Palembang city residents have a unique way to enliven Youth Oath Day, with lots of participants in the Bidar Mini boat race in the Keramasan River. Bidar boat is a traditional rowing boat that is often contested on certain days. Usually, Bidar is almost 30 meters long and 1.5 meters wide, with 60 rowers. But this time, Bidar is competed in a mini-size. Its length is only 14 meters and is half a meter wide, and is only drawn by five rowers.
Although small in size, this mini boat is also capable of fast racing. The race took place excitingly because there were at least 50 teams who collided quickly, crossing the river with a distance of 500 meters. The routine Bidar Mini race held in the Keramasan River, district of Kertapati, has become a tourist attraction especially for Palembang residents.
For the participants, the Bidar boat race has become a tradition. They have been preparing for a few days before. In addition to having to compete with the speed, maintaining balance is a difficulty and a challenge in itself.
In the future, bidar boat competitions will be held more often twice a year, so that it becomes a new object of river tourism in Palembang.