Your travel guide to Sumatra, lying at the furthest west of Indonesia. It is a gigantic island largely unexplored. This giant island situated on the Indian Ocean hides many lush jungles and brewing many active volcanoes while the major cities are chaotic and packed. Sumatra is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and thus had some of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded.
Sumatra, the 6th largest island in the world, has a diverse population of 50 million people with its biggest city Medan having over 4 million people around the urban area. It has the ethnic Malay at the east, Lampung and Minangkabau in the south and central, Batak at the highlands and north while northernmost the Acehs. There are minorities of Chinese in the urban centers. The majority of religion here is Muslims with others like Christian, Buddhist and Hindu.
Sumatra Travel Map
Sumatra Travel Map
Popular Route
Medan -> Berastagi -> Parapat -> Lake Toba -> Medan -> Bukit Lawang -> Pulau Weh -> Banda Aceh
Places to Visit
North Sumatra
Medan – The main city that serves as the gateway to Sumatra. Many flies in here to get to other locations in the northern Sumatra.
Lake Toba – most popular travel destination in Sumatra, this is the largest volcanic lake in the world with resorts dotted around it.
-> See Top 10 Things to Do in Lake Toba
Bukit Lawang – part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Indonesia and as a National Park that serves as an orangutan sanctuary.
Berastagi
Parapat
West Sumatra
Padang
Bukittinggi
Mentawai Islands – a small archipelago off the west coast of Sumatra. Best known for its surfing conditions.
South Sumatra
Palembang
Bangka Islands
Activities
Diving Pulau Weh (Island)
Orangutan Trekking at Bukit Lawang
Things to Do and Must See
Top 10 Must Visit Places in Sumatra
Top 10 Things to Do in Banda Aceh