Sumatra in Indonesia: interesting places and useful information. Open left menu sumatra
Sumatra… One of my favorite islands in Indonesia, if not the most! Sumatra is huge, diverse and unique. Now, if they asked me: “Where do you want to stay to live, start a family, children, a house?”. Then my answer would be "Sumatra!". Yes, Sumatra is a mother. Here you lie, sometimes, in hot springs in the open air ... To your right is the Sibayak volcano, and to your left - the jungle, from where you can hear the songs of the siamangs and you understand how good it is to live and feel every moment with every cell of the body. Or you sit on the beach of a desert island in the Banyac archipelago and think: “Is there anyone else on this planet besides me? Or maybe I don’t exist either ... there is only a boundless sea, sand, palm trees, waves ... ”. Sumatra is my personal paradise, but it can be yours…
Sumatra is divided into 10 provinces, I have been to half of them
Provinces of Sumatra
Aceh
The northernmost province of Sumatra, famous for its supposedly radical Muslims. Yes, Islam is strict here, but, of course, not as much as in Arab countries. Indonesia remains Indonesia in Aceh. I have been here a few times when I traveled around Sumatra on a motorbike. I really liked Aceh for its nature preserved in almost its original form, mountains, many kilometers of beaches on the west coast, wild people in remote villages. There are practically no tourists here, only foreigners regularly visit Veh Island. Meanwhile, there is something to see and I still plan to come back here. I visited the city of Takengon located at an altitude of 1100 meters at sea level and Lake Laut Tawar, the capital of the province of Banda Aceh, the village of Ketambe, from where you can go trekking in Gunung Leser National Park, uninhabited islands Banyac archipelago, where a real tropical paradise!
Bengkulu
Bengkulu is a quiet and isolated province that stretches along west coast V southern half Sumatra. It has the lowest population density on the island of Sumatra, but few forests have survived, only in the mountains of the Barisan range. In the lowlands, everything is cut down for oil palm plantations. In the cities of the province of Bengkulu, there are a lot of buildings specialized for growing nests of swift salangans without windows and doors. But locals They don't know how to cook bird's nests: everything goes straight to China. The capital of the province of Bengkulu, the city of the same name is very pleasant, clean and quiet, somewhat similar to provincial Thai cities, only without dogs and temples 🙂 I lived here for several days while extending my visa. There are practically no tourists. Although there is something to see and do in the province, the cat wept for information in Runet. The most famous mountain in the province - Kaba volcano. Very easy to climb: it takes less than 1 hour to walk along a short path to the crater. The crater itself, or rather the craters are very beautiful and active: they soar, smoke, there are mud geysers, large fumaroles, colored lakes, like changing color on Kelimutu.
.North Sumatra
North Sumatra is the most touristic region on the island, but only due to the largest caldera lake in the world, Toba, and the village of Bukit Lawang, where you can watch orangutans. I have been here many times and in many places, so I have a lot of material on Sumatra Utara. In addition to the above two points, I highly recommend stopping by the city of Berastagi, located at an altitude of 1400 meters next to two active volcanoes: Sinabung and Sibayak. The latter is very easy to climb, if you drive up to it by car or motorbike as close as possible, go to the crater for only half an hour, or even less. Also in the vicinity of Berastagi there is a unique two-color waterfall, with cold blue water, next to it there is an ordinary waterfall with warm water. The main point of arrival in North Sumatra is Kuala Namu Airport, which opened in the summer of 2013. This is the second largest airport in Indonesia, very pleasant. Transport system in North Sumatra it entangles the entire province, getting somewhere is not a problem, but the buses are old, sometimes quite. I have prepared several local guides for North Sumatra:
West Sumatra
West Sumatra is my favorite province on the island! I love the city of Bukittinggi located in the mountains on the equator. For me, duck there is the most ideal climate for life! Warm, but not cold and not hot, humid, but not flooding or overdrying, high (900 meters), but not really. I have been here many times and alone with friends and with clients ... I do not get tired of coming back here and I hope to come back again more than once. As well as in the province of Aceh in West Sumatra, the primary equatorial forest has been preserved. In general, the trekking opportunities for nature lovers are endless here: the Marapi, Singgalang, Thalang, Talamau volcanoes ... And there are so many lakes: Maninjau, Danau Bawah, Danau Atas. I did not like the capital of the Padang region, but there are good islands near it, where it is convenient to swim from the Rimba Ecolodge guesthouse.
