Off To Ambon With A Rather Unconventional Mode Of Transport These Days.

On our journeys we’re never too keen to meet (lots of) fellow travellers, so the Maluku Islands were just the right destination for us. Thanks to AirAsia, destinations across Southeast Asia are pretty easy to reach. Yet we wanted more than just your average travelling day. From Bangkok, AirAsia brought us to Surabaya and from here the real adventure to Ambon, the capital of the Maluku islands, began. For many years we again wanted to travel across the Indonesian islands by Pelni Ship and this was the perfect trip to do just that! Flying across Indonesia as become easy but back in 1998, when we visited Indonesia for the first time, things were a bit different and the Pelni Ship was pretty much the only way to reach unknown places. So this journey would be something special and would bring us back to a time when travelling actually required lots time.

As the KM Dobonsolo made it’s way from Surabaya via Makassar (known as Ujung Pandang back in the days) and Bau-Bau, Ambon came nearer. From Ambon, the ship would continue to Sorong all the way to Jayapura, the border town between West Papua and Papua New Guinea, from where it makes its way back to Surabaya.

Maluku Islands: The KM Dobonsolo at Ambon harbour.

Maluku Islands: Travelling by Pelni ship is still a rather cheap way to travel around Indonesia, especially if you have lots of goods with you.

Maluku Islands: Flights across Indonesia have become so cheap and Pelni ships are often considered unsanitary, therefore tourists prefer the easy way of travelling (plus of course it takes more time).

Maluku Islands: The transportation of cargo is the main source of income for Pelni.

Maluku Islands: Merchants and families with lots of luggage are the main passengers abord a Pelni ship.

Maluku Islands: Just your average scene abord a Pelni ship in Indonesia.

Maluku Islands: Welcome To This Beautiful Archipelago Within The Banda Sea. Welcome To Ambon.

With a few hours delay, the KM Dobonsolo arrived in Ambon at 2 am. While getting off, some officials asked for a “Surat Jalan“- meaning a travel permit for the Maluku Islands, but this is no longer required and we knew that. They tried anyway for a bit of pocket money. After all, we were an easy target since we were the only tourists disembarking (and on the entire ship as a matter of fact). There was not much going on that time of the day and even the Rickshaw pullers were sleeping. We started walking out of the harbour and turned left on the first corner, where a hotel sign seemed inviting. Le Green Suites looked good, but – unbelievably – was fully booked. The night shift manager told us about their second hotel with available rooms and woke one of the sleeping Rickshaw pullers and within 15 minutes we were in the hotel Le Green Suites 2 – with nice rooms and Wifi throughout the property.

In the morning we really didn’t have any plans, so we started walking as we usually do, to get a first impression of Ambon. Our way lead us through the main street, passing a huge Mosque before strolling down to the beach where the markets are scattered along. Morning is always market time and it was very (very!) busy. We could hardly pass through the crowds and a sudden downpour didn’t make it easier. It was rainy season after all and mother nature makes sure you know why it’s called that. We escaped to a restaurant, where delicious Indonesian food was served. At the nearby bus station we enquired our options for continuing north. From Ambon there are Bemos in all directions and we decided heading to Pantai Liang, where the local slow ferry to Pulau Seram leaves at 11 am.

Maluku Island Hopping – Pulau Seram To Pulau Saparua.

Pantai Liang itself is a little village with stunning beaches and it would have been nice to spend a few days here, but we went with the ferry to Waipirit on Seram island. From there we continued by Bemo to Masohi, which would take us a couple of hours. It was already late in the afternoon and one of the passengers in our Bemo suggested the “New Kelemuku Hotel”. We spent a couple of days here, but were longing for some serious beach action. So we continued up north to the village of Sawai. This place not only feels very remote, but it actually is very far out of the way. Tourists are rarely seen due to the difficulty of getting there, plus crocks are nothing uncommon. As beautiful and tranquil at Sawai is, you won’t find white sand beaches.

