Sumatra Map

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Sumatra

Sumatra Map

Car license numbers:

BL: Aceh.
BB: Tapanuli.
BK: North Sumatra.
BA: West Sumatra.

BM: Riau.
BP: Riau Islands.
BG: South Sumatra.
BN: Banka, Billiton.

BE: Lampung.
BD: Bengkulu.
BH: Jambi.

Sumatra Info

http://indahnesia.com/indonesia/SUM/sumatra_information.php

Lush valley,cascading waterfalls and active volcanoes. Tribes with a history of cannibalism and apes so similar to humans their name translates as 'man of the forest'.
Medan
The gateway to this exotic region, Medan is a bustling port town, replete with movie-style crowded market, seedy bars and shady characters, but also broad avenues, first-class hotels and restaurants . From humble beginnings as a small kingdom on the Deli River delta, Medan became the capital of a powerful sultanate in the late 1800s, then developed into booming plantation town during the early 1900s as Sumatra's tobacco, rubber, palm oil and tea fetched high price on the world markets. Post independence Medan has continued to grow into Indonesia's largest city outside Java, with oil and industrial goods added to the list of lucrative exports.
Gunung Lauser Reserve, which straddles the North Sumatra - Aceh Border, are open to visitor through rafting expeditions down the Alas River and tours of the orangutan rehabilitation center at Bahorok, where formerly captive apes are re-introduces to the wild.
Lake Toba
Formed by a stupendous prehistoric volcanic explosion, the 100 km long lake is the largest is Southeast Asia and one of the deepest and highest in the world. The drama of that cataclysmic birth persist in 500 meter cliffs dropping into the blue-green waters, Surrounded by steep, pine covered sloped, the climate is fresh and pleasant, with just enough rain to support the lush vegetation.
Samosir
the large island in the center of the lake, is the home of the Toba batak. One of the prominent ethnic groups in the archipelago, Bataks living in distant cities will regularly return to their ancestral island.
Three megalithic sites on Samosir bear witness to the glory - and horror - of Batak history. The three consist of 300-year-old stone seats and benches arrayed in a circle. The first set of ruins was used as a conference area for Batak kings. At the second site, the rajas would sit in judgment of a criminal or enemy prisoner. If the accused were found guilty, the assembly would move to the third set, which features the ghastly addition of a central stone execution block.
Other, less gruesome attraction can occupy many days of exploration and discovery. All over the island are superb examples of traditional Batak houses, with elaborate carvings and decorations. Performance of life-size is Gale-gale wooden puppet are held frequently, and at any moment, the musical Batak might break into a impromptu song, the seeming effortless, multi-part harmonies belying the casual setting.
With a few motor vehicles, the island is a walker's paradise. Local guides are available for numerous hikes of varying difficulty around the island and surrounding lakeshore. Those who complete the 1600 meter climb up muddy trails to the village of Roonggurni need not be proud of their accomplishment:village children descend and re-climb the mountain every day to attend school.
Nias
Enormous breakers pummel the island of Nias attracting the best surfers in the world to Lagundri Beach. The unforgiving power attacking the shore seems to have bred the same qualities in the people, whose militaristic culture has fascinated anthropologists for decades.