.Jambi
Jambi is a vast province in the southern half of Sumatra. I've only been here once, when I climbed Indonesia's highest volcano, Kerinci. Its height is 3805 meters. The ascent takes 2 days and is surprisingly easy for such a high mountain. During my ascent in July 2013 was bad weather, everything is covered with clouds and I saw almost nothing from the top. In addition to the volcano, the region is interesting crater lake Danau Gunung Tujuh at 2000 meters where I was too. Actually these two mountains are next to each other. Near these mountains, elite varieties of tea are grown, which are exported directly to Holland and England. I didn’t manage to visit the factories: everything is serious there, the entrance is by passes and machine gunners are everywhere. I don’t know what kind of tea this should be, if it is so severely guarded. The province has several major cities, including the capital Jambi, but I have not been there and apparently they are not of particular interest.
.Lampung
Lampung is the closest province to Java in Sumatra and as a result has a large Javanese population. The local cities are more like Java. But in the province, the wilderness is still there. I have been here several times, exploring geothermal anomalies in the Suoh Valley for almost a week, climbing the Krakatoa volcano twice, seeing the Sumatran rhinoceros in the Wai Kambas National Park. There are quite a lot of potential tourist sites in Lampung province, but foreign tourists very few due to lack of information. I really liked the island of Sebesi, from where the most cheap option sail to Krakatoa volcano. Mostly Javanese live on Sebesi, and if you want to look at a real seaside Javanese village, you are here. Traditional crafts, fishing and boundless attention and smiles of the locals await you there.
.South Sumatra
A huge province with its capital in the two-million city of Palembang. I have so far been only in the city of Pagaralam and its environs.
.Realizing how little information there is about the sixth largest island on the planet, I have already written dozens of detailed articles on this island and continue to please with something new every year. Below I have sorted the available articles into thematic categories for ease of search. This page is regularly updated with new material.
Saint Paul's Cathedral - Catholic Church in the city of Bandung. This cathedral is the cathedral for the city diocese. The project of the new neo-Gothic church was developed by the Dutch architect Charles Wolf Schemaker back in 1906, but the illumination of the real cathedral took place only on February 19, 1922.
After 10 years, the Holy See established the Apostolic Prefecture of Bandung and this church became cathedral urban catholic structure.
At first glance, the neo-gothic design may seem very standard, but a closer look reveals the subtlest signs of art deco. One of the most prominent features of St. Peter's Basilica is the stunning stained glass window above the altar.
The cathedral is surrounded by skyscrapers that interfere with the perception of its austere beauty. Expansion modern architecture are currently the main problem of the city.
Lake Toba
Toba is the world's largest lake of volcanic origin, it was formed about 75 thousand years ago by the eruption of the volcano of the same name. Lake Toba is located on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, its shores are very picturesque, as they are overgrown with tropical pine forests, so a walk on the water on a ferry or boat always leaves a lot of positive impressions for tourists.
Lake Toba is the largest in Indonesia, and its maximum depth is 505 meters. In its water are found different kinds fish, for example, known to many guppies, carps, as well as Asian pike, spotted gourami, rasbora and so on.
The water of the lake is clean and transparent, which allows you to sometimes see fish rising to the surface and even take pictures of them.
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Sultan's Palace
Istana Maimun (Sultan's Palace) is located in Medan, on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Like Masjid Raya (Great Mosque), it is a popular site for tourists and explorers to visit, as well as an architectural and historical landmark of the city. The palace was built in the Italian Rococo style in 1888.
The palace is considered the most pompous architectural structure Medan and is a representative building of the colonial era. It has been perfectly preserved and is periodically restored, therefore it has not only historical, but also aesthetic value, as a carrier of a combination of elements of different cultures.
In the souvenir shop of the palace there is a wide selection of costume jewelry from local manufacturers, where each visitor can choose a piece of jewelry that conveys all the richness of the local color. The jewelry is made in the traditional Indonesian style and can be a wonderful souvenir to remember your visit to Medan.
The Great Mosque or Masjid Raya Mosque is located in Medan, on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. Along with Istana Maimun, the Sultan's palace, it is one of the main attractions of the city, the main architectural and historical monument. Both buildings are the brightest representatives of Dutch colonial architecture and are maintained in almost perfect condition.