Maluku Islands: If you’re visiting Indonesia during the rainy season, you’ll have to face downpours like this quite often. Sometimes it rains for days, sometimes the rain stops just as fast as it came. Here we were at Lisar Bahari Resort in Sawai on Seram island and it was actually a mystical atmosphere being above the water with this heavy storm hitting us.

Maluku Islands: As seen here, Sawai village is located far away from civilisation and therefore not visited by tourists often.

Maluku Islands: Lisar Bahari Resort in Sawai is definitely the place to stay at. You might not have sand beaches here, but you can jump into the crystal clear water straight from your room, which is not too bad if you ask me.

For a classic beach paradise, we would have to travel further on. Saparua island would be our next destination and this meant finding a boat that would bring us there. One thing is for sure, travelling around the Maluku islands is definitely something that requires (a lot of) time and patience. If you have both, you’ll be rewarded with memories that will last a lifetime. As we hoped, Saparua was the right spot to spend more than just a couple of days.

Maluku Islands: Puntih Lessi Indah Homestay on Saparua is the best place to stay at for some serious beach action.

Maluku Islands: Saparua offers the best beaches with crystal clear water with pretty much no one around.

Maluku Islands: Saparua beach paradise.

Maluku Islands: getting around by boat is unsurprisingly the best way to get around the islands.

Maluku Islands: From Haria, the main town on Saparua island, you’ll pretty much get anywhere on the island.

As our journey slowly came to an end, we decided to return to Ambon a bit early, to check out the Southeastern part of the island. Though you also won’t find sand beaches here, Ambon island should not be underestimated because it’s still blissful, beautiful, quite, simple and peaceful.

Maluku Islands: Fishing is the main source of income here on the islands.

Maluku Islands: Fishermen along the jetty can be seen pretty much everywhere along the islands.

Maluku Islands: Ambon might not be your typical beach paradise, but the islands offers stunning landscape scenes, beautiful markets and crystal clear waters.

Maluku Islands: The way down south on Ambon islands lead us through several beautiful palm tree alleys.

Maluku Islands: Tourists are a rare sight in Ambon, especially with the kind of camera gear we use, so these boys immediately started posing for us.

Maluku Islands: Collin Beach Hotel on Ambon islands was a beautiful places to stay at.

Resumé After Three Weeks On The Maluku Islands.

The lack of development and commercialisation on the Maluku islands is bound to not last and this is what gives when their charm. When coming here, don’t expect infrastructure that you might find elsewhere. These islands have not only been off the radar for a while, but are a truly forgotten paradise in Indonesia.

Up from the lighthouse you have an amazing view of Koh Rong Samloem. This island is still as pristine as it was hundreds of years ago and well worth the trip!

Welcome To Paradise.

Just 45 minuted by speedboat from the mainland lie Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem. While Koh Rong already has the reputation of a backpacker-party-island, Koh Rong Samloem is still quite unspoilt. Thanks to the lease agreements, which last just for a short period of time (unlike the ones on Koh Rong), larger hotel chains stay away and the beaches are dominated by smaller bungalow facilities.

You’ll find four beaches on Koh Rong Samloem: Saracan Bay, M’Pei Bay, Lazy Beach and Sunset Beach.

Beach #1 On Koh Rong Samloem: Saracan Bay.

Saracan Bay is the main beach on which not only most resorts have settles, but also the main docking station for boats from Sihanoukville is located. One lies on the norther, one on the southern part of the beach. From fairly cheap non-aircon-bungalows to high class villas, everyone will find the right spot. The beach here is white as snow and soft as silk, the water radiates in all shades from turquoise to blue with wonderful 27° Celsius and the vegetation is still as untouched as is was hundreds of years ago. What more could one want?! Unfortunately you’ll still come across people who don’t appreciate the value of such a paradise. When walking up and down,  you’ll see certain sections where trash piles up. This is where the hotel managers are challenged, because the resort staff should clean their respective section. This was one of the reason why we chose to stay at Sol Beach Resort. The real winner though was the amazing bungalow with a complete glass front, which gave us an amazing view right after waking up in the morning (detailed review will follow asap). The food here was not a winner (especially not if you’re vegetarian), but the surrounding resorts are a great alternative.

