From growing business city of Medan to the forested Sungai Alas Valley to the Islamic stronghold of Aceh, Sumatra’s northernmost part is very varied. North Sumatra is tick with virgin forests, abundant vegetation and jungle covered hills, terraced rice fields, cool mountain streams, strong rivers, stunning waterfalls, serene white sandy beaches and large ancient lakes. The people of the region are hospitable and warm and can be divided into following ethnic groups: devout Muslim people of Aceh, the coastal Malays living along the Malacca Straits; the Bataks consisting of the sub-tribes of Toba, Simalungun, Pak Pak (Dairi) and Karon of the highlands around Lake Toba and Samosir Island; the Pesisirs of Central Tapanuli along the Indian Ocean coastline; the Mandailings and Angkolas from southern Tapanuli and Nias Islanders off the western coast. These groups each have their own dialects, religious beliefs and traditional arts, customs and culture. There are also several ethnic groups who live in Medan and other towns of North Sumatra, the largest of these being Chinese and Indian. Other parts of archipelago are represented, but non more strongly than Minangkabau and Javanese who now live in many parts of the area. As a result the area is often regarded as constituting a natural museum of Indonesia’s proto-Malay heritage in which ancient customs and traditions have been preserved. The diversity of arts and cultures exactly make this region a paradise for social scientists and culture seekers. It is a treasure chest of culture and tradition waiting to be explored, with ancient graves of Batak kings, unique dances and ceremonies, and beautiful arts and crafts. North Sumatra is also one of the riches provinces in Indonesia for flora and fauna with a wealth of birds, butterflies, buffalo and deer. The province proudly boats of its Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center in the Gunung Leuser National Park which is bordered by the fast flowing Bohorok River and some delightful countryside and of course lake Toba, legendary birthplace of the mountain-dwelling Bataks and the largest inland lake in Southest Asia.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Banda Aceh
Banda Aceh is the capital of Aceh and also the main gateway to this province. The Governor’s Residence, was built by the Dutch in 1880 on the spot where the palace of the sultan once stood. This building is known as one of the historical sites with a unique architecture and completed with traditional house equipments.

Medan
Medan is the capital of North Sumatra and the informal capital of entire Sumatra. This town is a centre for trade and commerce, industry, transportation, and entertainment. What is historically most interesting is the Masjid Besar (Grand Mosque) and the Palace of the Sultan of Deli which has been restored to revive its past grandeur.

Gunung Leuser National Park
Park, covered in dense jungle, is the last place on earth where elephants, rhinos, tigers, clouded leopards and orangutans are found in one area. There are around 700 animal species living in the park, between 300 and 400 of them are birds. About 8500 plant species grow in the park, including the biggest flower in the world, Rafflesia arnoldi.

Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Bohorok / Bukit Lawang
The orangutans were once living in almost all of Southeast Asia; today they are only left in Borneo and Sumatra. 90% of the total oragutan population lives within the borders of Indonesia. Bohrok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre was inaugurated in 1973. Orangutans arriving to the centre are quarantines, treated for diseases, and trained to survive in the wild.

Danau Toba
Lake Toba is the largest lake in Southeast Asia, once created by an enormous eruption less than 100,000 years ago. The lakes covers approximately 1,265 km2 excluding Samosir Island and is 90 km long. The depth is in on average 450 metre and up to 900 metre in some places. The lake is situated at an altitude of 906 metres above sea level. The steep coastline interspersed with small valleys creates fantastic scenery and isolated areas.

Samosir
Samosir is an approximately 50 km long and 15 km wide island in the Lake Toba, almost as big as Singapore. It is often described as the heartland of Batak Culture. Samosir is actually a peninsula and not an island, as it is divided from Sumatra only by a narrow man-made canal, the Pusuk Buhit Canal between Samosir and mainland, once made by the Datch. Samosir is a perfect place to relax and cool down, it is beautiful and scenic. Visiting the village of Tomok, Tuk-tuk, Siallagan, Ambarita are recommended for traditional Batak Toba houses, and local dances. Tuk-Tuk is a small peninsula in the lake Toba with many places built in traditional Batak style. Ambarita is one of the musts when visiting Samosir. The traditional village with King Siallagan’s stone chairs is of interest. Simanindo is a picturesque village and has some of the best-kept traditional houses, including the house of Raja Sidauruk, now a museum. Pangururan is the only proper town on Samosir and also administrative centre of the island.

Berastagi
Berastagi, a former Dutch hill resort 1300 metre above sea level, is a cool and pleasant town. The town is known for plantations and various kinds of flowers, vegetables and fruits.

Sipiso-piso Waterfall and Tongging
Tongging is a place to see a waterfall surrounded by beautiful sights in cool mountain air. It is located at the north side of Lake Toba in a very dramatic setting. You can see majestic Sipiso-piso waterfall.