The Masjid Raya Mosque was built in 1907 by one of the Dutch architects in the Moroccan style, and today it is the main religious building in Medan. The building of the mosque combines colonial and Indian Mughal influences and is similar to the Tuban Raya Mosque in East Java.
This mosque has a great symbolic meaning for the people of the province as a symbol of religion and culture. The fact that it withstood the devastating tsunami of 2004 adds a special veneration to this building.
Sarcophagus of King Sidabutar
On the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, not far from the town of Tomoka, where ferries land, behind the market stalls lies the tomb of the Batak king Sidabutar, surrounded by his relatives. This tomb is more than 200 years old, and all these years, its interesting structure and unusual decoration, which conveys the national Indonesian flavor, have attracted tourists.
It is believed that all Batak descended from Si Raja Batak - the King of the Bataks, therefore family tree almost any islander will gladly show you, because they are all happy to tell that they are descended from the king. For the same reason, they treat the tombs of their kings with great respect, as if they were the tombs of their direct ancestors.
Not far from the tombs of the kings, Batak houses are located, where the puppet festival is held annually: an amazing and unusual spectacle that always attracts a lot of spectators. There is a small Batak museum on the island, which contains unique carved statues that are several decades old. Here in the museum you can take a photo in a traditional Batak outfit.
Leuser National Park
Gunung-Luser - national park in Indonesia, named after Mount Leuser, which is located on its territory. The park itself stretches along the border of two Indonesian provinces for 150 kilometers. This park has attracted a large number of tourists because it includes many ecosystems, such as the Bukit Lawang Orangutan Sanctuary.
Gunung Loser National Park, together with Bukit Barisan Setalan and Kerinci Seblat, forms a unique natural complex called the Virgin Rainforests of Sumatra. It is a World Heritage Site.
Tourists and researchers from all over the world are also attracted here by the fact that Gunung Loser is one of the habitats of the Sumatran orangutans, there are only two such places on the planet. In addition to these rare animals, the park is home to the sambar, Sumatran rhinoceros, Sumatran elephant, Sumatran tiger, siamang, Sumatran serow and Bengal cat.
Orangutan Rehabilitation Center
Bohorok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center - national reserve, located on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, created to preserve and increase the population of orangutans. Bohorok was founded in 1973 near small village Bukit Lawang is now one of the few places in the world where you can still see wild orangutans. There are more than 5,000 of these monkeys in the reserve.
The main task of the reserve is to teach domesticated orangutans to survive in nature. Orangutans used to be hugely popular as pets in Indonesia, but their population declined sharply in the late twentieth century, and now the rehabilitation center staff are looking to increase it. To do this, the reserve buys animals from their owners and gradually adapts them to life in the wild.
Bohorok - extremely popular place among tourists. Here you can observe wild orangutans up close, while feeding, or go on an excursion to the jungle to see monkeys in natural environment a habitat. The reserve itself is a real a tropical forest- Very beautiful place, ideal for eco-tourism.
Are you curious to know how well you know the sights of Sumatra? .
Mount Bukit Barisan
Bukit Barisan is covered in dense jungle Mountain chain, stretching across the island of Sumatra, in Indonesia. The length of the mountains is 1700 kilometers. Bukit Barisan also includes three national reserves, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Bukit Barisan means "row of hills" in Russian. Actually it's huge mountain range, which includes many volcanoes (of which more than 35 are active). Also, it is in the Bukit Barisan mountains that Kerinchi peak is located - the most high peak Indonesia, whose height is 3800 meters.
This region is rich in picturesque alpine lakes, the most famous of which is Lake Toba, located in the caldera of an ancient supervolcano.
The Bukit Barisan mountain range is a very beautiful place. These are thousands of kilometers of primeval rainforests, high mountains and beautiful lakes. And although we are not talking about comfortable admiring nature, the Bukit Barrisan mountain range still attracts many eco-tourists from all over the world.
The most popular attractions in Sumatra with descriptions and photos for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places Sumatra on our site.
More attractions in Sumatra
Sumatra is the westernmost island of the Indonesian archipelago and the fifth largest in the world, a place steeped in legends and practically devoid of civilization.
In the southeast of the island, as early as the 7th century AD, there was a Buddhist kingdom of Srivijaya. And at the end of the 12th century, Arab traders and merchants from India brought their religion to the island. This is how Islam was born.