Tip: Once you step across the southern docking point of Saracan Bay, trash actually piles up quite a bit, so we wouldn’t recommend booking a hotel down here. Unfortunately the hotel managers here don’t seem to care much for the environment.

This is the view we had from our bungalow at Sol Beach Resort on Koh Rong Samloem. Not bad huh?

The beach front bungalows at Sol Beach Resort on Koh Rong Samloem are really amazing thanks to their full glass front.

This was right in front of GreenBlue Resort on Koh Rong Samloem. The hammocks right above the water are great when the tide comes in.

Beach #2 On Koh Rong Samloem: M’Pei Bay.

The second beach, M’Pei Bay, lies on the northern end of the island. You’ll come across several smaller resorts, as well as a docking stations for boats here. Also, it’s where one of the two fishing villages of the islands can be found. M’Pei Bay is the second largest beach on the island, yet still pretty laid back. You can hike here from Saracan Bay – back and forth it’ll take you about 5 hours, but the best way to get here is definitely by boat.

Beach #3 On Koh Rong Samloem: Sunset Bay.

The third player is Sunset Bay, which is also the only beach we didn’t visit. As Lazy Beach, it lies on the western side of Koh Rong Samloem and is more relaxed with only three backpacker resorts and a dive shop.

Beach #4 On Koh Rong Samloem: Lazy Beach.

Last but not least: Lazy Beach. Our personal island highlight. With just one very basic resort, you won’t come across any masses of people. The 20 minute walk through the jungle from Saracan Bay keeps more crowds away. If you do decide to take on the trip, you won’t regret it: Lazy Beach offers delicious food and drinks and the combination with one of the most beautiful sunsets you’ll ever get to see will leave you speechless.

Once you come out of the jungle, you’ll already get a sense of what live looks like at Lazy Beach.

White sand, beautiful water and almost no people is what you’ll come across at Lazy Beach on Koh Rong Samloem.

The sunset at Lazy Beach was truly one of the most amazing ones we’ve come across.

Résumé Of Our Week On Koh Rong Samloem.

You can spend an unforgettable holiday on Koh Rong Samloem. Due to the lack of roads and the presence of only smaller resorts, the island is yet still a fairly unknown spot with the same charm as many islands of Thailand had two decades ago. Those who were here, will tell others and we’re sure that this will mean further changes in the next couple of years. But let’s hope that Koh Rong Samloem will not become another victim of mass tourism, but that it’ll continue being this pristine little island it is now.

A Few Tips If You Come To Koh Rong Samloem.

• Be sure to calculate enough time for the crossing, because depending on which company you go with, you’ll either stop at Koh Rong to let of/let on people before or after. Boats take off at Serendipity Beach Pier in Sihanoukville and here you’ll get all the relevant infos on which boat goes where and when.
• There are no banks and therefore no ATM machines on Koh Rong Samloem. Be sure to bring enough cash, because some resorts don’t take credit cards. Prices are really expensive too. Calculate at least double that what you’d pay on the main land – or even better, calculate with European prices.
• Be sure to bring enough insect repellant and a torch for the nightly walks along the beach(es) or jungle.
• Definitely check out the lighthouse on the island. Depending on where you start, the trip will take you between 1 1/2 – 2 hours each direction. We’ll write more about this later on.

Even in a popular tourist destination like Turkey, you will find uninhabited areas where only small gravel roads lead…

Thunderstorms In Bodrum: Was Our Beach Holiday At Risk?

After our road trip through Cappadocia, we wanted to explore the beautiful coastal region, which would give us a couple of more sun-days before autumn really hit Austria. After a short pit-stop (which turned into a night stop) in Pamukkale, Bodrum was our goal destination. For the last 50 kilometres, a really (!) dark cloud kept following us – this meant nothing good for sure. And this is how it came: That night, Bodrum was hit with the worst thunderstorms of the past 50 years. Three hours of stop-and-go traffic gave us the rest. We ended up at the hotel completely soaked from tip to toe. One thing was sure: our beach holiday would not start here. So we continued our trip the next morning with Dalyan as our final stop before heading back to Antalya.

