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.

A tropical paradise off the coast of Sumatra.

The Aftermath Of The Earthquake In 2009.

Padang is not really comparable with other cities in Indonesia; it’s a lot more orderly, clean and organized. Wide roads cross the city and a lot of buildings are quite new. The reason for this is the complete rebuilding of Padang after a strong earthquake hit the capital of West Sumatra on September 30th, 2009. A lot of buildings are still badly damaged and it’s will take a while until all the traces are gone. Especially the market area was pretty badly hit and the damage still can be seen around this part of Padang. But the government is working on it and construction is under way.

The aftermath of an earthquake in the center of Padang. Around 135.000 houses were severely damaged, 65.000 houses were moderately damaged and 79.000 houses were slightly damaged.

Some parts of Padang are still destroyed. An estimated 1.250.000 people have been affected by the earthquake.

Arriving In Padang. Where To Stay?

We came from Kuala Lumpur with Air Asia. Though the airport is 30 km outside the city, an airport bus is always available when a flight arrives. If you are a foreigner and your hotel is not too far from their route, they will drop you off there, this was the first nice impression. We stayed at “Golden Homestay” on Jalan Ipah Nr.1. It’s a pleasant place with huge rooms and a very helpful crew! Opposite you find “Spice Homestay”, also very nice but there you better book in advance since it’s often full.

Also South of Padang (about 20 km) is Pantai Bungus with a few guest-houses like “Losmen Carlos” or “Losmen Tin Tin”. They can arrange trips to an uninhabited island as well. Bring food and water if you want the real “Robinson” feeling. On the island you rather can either take a bungalow or set up tent … or sleep in the hammock like we did :)

The Local Cuisine.

One thing that should not be missed is the local cuisine. “Padang kitchen” is one of the best! Chicken curry or Sayur Nagkar (a curry dish made from jack fruit) as well as other different meals are served in little plates. It’s so damn good, that I’m getting hungry just thinking about it…

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.

Transportation.

We immediately noticed the new hype about lowering and chipping the local taxis or bemos. The drivers seem to be very proud of their vehicles and it’s definitely nothing you get to see very often :)

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

The Local Market.

The market is, as always a real meeting point and a lot of action going on. Around the corner is a huge western style supermarket as well – good enough to buy provision “western style”, like butter, yoghurt or cheese, if one plans to spend some time on an island.

Fresh fish is always available at the market in Padang.

Not only fresh fish is sold at the market in Padang. The meat section is definitely nothing for the faint-hearted.

Off To A Tropical Island.

Padang is the stepping off point to all the Mentawais. A bit South of Padang in Teluk Gayur, ferries are anchored which set off mostly in the evening for an overnight trip to the islands. You will not believe what kind of beach paradise awaits you there!

High Class Island Hotel Tip: Cubadak Paradiso Village Resort.

Robinson Crusoe feeling in West Sumatra.