If you decide to make a trip to the island of Sumatra, then there is simply no better time than from May to June and from September to October. These periods on the island of Sumatra are characterized by warm weather, dry and sunny and, by the way, prices in hotels are quite reasonable. But if you plan your visit to the island of Sumatra in July or August, then you should expect expensive prices, 1.5 times higher than usual, and hotels crowded with European tourists. Indeed, now the island of Sumatra in terms of the number of tourists visited the island ranks third after Bali and Java. What attracts travelers to the island of Sumatra? First, by its nature. Hundreds of kilometers of beaches stretch along the coast, with dark sand of volcanic origin, the island has reserves rich in exotic flora and fauna, crystal clear mountain lakes and a very interesting past, captured by history in the ruins of temples, mosques and palaces that have survived to this day.
Medan is a port city and the capital of North Sumatra province. He has a very important strategic importance for the island of Sumatra, since it serves as a kind of connecting link between the island and the capital Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Amsterdam, Vienna and the island of Penang.
A long time ago, this huge canvas of land (about the size of modern France) among the boundless expanse of the ocean was called the island of Andalas. Well, today it is better known as the island of Sumatra. The word Andalas - the former name of these island lands of Sumatra was borrowed from the language of the indigenous population of the island - the Minangkabau language. Now it is immortalized only in some names of institutions and establishments of the city. For example, in the name of Sumatran University, several business firms, cinemas and shops.
The equator passes through the island of Sumatra, dividing the island into two parts, and almost equal. And now, something curious - not far from the city of Bukittinggi, you can easily set foot on the northern hemisphere, the other on the southern hemisphere. What is true, there will certainly not be any unusual sensations in this case. But the geographer-scientist will officially confirm the fact that now you are simultaneously in 2 seasons.
The island of Sumatra is interesting because it is rich in a variety of cultures. By this, he constantly attracts the attention of scientists - cultural experts, sociologists, people who study art. On the lands of the island of Sumatra, there are as many as six ethnic, and quite large, groups. Each of them has its own language, its own culture, its own traditions and customs. If you want to travel around the island of Sumatra, then this can be done by car, bus and (!) Even a cart drawn by buffaloes. And on the island of Sumatra, the doors of museums and national libraries are open for those interested. And the most interesting, of course, is still live communication. So, on the island of Sumatra, you can chat with old-timers who can tell a lot interesting stories. For example, people still live on the island of Sumatra who remember the last bloodthirsty ritual on these lands, performed seventy years ago. And there are even eyewitnesses who claim that there were cases of cannibalism in a tribe living in the center of the island of Sumatra. Here are some interesting facts, from which it becomes even somehow uncomfortable.
But let's not talk about the sad and terrible. Let's talk about something fun, for example, about Sumatran weddings. Here, too, everything is no less interesting. So, one of the traditions of the island of Sumatra is that the girl herself chooses the groom herself, and not vice versa, the guy chooses the girl as his wife. And the situation is similar with matchmaking - it is the bride's parents who send matchmakers to the groom's parents. And their own “court” determines whether such a husband is suitable for their daughter, whether he is worthy of the kind of their family or not. Although in Lately violent weddings are already losing their relevance, young men and women are increasingly objecting to such lack of rights and lack of freedom of choice. And, nevertheless, the parental word on the island of Sumatra still remains significant. Before the family of the future bride decides who to marry the daughter as a husband, all the information will be collected about each potential groom - who this young man is, what qualities and character traits he has, what family he is from, how wealthy she is, who the young man has in relatives, and what kind of people they are. And by the way, preference in many parts of the island of Sumatra is still given the old fashioned way - not the profession of the future groom, but his origin.
In order to file a divorce, in Sumatra, the wife does not need to give any special explanations or reasons why a divorce is necessary. She can get away with a fairly simple explanation of her decision. For example, to say that the husband earns little, does not care about her or the children at all, is rude, and the like. It's enough to kick her husband out. And not only the wife has such rights. Her mother can and has on it too full right forbid the unfortunate husband to come to his wife (!). This is called divorce in Sumatra. A girl has the right to take a new husband after a period of three months.
