Kuala Lumpur AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines 9 daily
Meulaboh Garuda, Wings Air 2 daily
Padang Lion Air, Sriwaya Air 3 daily
Palembang Indonesia AirAsia daily
Penang AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia, Lion Air, Sriwijaya Air 8 daily
Pekanbaru Lion Air 2 daily
Pulau Batam Citilink, Lion Air, NAM Air 5 daily
Pulau Simeulue Susi Air 2 daily
Sibolga Wings Air 3 daily
Silangit Susi Air daily
Singapore Jetstar, Silk Air 5 daily
Surabaya Lion Air 2 daily
Yogykarta Indonesia AirAsia daily
BUS
Destination Fare (Rp) Duration (hr) Frequency
Banda Aceh 150,000-210,000 12 several daily
Berastagi 15,000Rp 3-4 numerous daily
Bukittinggi 200,000-320,000 16-20 several daily
Bukit Lawang 30,000 4-5 twice daily
Ketambe 150,000 7 daily
Padang 250,000 18-22 several daily
Parapat (Danau Toba) 30,000 5-6 several daily
Sibolga 100,000-130,000 11 several daily
Singkil 90,000-110,000 9 several daily
8Getting Around
To/From the Airport
The fastest and most comfortable way to reach central Medan from the airport is by air-conditioned train (100,000Rp, 45 minutes, 5am to 11.30pm). From Medan city centre, trains run between 4am and 9.20pm.
Taxis from the airport charge a basic fare of 6000Rp, with an additional 3500Rp per kilometre. A journey to the city centre is likely to set you back at least 150,000Rp.
Paradep (%061-77123029; one-way 60,000Rp) and Damri (%061-7865466; one-way 50,000Rp) shuttles pass through the city centre en route from the airport.
Public Transport
Medan’s got more angkot than you can shake a spoon player at. The going rate is 5000Rp per ride. A few helpful routes include the white Mr X from Jl SM Raja to Kesawan Sq, Lapangan Merdeka and the train station, and the yellow 64 from Maimoon Palace to Sun Plaza. Becak journeys across the city centre cost between 15,000Rp and 20,000Rp.
Bukit Lawang
%061 / Pop 30,000
This sweet little town, 96km northwest of Medan, next to dense Sumatran jungle, is built around the popularity of its orangutan-viewing centre. But Bukit Lawang has much more to offer beyond our red-haired cousins. It’s very easy to while away a few days lounging in hammocks, splashing in the river and hiking in the jungle. The forests surrounding Bukit Lawang are part of the vast Gunung Leuser National Park, which is one of the richest tropical-forest ecosystems in the word. The park as a whole is home to eight species of primate plus tigers, rhinos, elephants and leopards. However, aside from orangutans, baboons, various macaque species and the elusive Thomas leaf monkey, you’d have to be very lucky to see any other large mammals here, as oil-palm plantations extend right up to the edge of the village. At weekends, when foreign tourists are joined by masses of domestic visitors, Bukit Lawang can feel rather overrun, so try to arrive on a weekday.
Dangers & Annoyances
There’s a proliferation of guides in Bukit Lawang, and if you haven’t prebooked a tour before your arrival in town, they may be keen to escort you to a guesthouse and sign you up for a jungle hike. Be polite and feel no obligation to book anything unless you want to. There’s also little reason to sign up for cut-price trekking tours organised by Medan’s budget hotels; everything can be organised within moments of arriving in Bukit Lawang.
At Bukit Lawang’s orangutan feeding sessions, visitors are not told to keep a safe distance from the animals, so those in pursuit of that perfect selfie sometimes get their backpacks or phones snatched or even get attacked. Don’t forget that these are wild, immensely strong animals that can crack your head like a coconut if they wish to: keep your distance.
1Sights
oOrangutan Feeding CentreWILDLIFE RESERVE
(feedings 8.30-9.30am & 3-4pm)
Bukit Lawang’s famous orangutan centre was set up in 1973 to help primates readjust to the wild after captivity or displacement through land clearing. The twice-daily feedings, provided to semidependent orangutans, take place at a feeding platform, a 10-minute scramble up steep steps beyond the park office. The office is reached by an inflatable boat crossing upriver from the village. These feedings provide a wonderful close-up view of these magnificent creatures; no guide necessary.
