Things to See & Do
A curated selection of places and experiences on an island that rewards curious travellers.
Sumatra covers approximately 443,000 km² — roughly the size of France. It is the sixth-largest island in the world. More than 60 million people live here and tropical rainforest still covers a large part of the interior. The following selection is not a tourist checklist. These are places we know from our own life on Sumatra, places we return to again and again.
Nature & wildlife
Sumatra is one of the last places on Earth where orangutans, tigers and rhinos live in the wild on one island. Its rainforest is the second-largest tropical ecosystem in the world — right after the Amazon.
Gunung Leuser National Park
One of the last places on Earth where orangutans live in the wild. Trekking through primary rainforest with a local guide, night wildlife observation and rafting on the Bohorok river. Gunung Leuser Park is a UNESCO heritage site and home to over 380 bird species.
Best time for orangutan watching is early morning (6–10 am), when they forage in the tree canopy.
Lake Toba
The largest volcanic crater lake in the world — 100 km long, 30 km wide, at 911 metres above sea level. In the middle lies Samosir island, home of the Batak people. Ferry crossing, swimming in the lake and walks through traditional villages with rumah adat houses.
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Banyak Islands
An archipelago of 99 islands, most of them uninhabited. White beaches, snorkelling among corals and absolute silence. Tourist infrastructure practically does not exist — and that is exactly what makes Banyak special.
Read on blogCulture & traditions
Sumatra is not just nature. The island is home to dozens of ethnic groups with their own languages, customs and architecture. The Batak around Lake Toba, the Minangkabau in the west, the Acehnese in the north — each region has its own identity.
Batak culture & Samosir
The Batak are one of the few peoples where Christianity coexists with animist traditions. Traditional rumah adat houses with boat-shaped roofs, ritual gondang music and funeral ceremonies that are not a tourist show, but a living part of everyday life.
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Medan
Indonesia’s fourth-largest city with 2.8 million inhabitants. Dutch colonial architecture, historic mosques and the Maimun Palace, where a sultan still symbolically resides. Medan is the gateway to Sumatra and deserves at least a day.
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Minangkabau culture
The largest matrilineal society in the world — property is inherited through the maternal line. Traditional rumah gadang houses with buffalo-horn roofs, Pariangan village considered one of the most beautiful in Indonesia. And Padang cuisine, a legend in its own right.
Read on blogAdventure
Sumatra is an island of volcanoes, rainforests and the Indian Ocean. Climbs up active volcanoes, jungle treks, traditional rafting and snorkelling off deserted islands in the Indian Ocean offer experiences that are hard to find today.
Mount Sibayak
An active volcano 2,212 metres high near the town of Berastagi. Most travellers can manage the climb to the summit, rewarded with views into the crater with fumaroles, sulphur springs and, on a clear day, a panorama of North Sumatra.
An early morning climb rewards travellers with sunrise over the mountain landscape of the Karo Highlands.
Padang & surroundings
The largest city on the west coast and a gateway to natural wonders nearby. In the Batang Palupuh reserve grows Rafflesia Arnoldi — the world’s largest flower. Nearby begins Kerinci Seblat National Park, one of the last homes of the Sumatran tiger.
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Pulau Weh
An island at the northernmost tip of Sumatra with crystal-clear sea, coral reefs and a calm atmosphere. Vivid underwater ecosystems, dolphins, sea turtles and few tourists make it an ideal place for those seeking authentic island life away from the main tourist trails. Thanks to its location in Aceh province, Pulau Weh retains a unique character to this day and is more affordable than Bali.
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Mount Kerinci
Sumatra’s tallest volcano (3,805 m) and the highest peak on the entire island. A two-day ascent through tropical rainforest and highland meadows, sunrise above a sea of clouds. For more experienced travellers seeking something beyond tourist trails.
The ascent requires a local guide and a permit. Best period: April to October.
Hidden gems
Sumatra is the sixth-largest island in the world — roughly the size of France. Most tourists visit only its north. But those who venture further find places that have kept their original character to this day, where tourists are still not a given.
Sianok Canyon
A dramatic canyon with walls up to 120 metres high near the town of Bukittinggi. It is at its most beautiful early in the morning, when mist lingers between the cliffs and the valley wakes to life. Japanese bunkers from the Second World War lie nearby and the area is home to large troops of macaques.
The canyon entrance is easily accessible from central Bukittinggi. Combine with a visit to nearby Pariangan village.
Sipiso-Piso Waterfall
One of Indonesia's tallest waterfalls plunges nearly 120 metres straight off the rim of the giant Lake Toba caldera. The viewpoint offers panoramic views of the world's largest volcanic lake and the surrounding Karo Highlands. On a clear day, Sipiso-Piso is one of the most photogenic spots on all of Sumatra.
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Lake Maninjau
A crater lake near Bukittinggi, tucked among the green slopes of West Sumatra. The access road with its 44 hairpin bends is one of the most iconic routes on the island. A place where life still moves at the slow pace of fishing villages.
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“Sumatra is not a stop on your itinerary. It is a place you remember for the rest of your life.”
You will visit these places on our routes
The places above are part of our proven itineraries. Consider them a starting point — after our consultation, I’ll tailor them to your exact wishes.
14 days northern Sumatra
Medan — Bukit Lawang — Lake Toba — Pulau Banyak islands — Brastagi. Ideal for a first visit to Sumatra.
Explore route21 days21 days across Sumatra
Padang — Bukittinggi — Lake Toba — Pulau Banyak — Bukit Lawang — Medan. For those who want to discover Sumatra in all its diversity.
Explore routePlanning Sumatra?
These places are just a starting point. After our conversation, I’ll design a trip made exactly for you — no groups, no fixed itineraries.
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