Why was the phrase “coming to your wife” specifically used? Yes, again, it's just a matter of customs on the island of Sumatra. When a man takes a woman as his wife, from this, alas, he does not become the master of the house. After all, so to speak, the maternal race “rules” here. There is a real matriarchy on the island of Sumatra. And the loser husband is simply called “orang sumando”, which translates into Russian as “coming” or “alien”. The next morning, according to custom, the husband must leave his wife's house and go back to his mother.
What else is interesting about their customs? Well, for example, the fact that the husband practically does not take part in the fate and upbringing of children on the island of Sumatra. On the island of Sumatra, on the other hand, he is responsible for some members of his own family, namely for nephews and nieces - children through his sister's line. A husband has the right to see his children only when he comes to his wife's house to spend the night. And the care of them, according to the same principle, is entrusted to the brothers of the wife. By the way, about children, I think you will be interested to know that at the age of six or seven years old boys are sent to live in surau. Surau on the island of Sumatra is called a large community house, in which there is both a church and a school. Unmarried or divorced men live here, and those who do not have their own roof over their heads are also accepted. And this means that on the island of Sumatra a man has neither his own house, nor land, nor at least some valuable property. The rules dictated by the customs of the island of Sumatra are as follows - only women have the right to inherit.
Although in last years on the island of Sumatra, old traditions are increasingly being shied away from, breaking laws that have evolved over the centuries. It happens that guys, growing up, tend to escape from their native places. Who wants to be almost like homeless and homeless, living on bird's rights in surau?! Women today also violate sacred laws. Having married, they leave their husband in their house forever, putting forward a demand to the clan that they be given a small separate house.
As part of the Mentawai archipelago, which stretches like a thread of emeralds along the southwestern coast of the island of Sumatra, there is the island of Siberut. The sea surface with a length of 1.5 hundreds of kilometers closes the rift fold - a geological formation that is a kind of barrier between Indonesia and Mentawai. They even differ in flora and fauna - 2/3 of the mammals of the island of Siberut are found exclusively on its territory and nowhere else. Well, for example, the distant ancestor of our pet cats is the palm marten.
There are no roads on Siberut. And, absolutely none. It’s not worth talking about paved roads at all - there aren’t even unpaved ones. Siberut lacks electricity, running water, television and radio. But there is something else priceless - clean air, tropical forest, crystal clean rivers and streams, a variety of animals and birds. And everything that moves and grows on the island serves as food for the Siberians. It doesn't matter if it's coconut bananas or monkeys, fish and ant larvae.
At night there is a hunt for river crabs. Women are engaged in this occupation, armed with a torch for lighting and nets for catching. But men, as has long been customary, hunt. Moreover, their weapons are very unusual - arrows saturated with the poison of anchar.
The islanders of Siberut live in elongated houses. In the middle, such houses are divided into three main parts by partitions. One of them is the kitchen, and the other two are the men's and women's rooms. And there is also a closed part of the house, located at the back. This is the place where widows live. According to beliefs and customs, they are supposed to sleep separately from the rest, so as not to incur the wrath of their former deceased husbands. The middle part of the house is used for rituals. Around this part are mats of married women, girls and small children, intended for sleeping. The front part of the house is assigned to the men for the night. And under the shaky bamboo floor - also a life of its own. Pigs are kept and fed there, the swamp is squelching, flies live during the day, and mosquitoes at night.
Any thing or food - everything they need to live on the island they take from nature. Fortunately, the nature of all this eats as much as it needs and will continue to do so. And therefore, it is not customary to store something.
And today the situation in Siberut is somewhat different. Uninvited and unexpected, starving for the land, 20 thousand Indonesian peasants also settled on the lands of the island. Out of sheer necessity, they were forced to leave the large but overpopulated islands where they had lived before. And today they watch with hungry eyes the heavenly reserved places Siberut, where only two thousand people live. So far, "paradise" is under state protection.
Holidays are very interesting on the island of Sumatra. For example, "Puliaijat". The day before the holiday begins, a tattoo master appears in the ancestral home. After all, "Puliaijat" is also a celebration of coming of age, which means that all island youth who have reached a certain age will receive, as it were, a "certificate" of their personality - a tattoo from the master. When the master gets down to work, he will first make paints - he will mix wood ash with sugarcane juice in the shell of a large coconut, heat it up in the same “container” and begin to paint the body lying at his feet. Tattoos are made with palm wood chips. But the main weapon is a sickle, in the middle of the arc of which a spike is enclosed. On it, the master will tap with a thin stick, drawing it along the contour of the already drawn lines.