Getting to North Sumatra

By Air
Medan is primary gateway to Sumatra, served by daily direct flights from Singapore by Garuda Indonesia and Silk Air, and from Penang by Malaysian Airlines System (MAS).
Sea
Ferries ply between Penang and Port of Belawan. A fast, comfortable passenger liner sails biweekly from Jakarta to Medan.
When to Go
North Sumatra has a warm tropical climate with wet and dry seasons lasting approximately six month each. The heaviest rains occur in December and January. During the wet season, overland travel in Southern Sumatra ca be subject to lengthy delay. Average humidity is 81 percent and temperatures average 27C during the day and 25C at night, with average temperatures dropping one degree for every 300 meters elevation. Evenings in mountain areas can be quite cool. The best time to visit is between May and October, though rain will still be frequent occurrence in many mountainous areas.
Accommodation
Medan is a modern city with full facilities for travelers of every budget and preference. Three four-star properties, and several three-star and two star hotels.
Transport
Medan has metered taxis and hire cars are available through most hotels. Noisy, motorized pedicabs cruise downtown area.
Lake Toba
Getting There
Lake Toba is three hours by good road from Medan. Bus service is frequent, and hired taxis are widely available. Regular ferries serve communities on Samosir, carrying motorcycles as well as passenger. Private speedboats are also available for charter.
Accommodation
Higher quality hotels are all found on the mainland at Prapat. On Samosir Island there are number of two-star hotels and plenty of basic, but clean and comfortable homestay.
Restaurants
The hotels all serve standard European food as well as local dishes. Restaurants on Samosir offer simple, healthy meals, often including yogurt, fruit juices and other young traveler fare.
Transport
Everything in Prapat is within walking distance of most hotels. Walking is one's only option in Samosir, as few vehicles exist.
Nias
Getting There
SMAC runs daily flights by small plane from Medan to Nias. Small ferries leave daily from Sibolga on the Sumatra west coast.
Accommodation
Nias has basic hotel geared to young surfers and backpackers.
Transport
Four wheel-drive vehicles and motorcycle are available in Nias. Hire cars and motorcycle are also available.

