, nutmeg and sugarcane crops. Bengkulu was finally exchanged for the Dutch trading post of Malacca in 1824. Raffles had to leave again. He was behind the creation of Singapore in 1819. A decidedly inquisitive man, Raffles also discovered in the area the magnificent giant flower to which he gave his name: the rafflesia.It wasn't until 1942 that Bengkulu came back into the spotlight. That year, a Japanese ship was sunk by a British submarine. Of the 7,000 Allied soldiers held prisoner in the region, 5,000 died in camps.