Sumatra sits in western Indonesia, and makes up part of the Sunda islands. Consisting of a number of different provinces, Sumatra is often less visited by tourists compared to some of the big hits in Indonesia, such as Bali or Lombok. This is a shame, as Sumatra offers completely different side of this vast and amazing country, and is covered in gorgeous primary rainforest, which has elephants, tigers and orangutans.
One of the big draws in Sumatra is the difference of experience it offers visitors, and you can spend nice time in big cities like Medan or Banda Aceh, relax on soft sandy beaches or go trekking inside the most famous national parks in Indonesia.
When it comes to unique culture, Sumatra doesn’t disappoint and you can travel to Lake Toba to learn about Batak way of life, or visit Padang, the home of Minangkabau people, who run a matriarchal society.
Wherever you chose to travel to Indonesia, you will find welcoming spots, that are apart from usual tourist trails, and will let you to immerse yourself in traditional life and culture.
Medan
Medan is the third largest city in Indonesia and also the capital of North Sumatra province. Unfortunately Medan is often used only as entry and exit point for the visitors, who came to other spots of Sumatra, but to miss Medan is to miss a trick. This vast city is known to domestic tourists as culinary capital of Indonesia and you can spend a day, eating local delights like Soto Medan or delicious Nasi Padang.
You will also find some famous cultural attractions, such as Istana Maimun, which is the home of Sultan, and you can learn the history of the royal family and even dress up a period garb and take photo in ornate throne room. Other sites include the Tjong de Fie Mansion, and the main spectacular mosque, Mesjid Raya.
Lake Toba
Lake Toba is undoubtedly the main attraction in Sumatra, and is around 5 miles away by road from Medan. The lake is the largest crater created lake of this kind, and is said to be the result of an enormous volcanic eruption, or as locals say, by wish of a magic fish. Whatever the story, the lake that sits in the crater on a top of extinct volcano, is the prime sight across Indonesia and you can take a boat on water or have a cooling swim.
On the main island of Samosir you can visit a cultural village to learn about traditional handicrafts like weaving and see some old fashioned Batak houses made of wood. You can easily explore Lake Toba region by car or motorbike, and if you travel up into the mountains, you will find hot springs and dainty villages dotted around the scenic countryside.
Bukit Lawang
Bukit Lawang is another of the main attractions in Sumatra, and is a small village that sits in the outskirts of Gunung Leuser National Park. This protected jungle stretches long up from Sumatra to Aceh province, and is home of plethora flora and fauna.
The main reason why people come here is to see the local orangutans that live here and you can travel to their feeding platform twice a day to see them swinging on trees in search of bananas.
Trekking is a common pastime here, and you can choose from day hikes to long treks that means you can setup camp in the middle of rainforest. If you don’t fancy the downhill trek, back into Bukit Lawang, then you can opt tubing down the river that runs through the jungle.
Padang
The city of Padang is rarely visited by international tourists, although it is a lovely place for domestic tourism. The reason why many Indonesians flock here is for food, as this is the birthplace of Nasi Padang, arguably the most delicious cooking item in whole country. Nasi Padang is rice served with a range of curries and side dishes, and there is no better place to sample it than the spot where it was first created.
If you want to travel onward to Mentawai islands to go surfing, then you will have to stay overnight in Padang, and it is worth spending a day or two, eating the day around in the city before moving on.
Gunung Sibayak
Gunung Sibayak is one of the several volcanoes in Sumatra although it is classified as dormant and is one of the easiest volcanoes to climb if you are in the area.
Located close to the town of Berastagi, Gunung Sibayak still has gas and smoke erupting from the crater from time to time and you will also find some soothing hot springs on the side of the volcano that are said to have medicinal properties thanks to the volcanic minerals found within.
The hike to the top of Gunung Sibayak is aound 7 kilometers long so depending on your fitness it should take around 3 hours to get to the summit. A guide is recommended especially if you are not a experienced hiker, though it is not mandatory.
Mentawai islands
The Mentawai islands are formed of 70 small islands off the coast of the Padang in west Sumatra and it is a good spot for surfing. They are said to have the best surfing conditions in Indonesia, and those in the know often travel to Bali first before moving to Mentawai for the rest of the surfing season. Other activities on Mentawai islands include swimming, water sports and trekking as many of the islands are covered in untouched areas of rainforest.
Banda Aceh
Banda Aceh is the capital of the Aceh province and is unfortunately known for the horrific tsunami memories of 2004. Much of the city now has been repaired however and you can visit places such as Tsunami Museum to learn more about the tragic event.
Other highlights of Aceh include Grand Mosque which is one of the most beautiful religious monuments in Indonesia, as well as other haunting relics from the tsunami like the large ship that was washed ashore and now also is a museum. Aceh is also famous for its coffee and it is worthy to stop at any local tea stall and taste a cup.
Kerinci
Spanning over an area of 13791 square km, Kerinci National Park is the largest national park in Indonesia. Located on the island of Sumatra, it covers four provinces. West Sumatra, Zambi, Bengkulu and South Sumatra. It was given the status of World Heritage Site in 1982, also it was declared ASEAN heritage site.
Mount Kerinci is the highest volcano in Indonesia and is the highest Indonesian peak outside Iriah Jaya region. Much of the national park is located in Zambi, but the mountain itself is on the border of West Sumatra.
Almost 1805 meters tall, it is the highest active volcano in South East Asia and even tops the iconic Mount Fuji of Japan.
Trekking up its forested slopes, protected in the Kerinci National Park system, it is extremely challenging, as there are no switchbacks, for it is just straight road to the top along.
It is a ridged trail. But the views at the top are truly unbeatable, making the struggle and sweat worth it.
It is close a freezing at the top, so make sure you dress in layers, and bring a warm beanie and gloves if its possible. Best to avoid times of extended rain, but since it’s the region of tropical forests, preparations always should be there. Most of treks start after overnight in the village of Kersik Tuo, but its also possible to begin from Sungai Penuh.
Although the trekking takes a whole day (12 hours of way there and back), it is recommended that you spend a night on the mountain in Shelter 2 (3040m) or more exposed Shelter 3 (3306m).
The summit is usually cloudy after mid-morning so if you want to admire the views, its better to reach the top on the dawn of second day, before making a descent back to Kersik Tuo. The water sources are not reliable, so make sure of taking enough drinking water with you.
Before ascending Kerinci Mountain, we need to obtain national park visiting permit from the authorities, available at Kersik Tuo. It cost nearly rupees 20,000. For foreigners, its recommended to take a passport photocopy.
How to get there
There are regular flights to Padang International Airport from Indonesia and neighboring countries. Then it’s a long 6-8 hours drive to starting point. There are public transport and rented cars, which you have to share with others, but it can take almost a day.
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