Trans-Sumatra Highway

Nightmare or ultimate experience
The just recently completed trans-Sumatera highway stretches over the entire length of one of the biggest islands on the planet, a distance of over 2500 km. The journey from Bakauheini in the far south to Banda Aceh in the far north is certainly one of the most fascinating travel experiences of entire Indonesia.
The journey can also turn out to be a nightmare, full of frustrations and unconforting events. Much depents on a carefull preparation, enough time and a big enough resilience during inevitable delays and irritations, things that all travelers in Indonesia will eventually experience. Patience and tolerance are demanded and can make this journey into a travelling experience.
The way Jakarta-Banda Aceh can be done in one lap, but that's dissuaded strongly. The journey will take about sixty hours and is very cheap, a challenge for travellers which want to test their endurance. The time of collapsed bridges and flooded roads has passed, the roads are reinforced, but mainly during the wet season, landslides can cause unpleasant surprises. The delay normally doesn't last long. De national economy partially depends on the highway and can therefore not be closed down more than a few hours.
Start in Lampung
The first lap of the trans-Sumatera road (99 km) runs from the moor places of the Jawa-Sumatera ferry in Bakeukheini on the most southeastern tip of the island to Bandar Lampung, the capital of the Lampung province. From the beginning the road meanders along Gunung Rajabasa, with a splendid view over the island-filled Bay of Lampung. Rows of clovetrees, characteristic cones with light-green leaves, mark the slopes.
Over sixty km past Bakauheni the road descents rapidly towards the coast. From the shivering, blue bay, small islands rise above the water, as well as fishing platforms, which float on the water like giant spiders. Houses on pawls decorate the beach, separated from the road by a small stretch of mangrove swamps. Then the enormous warehouses and docks appear, the suburbs of Bandar Lampung.
The next phase of the trans-Sumatera highway stretched over 385 km (nine hours) towards Muara Enim, over plaint which border to the eastern edges of Bukit Barisan. The road cuts through rubber- and oil-plantations and fields with corn. All rivers flow towards the east from Bukit Barisan, and create numerous crossings.
The beautiful green sawah's along the road are decorated with small houses to keep wild animals in the distance. Look for the traditional Lampung or South Sumateran rumah limas, wooden houses with a red roof with a highered floor. In the earlier days these houses were built with ropes instead of nails.
Sumatera Selatan and Jambi
After Muara Enim the highway stretched towards the northeast and several times it crosses the Kali Lematang, before it reaches Lahat. Just after Muara Enim a panoramic view shows the Lematang against a background of primary tropical rainforest. Early in the morning and late in the afternoon hords of buffalo's, busses and trucks battle for some space on the road. Separated from the hills of Bukit Barisan is Bukit Serelo, a bald peek on a steep hill.
Lahat is the starting point for reconnaisance through the Pasemah highlands. Passengers who get out here however, are not ensured for a good seat in the next lag. the sharp curves and traffic coming towards you. Luckily it's not that crowded on the whole plantations decorated the nearby scenery. Mosques take their places again.
The highway north of Lahat offers numerous curves, and at clear weather, a view over the Bukit Barisan in the west. During the wet season landslides are common. On the steep slopes coffee is being harvested, and a rubber plantation stretches several kilometres along the highway. The next city, Tebing Tinggi ('high cay'), is above the river Musi, one of the biggest and most important of Southern Sumatera.
After that a straight way leads to Lubuklinggau, on the crossing with the main road to Bengkulu. The next 28 kilometres houses with plate roofings with monotone regularity come across the window of the bus, until the road, just before Bangko, crossed the Merangin river. Here Jambi province starts, with a little more to the west National Park Kerinci-Seblat.
The next stage, from Bangko to Muara Bungo (92 km), is very fast. From here a 212 km long road runs to Jambi in the east. Outside Muara Bungo a bridge over the river Tebo near Teluk Panjang offers a view over the mosque on the river bank. Fifty kilometres ahead the wide Hariri river gives water to the irrigational system for sawah's nearby. This is Western Sumatera and along the road the first roofs in Minang-style can be found.
Western Sumatera
Beyond Kiliranjao the landscape finally gets more nice. The highway climbs in curves into Bukit Barisan. Impressife limestone formations appear, green sawah's make the contrast very fierce against the edge of the rainforests. The high, white bark of the tree's are no less than the limestone pillars. In some places the vegetation grows on vertical walls.
The first towers of limestone, small but impressive, appears on the right near Sungai Langsat. A little ahead are five more, bigger, oval, stupa-shaped toys of Mother Nature. In the wet season landslides occur in this area. In the worst case that will delay you for a few (more) hours.
After the mountains a more hospit landscape with sawah's, small Minangkabau houses ans hills leads you to a small river valley that will lead you towards a crowded trading place of Solok.
The way from Solok towards Padangpanjang, 53 kilometres, follows the river Sumani towards the north until Danau Singkarak, a giant and very beautigfull crater lake. After that the highway passes the eastern banks of the river Sumani and the bridge over the river Umbilinri, on which Danau Singkarak irrigates it's water.
Gunung Singgalang and Merapi