During the centre’s decades-long operation, it has introduced 200 orangutans into the jungle. Many of them had been kept as caged pets; the centre taught them how to forage for food in the wild, build nests, climb trees and other essentials for survival after release. The orangutans are also treated for diseases that they contracted during contact with humans. Today around 16 released orangutan live in the vicinity of Bukit Lawang.
Once the apes are on their own in the wild, the centre still provides supplementary feedings in case of awkward transitions or demanding circumstances. These feedings consist of milk and bananas and are considered a fairly bland diet compared to the diversity of food found in the forest. The semiwild apes who appear at the centre’s ‘welfare’ platform are typically nursing or pregnant females in need of an extra source of nutrition.
Outside the set feeding times visitors require a guide to enter the national park. Note that orangutan sightings are very likely but not guaranteed; during rainy season, when jungle fruit are plentiful, orangutans may stay away.
The feeding platform is located on the west bank of Sungai Bohorok within the park boundaries. Permits (150,000Rp) are required to enter the park, available for purchase at the Bukit Lawang Visitors Centre in the village proper. You’ll need to show the ticket at the park office at the foot of the trail to the platform in order to be allowed to continue to the feeding platform. If you’re heading out on a trek afterwards, your guide will normally get you a ticket beforehand, which you can use to visit the feeding platform as well. Get to the river crossing around 30 minutes before the scheduled feeding time as it can take a while to ferry everyone across.
THE NOTORIOUS MINA
The most well-known inhabitant of Bukit Lawang’s jungle is a fiery female orangutan named Mina, who has earned a reputation among locals as the most feared, yet most loved, of the orangutans. She’s known for her aggression towards humans – it seems every guide has a tale of a violent encounter with Mina at some point or another. Yet from the guides you’ll hear nothing but love for this bad girl of the jungle, as nearly all run-ins are a result of tourists not heeding guides’ advice and getting too close. Now estimated to be in her late 30s, Mina was once held captive as a pet and was one of the first orangutans released into the wild here. Her aggression is largely a result of her expectation of being fed by humans. She is the perfect case study as to why tourists should ensure that they take the proper precautions by never feeding or coming too close to these magnificent creatures.
2Activities
Hiking
Treks into the Gunung Leuser National Park require a guide and can last anywhere from three hours to several days. Most people opt for two days so they can spend the night in the jungle, which increases their likelihood of seeing orangutans and other wildlife. It’s best to hike in the smallest group possible and to set off early.
Take your time in choosing a guide. Talk to returning hikers and decide how much jungle time you really need. If you just want a few souvenir pictures and stories, find a guide you like. People who trekked with guides from the village have mainly positive feedback, with the greatest kudos going to the nightly meals and campfire socials. Common complaints include guides who don’t know much about the flora and fauna, the bunching together of trekking groups and the feeding of orangutans.
‘Rafting’ (an extra 150,000Rp per person) back to town, which actually involves sitting on rubber tubes tied together, is a popular option that allows you to trek deeper into the jungle and makes for a fun and relaxing way to finish your trek.
Prices include a visit to the orangutan feeding centre, basic meals, guide fees, camping equipment and the park permit. Camping involves a tarpaulin sheet thrown over bamboo poles, with everyone sleeping in the same tent.
Hiking in the jungle is no stroll in the park. You’ll encounter steep, slippery ascents and precipitous drops amid intense humidity, so a good level of fitness is essential. The trails can be well-worn paths or barely visible breaks in the underbrush. Pack at least two bottles of water per day and wear sturdy footwear.
JUNGLE TREKKING FEES
Guide rates are fixed by the Sumatra Guide Association. Prices are based on a three person minimum; if there is less than three people, then the cost based on three people must be paid in full by the couple or the solo traveller.