Pine Woods And Small Bays Along A Picturesque Coast.

The drive along the coast would quickly let us forget the bad weather. The further we drove, the more sun-rays we got. This made us stop frequently in between for short swimming breaks. The water along the southern Turkish coast is crystal clear and super clean (even when you’re at more densely populated areas), which makes swimming here absolutely beautiful. Just before we got to Akyaka, we came across a small bay, which was perfect for the afternoon sun. We decided to spend the night in Akyaka so that we could also enjoy the morning sun here before hitting the road again.

The water along the southern coast of Turkey is crystal clear and perfect for a beautiful beach holiday.

You will come across many small bays along the coastal road of southern Turkey.

Dalyan: Lycian Tombs And An (Almost) Endless Beach.

You won’t believe how strong the sun actually is down here at the end of September. To avoid getting completely burnt, we continued our trip after a few hours. After all, we still had a long way to go. Up to this point, the beaches were nice, but pebbles to get annoying as well. Thanks to Google Earth, we had our eyes set on Iztuzu Beach near Dalyan.

It takes about 15 minutes to get to Iztuzu Beach from the city centre of Dalyan by car. For sports enthusiasts, you can also rent bicycles to get there. Although more people come to this beach, they spread out on the three kilometres pretty nicely and you can be all by yourself if that’s what you’re in to. Apart from Iztuzu Beach, we were also interested in the surrounding area of course. Especially a building that could be seen from the distance, that seemed to be the highest point of the region.

The way up there was quite easy to find and we were rewarded with an amazing view of the area. And not only that: we came across an even more remote and beautiful sand bay where we would spend the next hours. You can only reach this beach by boat or if you decided to take a leap down the steep gravel road.

Dalyan offers beached, but also other interesting highlight. For example impressive Lycian tombs carved into the cliffs, seen right from the river promenade or the several waterways that can be explored by boat.

The view of Dalyan and Iztuzu beach was pretty impressive.

The lagoon around Dalyan offers beautiful sceneries.

Above the river’s sheer cliffs in Dalyan are the façades of Lycian tombs cut from rock.

The sand beaches near Dalyan where a great change to the gravel beaches along the way.

Resume Of Our Adventurous Turkey Trip.

After 2.452 kilometres across Turkey, we collected lots of great impressions. But the especially the marvellous coast along isolated gravel roads fascinated us. Here you will come across several remote villages, beaches and forests that make a trip down here well worth it!

Dreams Can Come True.

Coming from the Indian mainland, with quite often dirty & polluted beaches, street chaos and masses of people, this island was just what we needed: the complete opposite … imagine Bali back in the early 80s.

Tourist facilities (like accommodation and restaurants) are abundant, but everything still seems a bit behind. Simple bamboo huts arranged under swaying coconut trees is as good as it gets – and that’s pretty darn good anyway! Combine this with with white sandy beaches and crystal clear turquoise water and Havelock is what you’re paradise dream looks like. For us this dream became reality after a 4-hour boat ride from Port Blair.

Havelock, Oh Havelock.

We stayed in one of the beach accommodations. During the rainy season (which is of course when we decided to visit paradise), not all hotels are open, but during high season there are a lot to choose from – no need for pre-booking. Havelock is not overpopulated, the village is small with a big open air market, various food stores and some restaurants catering mainly for Indian tourists, though the steady stream of westerners is growing. Apart from the islands beautiful beaches, Havelocks inner part is jungle country with many rice paddies in between; the Andaman Islands are actually pretty self sufficient when it comes to rice. The pace of life is slow, the locals are friendly and still not too affected by tourism – thanks God for that!

Beach, Beach, Beach.