Initially, such a procedure on the island of Sumatra is performed on the chest and neck. Next - on the face, stomach, back, arms and legs. And since it hurts quite a lot, the girls scream hollowly. But the guy can not show in public that he is in pain. The painful procedure lasts for three hours.
In honor of the islanders, the “model village” is a couple of dozen houses built on the island of Sumatra by the state, located to the left and right of the road. Also, a school and a Catholic church.
And now the "long houses" of the Siberuts have already been pushed to the edge of the village and are almost already in the jungle. While the celebration is going on, young men and women, who are being raised by missionaries and dressed in European clothes, ridicule naked savages. For pupils of missionaries, access to the "pagan performance", as they call the holiday of wild Siberians, is prohibited. Meanwhile, the celebration continues. It lasts all night through the full moon and the next day to boot. That is twenty-four hours. All this time, the holiday is accompanied by its irreplaceable attributes - singing to the beat of drums and roasting monkeys and pigs on fires. “Satiated” with the aroma of fried meat coming from the fire, young “orang Catholics” (“newly minted” Christians) dejectedly wander into their mission to regale themselves with boring unloved rice porridge. After all, they, too, in the distant past, were free children of the forests, and, just like the Siberians, they would now prefer to taste meat instead of rice porridge. However, being civilized is not easy. People of civilization are required to wear pants and shirts, and also ... there is rice.
Being on the island of Sumatra, you should not think about what to see. We will talk about this now. And then - choose for yourself. Although, the choice before you is difficult. After all, there are so many interesting, interesting and impressive things for tourists. So, from the sights of the island of Sumatra, Mount Lauser Park can be noted. This is a national reserve, and the oldest, located in the Lawang Valley. It is here that you can find a large number of animals that are on the verge of extinction. These are tigers, elephants, orangutans, bears, rhinos, tapirs and siamangs (black gibbons). What awaits them in the future is unknown. And will they have it? Now the state is engaged in their protection, and the park is under state protection.
You can not ignore the island of Sumatra and Lake Toba. It owes its appearance to the volcanic eruption that occurred here seventy-five thousand years ago - this is a caldera flooded with water. The area of the lake is 1300 square kilometers. Its depth reaches five hundred meters, and in the middle there is a huge island of Samosir. Parapat resort is located on the banks of the Tobo, with luxurious hotels and big amount restaurants of national cuisine. Leisure activities here are also varied. But the choice of water sports is especially great. You can get to Parapat in four hours by car or by bus from Medan. Northern part Lake Tobo is very interesting - here you can watch the three hundred and sixty-pound mountain waterfall. On the island of Sumatra, this is a breathtaking sight - crystal clear splashes of water in the purest rarefied mountain air create some kind of unprecedented effect, as if what is happening is unreal. In addition, you can take a fascinating boat trip to Samosir and get acquainted with the culture of the Batak tribe living there. Learn about their culture, way of life, see the village, traditional dances of the inhabitants and listen to folk songs, buy goods at the fruit market and, of course, see one of the sights of the island - the royal grave and the palace.
Just five kilometers from Medan is a large Indonesian crocodile farm. Here you can see how little crocodiles hatch from eggs.
But if you take a trip to the island of Sumatra deep into the hills - there, behind countless rivers, a real paradise for lovers of bright adventures - lush jungle separates tourists from the orangutan rehabilitation center.
On the island of Nias, you can see a rather spectacular and impressive sight - the ritual of "jumping over the Stone". This is one of the traditions of the Nias people. The male part of the population performs ritual jumps.
The traditional building of West Sumatra - " big house or whatever they call it mother tongue Rumah Gadang. Its main difference is the unique shape of the roof, similar to the horns of a buffalo. It is also worth seeing the Jam Gadang (literal translation - "big clock") in beautiful city Bukittinggi, located in the highlands. This is its main attraction. Here you can also choose souvenirs, for yourself as a keepsake or as a gift to family and friends. A the best souvenir from these edges will become "kain songket" - a traditional fabric with a pattern characteristic of the Minangkabau, and made with gold and silver threads.
In the West Malay Archipelago is the sixth largest island in the world - Sumatra. As part of the islands, it is part of the Greater Sunda Islands. The area of Sumatra is 473,000 sq. km. The population is over 50,370,000 people. The capital of Sumatra is.