Duration Cost (Rp) per person
Half day 395,000
1 day 550,000
2 days 945,000
3 days 1,340,000
4 days 1,970,000
5 days 2,290,000
Tubing
On the river, en route to the orangutan centre, you’ll find a shed renting inflated truck inner tubes (20,000Rp per day), which can be used to ride the Sungai Bohorok rapids. On weekends the river near the bridge resembles a water theme park, but don’t underestimate the river. Currents are extremely strong, and when the water is high, tubing is officially off limits, though few will tell you this. Avoid the very last section as you approach the village centre.
4Sleeping
The further upriver you go, the more likely you are to ogle the swinging monkeys and apes from your porch hammock. Only a few guesthouses have hot water; some provide fans.
Green HillGUESTHOUSE$
(%0813 7034 9124; www.greenhillbukitlawang.com; r incl breakfast 100,000-300,000Rp; W)
Run by an English conservation scientist and her Sumatran husband, Green Hill has three lovely stilt-high rooms ideal for couples, with ensuite bamboo-shoot showers that afford stunning jungle views while you wash, as well as a few-frills budget room. The restaurant serves some of the tastiest sambal in the village (among other dishes) and the service is friendly and prompt.
Back to NatureGUESTHOUSE$
(%0813 7540 0921, 0821 7055 6999; www.backtonature.asia; r 150,000-200,000Rp; W)S
Preserving a giant patch of jungle otherwise destined to become an oil-palm plantation, the eco-minded owner has built this lodge on a gorgeous bend in the river. The comfortable wooden rooms, raised off the ground on stilts, are a half-hour walk upstream from the river crossing for the orangutan feeding centre. Jungle treks and pick ups from Bukit Lawang are offered.
Rainforest GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$
(Nora’s; %0813 6207 0656; www.bukitlawang.com; d 50,000-150,000Rp)
This cluster of wooden rooms set close to the gurgling river equals backpacker bliss. Cheaper rooms have a mattress on the floor and shared bathrooms, but pricier rooms come with bathrooms and fans. There’s a friendly dining area (with Western meals like pasta, burgers and all the rest) and it’s a super place to hook up with other travellers.
The place is still known locally as Nora’s, though Nora passed away in 2014.
Garden InnGUESTHOUSE$
(%0813 9600 0571; www.bukitlawang-garden-inn.com; r 100,000-250,000Rp; W)
A popular backpacker choice, the ever-growing Garden Inn empire spreads over several buildings, which house a variety of different rooms, from cosy, wooden jungle shacks to pristine, modern white rooms. There’s a sweet little cafe for swapping ape-spotting tales.
Sam’s BungalowsGUESTHOUSE$
(%0813 7009 3597; www.bukitlawangaccommodation.com; r 150,000-300,000Rp)
There’s an excellent range of wooden tree houses here as well as more solidly built rooms painted in sunny Mediterranean colours. Rooms have four-poster beds, huge bathrooms and Italian rain showers.
oOn the RocksBUNGALOW$$
(%0812 6303 1119; www.ontherocksbl.com; r 200,000-500,000Rp; W)
More on the hill than on the rocks, the six ‘tribal’ huts here verge on being luxurious in a rustic kind of way. Each hut has a verandah and sunken bathroom, and all are shrouded in peace and beautiful views. It’s across the river and a fair hike from the main strip, so it’s a good thing it serves decent meals!
EcoTravel CottagesLODGE$$
(%0813 7089 5186; www.sumatra-ecotravel.com; r 345,000-690,000Rp; aW)
With huge four-poster beds, immense rooms, hammocks on porches and immaculate hot-water bathrooms, this riverfront lodge combines the ultimate in creature comforts with professionally run tours by Sumatra Ecotravel. Multiday trips into the jungle and further afield connections to Danau Toba and Tangakhan.
Jungle InnGUESTHOUSE$$
(%0853 7342 2405; www.jungleinnbukitlawang.com; d 150,000-500,000Rp)
The last guesthouse along the strip near the park entrance, Jungle Inn is an old favourite of many a Lonely Planet reader. One room overlooks a waterfall, while another incorporates the hill’s rock face, and the bathroom sprouts a shower from living ferns.
5Eating & Drinking
Most guesthouses along the river en route to the park entrance serve a mix of Western and Indonesian food and have a laid-back ambience.