Nias Island
This island lies off West Sumatra in the Indian Ocean, famous for its surfing and unique culture. Nias regency consists of the island of Nias, Pulau-Pulau Batu, and many other small islands, a total of 132. The main island of Nias is 130 km long and 45 km wide, with Gunung Sitoli as its capital. Southern and northern Nias have each a very distinct architectural style, far apart from each other. In some villages visitors can see performances of traditional war-dances and thrilling high-jump sports, i.e. people making dangerous leaps over 2 meter-high stones. Typical scenes are dancers clad in traditional costumes with bird feathers on their heads, a hall for the Chief-of-Tribe built on wooden logs with stone chairs weighing up to 18 tons.

West Sumatra is one of the most beautiful areas of Indonesia; it is mountainous and divided by three valleys. There are lovely lakes and spectacular volcanoes. But the land of the Minangkabau is very special and has the most friendly population group of Indonesia. They love to talk with visitors and will tell you about their unique society, the Minangkabau are one of Indonesia’s most interesting and influential ethnic groups. The Minangkabau are flexible and intelligent people who lead a community and family life based on a matrilineal system which gathers around mosques and traditional houses. It is the women who own property and the men who choose to wander. Travelling is considered a mark of success and therefore many West Sumatrans are found in other parts of the country. Proof of this is the many Minang or Padang restaurants, serving very spicy food, found in all major towns across the nation. The people are friendly and expressive with a poetic style of speech and colourful ceremonies and festivals. Legend has it the Minangkabau are descendants of the youngest son of Alexander the Great, King Maharjo Dirajo, more commonly known in Indonesia as Iskandar Zulkarnain. They originally settled in the Padang Panjang region and gradually spread out over the rest of Western Sumatra. West Sumatra’s centre of culture and tourism is Bukittinggi, nestled in the highlands, north of the provincial capital of Padang. This hinterland has a range of high mountains which dip into picturesque valleys and lakes. Amongst them are the remains of the old Minangkabau kingdom of Pagaruyung, which now is the centre for art, silver, hand-weaving, embroidery and woodcarving.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Padang
The capital and gateway to West Sumatra is Padang, a thriving commercial centre. 90% of its more than 500,000 population are ethnic Minangkabau. Padang is the home to the largest seaport on the western coast of Sumatra, Teluk Bayur, nowadays being busy loading ships with coffee, tea, cinnamon, coal and wood. The town has several houses built in traditional architecture, including the Padang Museum which houses objects of cultural and historical interest. Padang is mostly famous for very spicy food, Padang restaurants can be found in every corner of Indonesian archipelago. All food is freshly prepared every morning and displayed for customers. On sitting down hot seam rice, warm tea, a finger bowl ( usually with slice of lemon on it ), and a selection of every type of dish available in the restaurant is quickly laid out on the table. That can be up to thirty plates. You only pay, however, for the dishes you eat.

Bukittinggi
The heart of the highlands and heart of Minangkabau culture is Bukittinggi. Bukittinggi means “Tall Hill”, stands on 930 metres and is surrounded by the volcanic peaks of Gunung Agam, Gunung Singgalang and Gunung Merapi. A centre of attraction is the town’s clock tower topped with a horn-shaped roof and referred to by the people as Jam Gadang, it was erected on the Hill of Kandang Kerbau in 1827. It overlooks the market square and the city’s magnificent surroundings.

Ngarai Sianok Canyon
Ngarai Sianok lies at the outskirt of Bukitinggi. It is a steep canyon of about 100-150 metres high, very colourful and surrounded by a green valley with a winding river at its bottom. The beauty of this panoramic landscape is hard to describe as if no words can precisely express this geological wonder. The canyon contains a pathway that leads to the traditional silver-making village of Kota Gadang.

Harau Canyon
Harau Canyon is a lush reserve surrounded by 100-metre high granite walls and home to monkeys, deer, honey bear, leopards and tigers.

Lake Maninjau
Perhaps the most beautiful lake in Sumatra, Maninjau is far smaller and less developed than its neighbour Lake Toba. This deep crater lake is known for its unusual serenity and beauty. The lake is punctured by pretty mosques, and small and friendly villages.

Kerinci Seblat National Park
Kerinci Selabat National Park is the largest in Sumatra, running 340 km along the Bukit Barisan range. It is the stretch of jungle of mountains covering almost 1,5 million hectares. It is dominated by the dormant volcanic cone of Gunung Kerinci that rises 3,800 metres, making it Indonesia’s second-highest peak after Gunung Puncak Jaya in West Papua. Kerinci is host to most of the island’s largest mammal barring the elephant, rhinos, sun bears, and tapirs.

Mentawai Island
Four islands make up the Mentawai cluster oh the West Sumatra coast: Siberut, Sipora, Pagai Utara and Pagai Selatan. The people of these islands still live in comparative isolation, maintaining their age-old ways. Siberut is well known for its untouched forests, a part of a nature reserve inhabited by a number of animal species not found anywhere else, among them some rare monkey species. Beautiful coral reefs are found offshore.