Geographical position and relief of Sumatra
The island of Sumatra, the photo of which can be seen below, on the world map is located simultaneously in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and the equator divides it into almost two equal parts. The length of the island is approximately 1.8 thousand square meters. km, and the width is 435 km. Sumatra is separated from neighboring Malacca by the Malacca Strait, and from Sunda.
The southwestern coast of Sumatra is mountainous, here are the Batak and Aceh plateaus. The fault zone divides the Barisan mountain range into two chains composed of Paleozoic rocks: limestone, quartzite, crystalline schists. The east of the island is a swampy plain.
There are 12 active ones on the island of Sumatra, as well as many extinct ones. highest point Sumatra is an active volcano Indrapura or, whose height is more than 3800 m above sea level. Other large volcanoes- 2891 m high and Dempo - 3159 m.
The island of Sumatra is characterized by high seismicity. Earthquakes with an amplitude of up to 7-8 points are possible here. So, in 1883, an erupting one, located near Sumatra, lowered a whole neighboring one under water. And the infamous 2004 Sumatra tsunami, triggered by an undersea earthquake, caused massive damage to its southern and western coasts.
In the area where the island of Sumatra is located, an equatorial climate prevails, characterized by high temperatures and humidity. average temperature here + 25-27ºС. IN winter period winds blow from the northeast, and in summer - from the southwest. In the east of the island, rainfall is up to 1000 mm per year. In western Sumatra, they can fall up to 4000 mm, and in the mountains - up to 6000 mm. Moreover, from May to September there is almost no rain, and the main precipitation occurs in the autumn-winter period.
Cities of Sumatra
Tourists traveling around the island usually visit the following places:
Attractions of Sumatra
Many tourists aspire to get to this exotic island. Life here is in many ways different from European. From what to see in Sumatra, it is important to name:
The island has a lot for every taste and budget:
- JW Marriott Hotel Medan– 5-star hotel in the center of the metropolis on Sumatra Medan with modern, well-equipped rooms, a swimming pool and a gym;
- Santika Premiere Dyandra Hotels & Convention-Medan– a stylish 4-star hotel with a conference center, a spa;
- Aston Jambi Hotel & Conference Center- a 4-star hotel located in the city of Jambi, provides its guests with a full range of services;
- Horison Siantar Hotel- An excellent 3-star hotel with non-smoking rooms will provide its guests with a comfortable stay.
Sumatra Restaurants
In order to taste national ones, you can visit one of the restaurants in Sumatra:
- Restaurant Garuda- this is a whole network of authentic restaurants that are located throughout Sumatra, and especially in its northern part, in establishments you will be treated to meat, fish, and vegetable dishes;
- Jenny's Restaurant– a restaurant located on the island of Samosir, a traditional dish in it - fried to a crispy fish caught in Lake Toba;
- Tip Top Restaurant- one of the oldest restaurants in Sumatra, but this does not make it less popular, but rather the opposite. Here you will be treated to fried rice, delicious cakes and even homemade ice cream, this restaurant is located in Medan on Ahmad Yani Street.
shopping
If you, having arrived in Sumatra, dream of doing something here, pay attention to shopping centers available in each city:
- Sun Plaza - in this shopping and entertainment center, located in Medan on Jl. Ainul Arifin & Diponegoro / Polonia, you can choose from brands such as Franco, Mango, Zara;
- a modern shopping complex in the city of Palembang is located at Jln. PON IX, 30137, where you can buy fashionable shoes, clothes, souvenirs, jewelry;
- Batik Tanah Liek Citra Monalisa in Padang - here you can buy fabrics made using the batik technique, as well as finished products from them.
How to get to Sumatra island?
When traveling to Sumatra, keep in mind that the easiest way to get to the island is by plane. In Medan is Chief Sumatran- Kuala Namu, which has flights from many cities in Indonesia, as well as from other countries, such as China and Thailand. From the airport to the center of Medan, you can take a train, regular bus or taxi.
To travel by car from to Sumatra, you can use the ferry. However, such a road will take you a very long time and may be unsafe.
A week stay on the island of Sumatra should be enough for you to see a lot of interesting things and understand that this is a very beautiful, interesting and colorful island. Be sure to take a tour of deserted island Belitung. The absence of permanent residents can be called a big advantage of this place. The island attracts tourists with clear blue water, white sandy beaches and incredible beautiful nature. On the territory of the island is marine reserve, Buddhist temple, Batu Mentas Reserve and others interesting places, so you need to set aside a whole day to visit this place.