Lawang InnINDONESIAN$
(mains from 25,000Rp; hbreakfast, lunch & dinner; Wv)
Located in the heart of the village, the Inn’s congenial Dutch owner serves large portions of curries, sambal dishes and more. The friendly staff can kick the spice factor up to eye-watering Indonesian levels if you ask nicely. Vegetarians are well-catered for and treats include homemade brown bread and avocado-and-chocolate shakes.
Jungle HillINDONESIAN$
(mains 15,000-27,000Rp, pizza 80,000Rp; hbreakfast, lunch & dinner; v)
This chilled-out, family-run spot overlooking the river is good for chowing down on curry, rendang and sambal dishes. Classics such as mie goreng, some unusual delights (pumpkin noodles, cow skin sambal) and genuinely good pizza are also on the menu.
8Information
The nearby village of Gotong Royong, 2km southeast of Sungai Bohorok, is where most of the nontourist-related facilities can be found. If you arrive by public bus it’s about a 1km walk north to where the Bukit Lawang accommodation begins. There are no banks, but you’ll find moneychangers along the strip and if you need a post office you can buy stamps from the shops and use a local postbox. There is a market on Friday and Sunday in Bohorok town, 15km away, where you will also find the nearest police station and medical clinic.
Bukit Lawang Guide AssociationTOURIST INFORMATION
(h8am-2pm)
This place can arrange guides and distributes the official guide rate sheet. Located in the centre of the village.
Bukit Lawang Visitors CentreTOURIST INFORMATION
(h7am-3pm)
Park tickets are sold here. There’s also displays of the flora and fauna found in Gunung Leuser National Park, plus a book of medicinal plants and their uses. Past visitors often record reviews of guides in the sign-in book. It’s located down in the heart of the village.
PHKA Permit OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(park entrance; h8-10am & 3-4pm)
The rangers open this office at orangutan feeding times to check permits. If you’re lucky you might be able to buy a permit here if you didn’t have a chance to get one from the visitors centre in the village.
8Getting There & Away
Direct public buses go to Medan’s Pinang Baris bus terminal (30,000Rp, four hours, half-hourly) between 5.30am and 5pm. There are also tourist minibuses (120,000Rp, three hours, daily at 8am). For Berastagi, there’s a daily public bus (38,000Rp, six to seven hours) and tourist bus (170,000Rp, four to five hours, daily 8.30am) Tourist minibuses also go to Medan Airport (190,000Rp, around four hours, daily 8am) and Parapat (for Danau Toba; 180,000Rp, six hours, daily 8.30am).
Bukit Lawang is also a handy jumping off-point for day trips or onward travel to Tangakhan.
Tangkahan
The word is out: tiny Tangkah
an has become synonymous with elephants, and visitors trickle in from nearby Bukit Lawang and Medan to get up close and personal with the mighty pachyderms.
Towards the end of the 1990s, a few foreign ecologists and conscientious locals decided to take a stand against the oil-palm loggers working in this wild part of northern Sumatra. Armed with a few rifles and machetes, and using elephants to patrol the jungle against loggers and poachers, the locals have gradually lobbied the government into declaring the region a protected area. Fast-forward almost two decades and the once-doomed region is still home to all manner of apes, monkeys and, of course, elephants.
Tangkahan is not so much a village as a bus stop, a park entrance and a handful of basic riverside bungalows on the wild banks of the Kualsa Buluh River. A small community of amiable loggers-turned-guides lives on the edge of untamed jungle.
2Activities
Elephant InteractionELEPHANT INTERACTION
(elephant bathing 250,000Rp; helephant bathing 8.30am & 3.30pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun)
For many, the elephants are the main draw in Tangkahan. While elephant rides are available here, consider opting for the more sustainable (and pachyderm-friendly) option of giving them their daily bath. On Mondays, Thursdays and public holidays there are no elephant-based activities. Elephant activities are booked directly through the CTO visitor centre.
Note that elephants (even 'domesticated' ones) kill hundreds of people every year and you should exercise extreme caution in their vicinity. It's also worth reading up on the significant animal welfare issues associated with elephant rides before choosing that option.
Lonely Planet Indonesia Page 96