South Sumatra is made up of the provinces of Lampung, Bengulu, Jambi and Riau archipelago. South Sumatra is famous for one of the greatest kingdoms in Indonesian history, the Buddhist Empire of Sriwijaya, which prospered and grew along the bank of the Musi River in South Sumatra over a thousand years ago. Located in the southern-most rim of the South China Sea, close to one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes linking the Far East with Europe, the region’s historical background is rich and colourful. The Sriwijaya Kingdom practiced a active and profitable trade with ancient China. However, only few relics of this memorable era remain. The province of Jambi located on the east coast of Central Sumatra faces the Straits of Malacca sharing borders with four other provinces in Sumatra and has long been a melting pot for different ethnic groups. The earliest inhabitants were the Kubus, who were among the first wave of Malays to migrate to Sumatra. The ancient kingdom of Melayu developed and grew in Jambi and maintained relations with the mighty kingdoms of Sriwijaya, Majapahit and Singasari, but was eventually attacked and annexed by Sriwijaya in the middle of the 17th century. This area is home to a large variety of fauna and flora and an exhilarating place for active and adventurous visitors. The Way Kambas nature reserve is a perfect place to see Sumatran elephants being trained to work in thick tropical jungles as well as hundreds of species of exotic birds. Tigers still roam this land although they are rare. The largest flower in the world, Rafflesia, can be seen at the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. The 3,000 islands of the Riau province straddle the Straits of Malacca, one of the oldest and business trading routes in the world. For centuries the islands have provided a safe haven to traders and sailors from Europe, India and China and as a result they have strong foreign historical links. Riau, which includes a large part of East Sumatra, is the heartland of the Malays and the source of Indonesia’s Malay-based national language.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Jambi
The city of Jambi, the site of ancient Islamic Melayu Kingdom, today is a modern city of approximately 250,000 inhabitants of mixed heritage. The surrounding forests are home to the Kubu people, the original inhabitants of the area. Worth visiting is the Hindu temple complex of Candi Muara.

Palembang
Palembang is the second-largest city in Sumatra, located on the banks of Musi River. Up until 13th century, Palembang was the major focus of trade in Indonesia. It was also the spiritual centre where Mahayana Buddhist monks studied and translated texts. An interesting item to see is the Limas house which are still found scattered over the province, most of them built on riversides, however, not facing the waterfront. One explanation could be that daily household activities can be done in full privacy, out of sight of passers-by. These very ornate wooden houses built on stilts have rather sizable measurements: from 15 to 20 m in width and from 30 to 60 m in length. A good part of the house has hand carved columns, door and window frames and cross ventilation between the rooms by placing wooden panels with flow-through carvings just below the ceilings. Indeed, it would almost be a must to observe the architecture and style of these Limas houses, some of them open to the public.

Bengkulu
The seaport town of Bengkulu was founed in 1685 by the British. As a British colonialist heritage, Fort Marlborough locates in the main street of Bengkulu. Inside the building, there is a subway connected to the outside. It was established by East Indian Company (EIC) in 1713- 1919 under Joseph Callet Governor General and as the second strongest fort built by British in the east after Fort George in Madras, India.

Bandar Lampung
Bandar Lampung, the capital of Lampung province, has several interesting places such as the Museum and the Monument of the Krakatau Eruption. An uninhabited island Krakatau is located on the southern part of the Bay of Lampung.

Way Kambas National Park
Way Kambas is 130,000 hectares of area on Lampung’s East coast. Way Kambas is the best place to watch wild Sumatran elephants, tigers and many species of birds. Way Kambas Elephant Training is an international project which is partly funded by the World Wildlife Fund. The aim of training them is to make the captured elephant be useful to mankind. Most visitors come to Way Kambas to see the training centre and to have an opportunity to ride on an elephant.

Riau Archipelago
Between the shores of Sumatra and Malay Peninsula lies a chain of more than 3,000 small islands. Pekanbaru, the provincial capital and the largest city in mainland Riau, is the prosperous oil-production centre. Pekanbaru has a number of buildings in the traditional style of the area, among them the Balai sang Merdu, the Balai Adat and Taman Budaya Riau.

Bintan
Inland areas of Bintan are mostly poor quality farming areas and a denuded scrub forest because of long history of farming and forest clearing on poor soils. North and east coast remain attractive with coral reefs, palm lines shorelines, excellent sandy beaches, a few areas of secondary jungle, and attractive little off-shore islands. There are some places of interest in Bintan such as Senggarang Buddhist Temple, Snake River Buddhist Temple ( an isolated temple up a mangrove river opposite the harbour in Tanjung Pinang ), Pulau Penyengat ( used to be the cultural capital of the Malay world during the 19th century ), Gunung Bintan, covered by some of the primary forest on Bintan, Pulau Terkulai, which is fringed by a sandy beach.

Batam
The island has untouched natural beauty, designated as a centre of not only industry, but also tourism and trade. It is one among Indonesia’s key locations of industrial growth. Places of interest include Tiara Indah Handicraft Centre, which has a huge selection of handicrafts from all over Indonesia; Dapur Dua Belas, which offer a glimpse of way if life that has vanished from the rest of Batam, Nongsa Beach, a beautiful stretch of sand, Pulau Buluh, a traditional village with houses built over the water.