There a couple of stunningly beautiful beaches on Havelock island. Most of them can be describes as tropical paradises beaches with the oceans being more of a natural swimming pool. But be aware: even though the water is calm most of the time, it can get pretty rough as well. Oh and one more thing: Havelock island is a pretty wild place and it’s possible to see many types of wild animals … including crocodiles – salt water crocodiles to be exact. Years ago an American tourist was taken by a salt croc. Don’t be put off by this incident though. We suggest to ask around the local community for recent incidents (a local ranger has also been taken in 2011), as not every single one is recorded – unless a westerner is involved of course. Also check the local media, since they’ll report if you shouldn’t enter the water due to crocodile activity.

Vijaynagar Beach.

One of these beaches is a stretch close to the jetty where all boats from Port Blair arrive, called Vijaynagar beach. Various guest-houses and hotels, tucked away in the coconut groves (some hotels are even 3 or 4 star hotels) can be found along the stretch of approximately 3 kilometres. Restaurants are mainly situated on the inland side of the beach road. An irregular public bus service plies the route along the coastal road up to some little villages in the island’s inner part. There are no bus stops – simply tell the driver where you want to get off. Or you can hire a tuk-tuk for further exploration of the island.

• Tip: Early in the afternoon the bus is mainly frequented by children going home from school so you’ll get a lot of attention when taking this bus.

Radhanagar Beach.

The second well-known beach on Havelock island is on the other side, called Radhanagar beach. You’ll find accommodation here as well, but this beach is mostly frequented by day-trippers. Occasionally hit by really big waves, you have to watch out even if lifeguards are on duty because currents can become quite strong. Still, the long stretch of white sand is very welcoming and you could spend an entire day walking along the shores. A frequent public bus is available from the main village (take-off at the only roundabout in town) to Radhanagar. Be aware though, we’ve never been on a trip with a crazier bus driver than this one – even the locals get scared when he drives! If you prefer to go by bicycle, just rent one in of the stores. Still, you better watch out if this bus crosses your way. We actually met someone who jumped into the bushes with his bike because the bus would have just run him over…

Elephant Beach.

Elephant beach can be reached after a 40 minute-walk through the jungle. Walking always means that less people (lazy bums), which is an advantage because then you’ll have the place all to yourself. Bring food and drinks when doing this excursion, because there are no restaurants or street vendors around.

• Note: Some of you might think that this is the beach where Rajan, the famous 63-year-old swimming elephant, can be found. Well, he might be on the island somewhere (actually Radhanagar beach is supposed to be his home beach), but unfortunately he didn’t cross our way…

Vijaynagar Beach during high tide.

Radhanagar Beach on Havelock Island. Not sure if we’d like to rely on the lifeguards…

Little huts right next to the beach on Havelock Island.

The beaches on Havelock Islands are really beautiful and not too many tourists come here.

Exotic beaches are bordered by coconut-palm trees on the Andaman Islands.

The far end of Vijaynagar beach on Havelock Island.

Hundreds of palm trees behind Vijaynagar beach on Havelock Island.

A cute crab on Elephant beach on Havelock Island.

A paddy field worker on Havelock Island.

French Polynesia – or better Tahiti – is not an independent travellers destination. Most people come with a package tour, which you’ll realize immediately after arriving at the airport … Everyone is greeted with flower garlands, while a group of musician fiddle their souls away and after a fast custom procedure, you’re out in the street alone because all other passengers have been picked up by their hotel chauffeurs.

Flower garlands at Papeete airport, French Polynesia.

Public Transport – No Chance!

As it was just 5.00 am when I arrived in Papeete, nothing was open and there was no chance of finding any sort of public transport, as I planned to reach the freighter ship to the Austral Islands (which only runs once a week). After checking out the area a little bit, I found someone who pointed me the direction to the next bus station. Let me tell you something … public transport is not an easy thing in Tahiti! The buses run irregularly, sometimes don’t even stop and if they run too fast, they’ll just pass by the station without the smallest bit of eye twitching. Also, I don’t know who designed the bus loops and stops but that person must have been under the weather – if you know what I mean. There is no public transport going down to the port where all the ships take off … and it’s one hell of a walk down there – especially if you’re fully packed like myself! Sure, you’ll adjust and get used to it but it can get frustrating. So the last way out of this crappy start into the day was hitch-hiking down to the port.