One of the most unusual attractions in Sumatra is the Bat Cave. The cave covers an area of more than 500 square meters and a huge number of these creatures live on its territory (this is a great opportunity to watch bats in their natural habitat). If these creatures cause you fear or disgust, then better visit do not include this cave in the program of your trip around the island.
object world heritage UNESCO is the Kerinci-Seblat National Park, which occupies a huge area - 14 thousand square kilometers. In addition to the mesmerizing scenery in this park, you can see various animals, including leopards, deer, tigers and the endangered Sumatran tiger. It is on the territory of this park that the largest flower in the world grows - the giant Rafflesia Arnold.
Worthy of attention is the Sipiso Piso waterfall located in Sumatra. Translated from local dialects, its name means "sharp knife". Locals believe in the legend that the lake was formed as a result of a dragon fighting with creatures living in Lake Toba (if you go to this waterfall with a guide, he will definitely tell you this story). The waterfall itself impresses with its powerful flow of water (especially during the rainy season) and the lush vegetation surrounding it.
One of the most active volcanoes in the world, Krakatoa, is located in the area of Sumatra, and if you are a fan thrill, then a trip to this volcano will be one of the most exciting trips, of all that is on the island. The eruption of this volcano in 1883 claimed the lives of more than 40 thousand people. In Sumatra, excursions to the volcano depart from the city of Lampung. Since the volcano is active, the presence of people in the one and a half kilometer zone is strictly prohibited, but given the fact that there is no proper control over this ban, local residents and tourists regularly violate it.
You can arrange a tour to the volcano in almost all hotels, tour agencies or with fishermen, but such pleasure is not cheap, the cost of the tour starts at $ 100 (depending on the length). The tour lasts from early morning until late at night, while still need to overcome two hours sea route. It will not be possible to climb directly to the crater due to the fact that in the upper part of the volcano the sand is so hot that it is impossible to walk on it. Night tours are also organized to the volcano, during which (with a good combination of circumstances) you can see splashes of lava that escape from the vent of the volcano.
Much less extreme will be a trip to the small volcano Sibayak, which is located in the northern part of the island and last time erupted about 100 years ago, but it still shows some activity. The volcano is located near the city of Berastagi and the easiest way to get to it is by regular bus, which brings tourists directly to the checkpoint through which the pass to the volcano is carried out. The entrance ticket to the volcano costs only 4,000 Indonesian rupees, but for the services of a guide you will have to pay about 200 thousand (that's about $ 15). In time, climbing the volcano takes about four hours, but sometimes it stretches for a whole day, so you need to take food, water, comfortable shoes and clothes with you. Half of the route goes along a convenient asphalt path, but the higher you go to the mountains, the more difficult the climbing conditions become. In this case, having overcome all the difficulties of climbing, tourists can climb to the crater of the volcano and enjoy incredible views. On this moment at the bottom of the crater small lake, and there is a characteristic smell of sulfur in the air, so you should not linger at the top for a long time. The descent from the summit can be carried out by several routes, but in any case, you need to plan a visit to the hot springs, which are considered healing, helping to cope with many diseases. You can swim in these sources for only three thousand rupees (water temperature ranges from lukewarm to boiling water).
Indonesia is considered one of the the best places in the world for beginners and professional surfers and many tourists do not deny themselves the pleasure of trying their hand at conquering the waves. There are many such places in Sumatra, but Bawa Island is considered one of the best. From many island beaches, you can get to this island by boat in 1-2 hours.
One of the most visited places in Sumatra is Marlborough Fort. The construction of the fort was completed in the 18th century. A visit to this fort allows you not only to enjoy beautiful architecture but also look at its surroundings. The fort was opened to visitors in 1980. Today, a small museum has been opened on its territory with photographs, old engravings and a number of rare and valuable exhibits (for example, copies of correspondence from the time of British rule). Also inside the fortress you can see massive Dutch cannons from the 18th century. The entrance ticket to the territory of the fort costs 2500 rupees and it is best to come to this place on your own without buying excursions.
Sumatra is a big island, but if you want to fully experience all its color and see all the most interesting, then it is better to stay away from major metropolitan areas with their traffic jams, gas pollution and fuss.