North of the lake, the road ascends, the view here is very nice too, and it crosses the fertile ricefields of Pandangpanjang after that. At the left side is Gunung Singgalang, and on the right Gunung Merapi (not the one on Jawa), an active vulcano that regularly erupts a little. Both vulcanoes are about the same size, a little less than 2900 metres.
Bukittinggi, about halfway the stage, offers a big variety in hotels, restaurants and an interesting environment. An ideal place to split up your journey, to relax a few days and to make small trips.
The next stage from Bukittinggi to Prapat, the gate to Danau Toba and Pulau Samosir (Northern Sumatera), a distance of 500 km, is pretty aggressive. The journey takes about 15 hours. It's is recommended to stop the journey in Padang Sidempuan or Sibolga, so the road through Bukit Barisan can be done at daylight.
The road is asphalted, but small and curvy. With a good driver it can still be agonizing with all the sharp curves and traffic coming towards you. Luckily it's not that crowded on the whole, and the bus can't drive faster than 40 km an hour.
Try to be awake when the bus arrives in Bonjol. This city is named after Imam Bonjol, the famous islamic leader of the Paderi-wars. His statue, high on a horse and waving fierce with it's sable, decorates the city (on the right). A monument just past Bonjol marks the equator.
Now the road ascends towards Lubuksikaping to descend there towards a long river valley with on the right side sawah's. The road lingers downhill towards Muara Sipongi and Hutanopan. Steep descends belong to the past, however there are many cliffs covered in forests. Ricefields covered with small houses, and bridges over the river mark the transition to Northern Sumatera.
Northern Sumatera
From Muara Sipongi the road follows the river Gadis until past Hutanopan. The village of Purda Baru has the biggest pesantren (islamic boarding school) of Indonesia, with students from all over the country. Hundreds of small huts give home to boys from six to twelve years, which spend their elementary school-time here. The people in this area belong to the Mandailing Batak, which changed to islam about 150 years ago.
Panyabungan is a crowded market place which has much activity on Mondays, the market days. Remarkable becaks and the motorised becak mesin give some extra color to the colorfull marketplace and also add multiple decibels of noise. After Panyabungang the roads runs across ricefields with white mosques. Passing brick factories this continues until Padangsidempuan, which is reached in the evening. Otherwhise get on another bus for the one and a hour drive to Sibolga.
Outside some very strange curves the next stage, to Prapat and Danau Toba, takes about five hours, and is fairly hard. The route to Tarutung takes about three hours, and leads along markets and deforested hills with in some places a pine tree. After about one hours the pass at the bottom of Gunung Sibualbuali (with a big hotel) the border betwen the islamic and the christian Batak, and mosques are gradualy replaced by churches. From here it's half an hour on a straight road to the crowded market place of Siborongborong.
A little further the curvy descend towards Danau Toba starts, alon spectaculair ricefields and impressive graves with statues ofmen with big eyes on horses, and elderly clothed in adat-clothes. On top of some traditional graves are houses, one almost big enough to live in. The enormous grave on the right, just a little from the road past Balige, is from the Batak king of Raja Tano. Next the road lingers through the hills around the lake, to recover again near Prapat.
The journey from Prapat to Medan takes about four to five hours, with just after Prapat a tremendous view over Danau Toba. After that, a meandering descend through the mountains follows, which end almost in the sea. Wealthy ricefields and rubber- and oil plantations decorated the nearby scenery. Mosques take their places again.
The last stage: Aceh
The sixhundred kilometres from Medan to Banda Aceh takes about fourteen hours. The landscape is nive, but Biruen alone, on about two thirds of the total distance, is good enough to break up your journey temporarily. You can for example make an excursion to Danau Tawar. Near Sabat, seventeen kilometres outside Medan, the road crosses a wide river and the traffic gets less crowded. The road runs along big oilpalm plantations and old rubber plantations. Just before Tanjungpura a big mosque can be found on the left.
The landscape variates: big ricefields (some can stretch upto two kilometres along the road), cocos-bushes, mosques with one or three domes, big rivers and birdges over estuaria, overgrown by mangrove and nipa-palmtrees. Far away the grassy feet of Bukit Barisan can already be seen.
The city of Lhokseumawe, a few kilometres from the road, is the proud posessor of a big number of bank- and governmental buildings, shopping centrums, five-star hotels and restaurants. When leaving this city, big storage places for oil can be seen, that's where the city got it's wealth from.
How deeper you enter the province of Aceh, the more women and girls wear kerudung or jilbab, an islamic scarf which only allows the face not to be covered. These girls only visit islamic schools. The mosques normally have roofs of iron-wood.
Through the biggest part of the trans-Sumatera highway, it follows a railroad that has longsince liquidated Dutch railroad. However the biggest part of the railroad still is there, most bridged have collapsed.
During the last stage the road leaves the ricefields and coastal cities to cut the northen part of Bukit Barisan. Lingering the bus follows the road through bush-covered hills and lonely pinetrees. The a quiet route along a river and a fertile valley follow, until he destination can finally be seen: Banda Aceh in the far northern tip of Sumatera.