These ships down in the port looked like monsters (no windows and high steel walls) who really have to conquer the rough seas from time to time. Luckily, this was not the case when I travelled. The Pacific ocean was calm and though the ship was an old lady, it was a very pleasant trip with my hammock set up right on the stern.

A ship at the port in Tubuai, French Polynesia.

The ship from Papeete to Tubuai, French Polynesia.

The Austral Islands & its people.

The Austral Islands are really out of the way, and the main town of Tubuai is a scatter of a few houses, not more. You’ll find one supermarket with an adjoining post office, some guest houses and that’s about it.  It’s a small place but that’s what makes it more cozy & homey as well.

The landscape of the Austral Islands, French Polynesia.

The people of the area are very friendly and happy to help you out if you need something. Just be aware of the ones hanging out in front of the supermarket – most of them have consumed lots of booze and this can be quite uncomfortable – especially when you’re there alone at night. One thing is for sure, forget the South Sea beauties! Food over there is totally unhealthy and lots (!) of people tend to be very overweight.

Overweight man working … a regular sight in Tahiti – no wonder with the food you get there.

Arriving back in Tahiti, the problem with public transport continued. Teahupoo was my next desired destination but getting there was far from easy. A bus to Teahupoo exists, but you have to get out at the right intersection and wait a few hours for the connecting bus … I’d really suggest to hitch-hike, which I did again. The guys who gave me a ride were some surfers from Teahupoo, so I could save a lot of time and immediately got great input for nice guest houses in the area.

Some advice.

• If you plan to visit Teahupoo (and stay there for a while), keep in mind that the supermarket is quite some kilometres away from the village, so be sure to plan ahead.

Teahupoo itself is a black beach place with many local rent out rooms and the vibes are really good – as they usually are around surf spots. I was lucky to stay with a few surfers from Brazil (including the pro-surfer Dennis Tiahara). When the guys went our for a surf the next day, they asked if I’d dare to go out with them to take some photos. This was a great opportunity and I followed their request immediately :) Some local guy they knew, took me out to the massive waves on his jet-ski and I spent the next two days taking heaps of shots right near this world-famous break. It was an unforgettable experience to be so close to the action.

A surfer conquering the waves at Teahupoo, Tahiti.

A surfer conquering the waves at Teahupoo, Tahiti.

Further information.

If you’re planning on visiting French Polynesia and are looking for cheap, yet nice accommodation around Papeete, Tubuai or Teahupoo, feel free to drop me a line.

Mountains In Sumatra.

Gunung Kerinci is an active volcano and with 3.805 meters it’s also the highest mountain yet still (more or less) easy accessible. With the occasional eruptions, the walk through the rainforest is incredible because the flora there is so rich and beautiful.

National Parks In Sumatra.

Gunung Leuser National Park is still a true virgin rainforest – thanks to the difficult terrain. The park is a world heritage site since 2004 and a great choice for trekking or watching the wildlife. Bukit Lawang was the most famous Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center, which adjacent to Gunung Leuser National Park, but since a torrential flash flood swept through the valley in 2003 (a few tourists and about 250 locals died & the entire village was destroyed) the Orang Utan (translates: Orang = person, Utan = forest) Center was relocated to Bukit Tigah Puluh National Park. This park is about 200 km East of Padang, where you can even see the rare Sumatran Tiger. This National Park is not so well known and a good way away from the beaten path so therefore everything is much more authentic and a bit more difficult to access. Unfortunately Sumatra is not spared from deforestation (of course). It is threatening the entire area around these wonderful National Parks. The land is cleared for planting oil palms (elaeis guinneensis) and teak.

Lakes In Sumatra.

Sumatra also offers you some really beautiful lakes: the most famous one is Danau (= lake) Toba with a very large island in the middle. Lots of guest-houses wait for exhausted travellers and it’s a a really nice area to rest for a couple of days. We visited Danau Singkarak on our last trip to Sumatra. We drove around by motorbike along the rice paddies – it was an easy ride yet we still got to see some wonderful impressions. For example we drive through a couple of villages where thousands of fish were dried along the road (I guess these lakes still contain a lot of fish).

Culture In Sumatra.

Sumatra is rich in culture and tribal heritage. People still use local methods for all kind of their daily routine. For example: to make yoghurt you simply need fresh bamboo, cut it in pieces and fill it up with fresh cow milk. Let it stand for a couple of hours (in the warm climate) and you get the best yoghurt. It was the best one we’ve eaten throughout our southeast Asia trip! Milk products are one of the few things that we really miss during our travels, so this is a good recipe.

Beaches In Sumatra.

And then of course there are the beaches … lots of wonderful tropical beaches. We’ve seen many many amazing beaches during our years of travelling but Sumatra’s coast (plus the Mentawai Islands) truly is one of the best places for a beach adventure – without breaking your budget. The surf is abundant and one of the best surf spots in the world (Nias) can be found on these islands.

You should be a bit adventurous, flexible and curious to explore this part of the world because it is still not an area for a package tourist. Get in touch with us for further information and travel tips :)

Here Are Some Impression Of Sumatra:

Sumatra has thick virgin forests, lush vegetation, rice fields, mountain streams, rivers, waterfalls and sandy beaches.

Island hopping in Sumatra is a great way to explore the wonderful tropical beaches.

Striking evidence of the earthquake remains in the city of Padang in spots like Pasar Raya, the central market, a massive hulk of collapsed concrete around which vendors have set up hundreds of makeshift shops.

Fish is a staple food across the entire country. Fresh tuna can be bought at almost every local market in Sumatra.

Bemos are the local taxi’s all over Indonesia with Padang as a major hub.

And old abandoned typical house “Sumatra Style”.

Jembatan Akar is Indonesia’s Living Root Bridge. Located over the Batang Bayang river in West Sumatra, Indonesia, a bridge made of living tree roots connects two villages.

Fishermen in their typical fishing boat off the coast of Sumatra.

A woman glances up while working in a rice field in Sumatra.

Fishermen pulling in a catch at Bungus beach in Sumatra.

Padang Kitchen is the best cuisine in the world. You’re served several different dishes on small plates. Only what you eat has to be paid.

A sad-looking Orang Utan in the zoo of Bukittinggi in Sumatra. Stop animal captivity!

Wrecked tanker ship off the coast of Padang in Sumatra.

The people in Sumatra (and actually all over Indonesia) are friendly and welcoming.

Of course I would only want to stay there during the dry season (yes, I’m picky when it comes to rain & snow haha). I know what it can look like if it rains for days … during our visit to Thailand in 2011, we left the tropical island of Koh Kood after four straight days of thunderstorms. Rain & beach is definitely not fun!

Anyway, back to my wanderlust fantasy of the day: Tropical beach paradise … all you need for this fantasy to come true is the time to stay and the money to get there :)

Just off the coast of Sumatra lie thousands of beautiful (pretty much uninhabited) islands. We’ve been here many times before (first time when I was just 9 years old). Why? Well, check out the photos below; they pretty much speak for themselves anyway…

Caution: Wanderlust danger!

Sumatra offers many islands for which “Beach Paradise” is the only right wording.

Cubadak island is one of the beach paradise island off the West coast of Sumatra.

Island hopping by boat is just one of the things you can do in West Sumatra.

Beach paradises can be found all over Indonesia. And Sumnatra is definitely a great place for a real beach holiday.

Double rainbows are nothing out of the ordinary in West Sumatra.

Also the beaches on the mainland of Sumatra are not to be underestimated. Here you can see fishermen pulling in the catch of the day at Bungus beach.

We’ve seen many many amazing beaches during our years of travelling but Sumatra’s coast (plus the Mentawai Islands) truly is one of the best places for a beach adventure.

The islands off the coast of West Sumatra are often hit with meter-high waves.

Walking along the beautiful beaches in Sumatra can is something well-worth to remember.

…on which you can play “Robinson Crusoe”.

Walking around the island is no problem…all you need is time.