It’s mostly surfers who flock to the island’s southernmost tip, Ujung Lolok. Many come on liveaboard surfing charter boats, while others do it the way surf trips are supposed to be done, by renting a local fishing boat and living on it.
4Sleeping & Eating
Sleeping options on the Banyaks consist of rather basic beach bungalows, limited to five islands and with all meals included in the cost. You can also live out your castaway fantasies by camping wild on one of the numerous uninhabited islands. Tents can be arranged through Mr Darmawan at Banyak Island Travel; bring all your food and water with you – stock up in Singkil or Balai, or catch your own dinner!
Pulau Balai
Balai, which oozes a hot, lazy-day ambience, is a pretty village of quiet streets lined with wood-panelled houses inhabited by friendly locals.
Losmen PutriGUESTHOUSE$
(%0812 6313 5099; r 60,000-150,000Rp; a)
If you get stuck on Balai, arguably the best accommodation is found here. Go for the cheapest rooms with shared bathrooms or splurge on one with a bucket shower and air-con. To get here, take a left at Homestay Lae Kombih and walk for five minutes.
Homestay Lae KombihGUESTHOUSE$
(%0852 9689 5929; Jl Iskandar Muda; r 50,000Rp)
This guesthouse overlooks the water and has hot and stuffy rooms. But for this price, what do you expect? The owner is very friendly and speaks English.
Pulau Palambak Basar
Lyla’s BungalowsBUNGALOW$
(%0811 604 794, 0813 6017 0808; r 200,000Rp)
Pulau Palambak Basar’s only accommodation is at these seven basic bungalows with shared bathrooms fronting a stunning beach. Australian owner David can arrange transfers and speedboat pickup from Singkil (1,600,000Rp), where he also has a guesthouse. A bit of jungle trekking in the island interior is possible, but snorkelling is not great due to damage caused by dynamite fishing.
Pulau Tailana
oPondok TailanaBUNGALOW$
(%0813 7721 9667, 0822 770 0791; www.tailana.webs.com; r 100,000Rp)
Pulau Tailana is the best place to be based in the Banyaks for nonsurfers, with island-hopping, incredible snorkelling and jungle trekking on offer and decent fish-filled reefs just offshore. Wonderfully friendly staff feed you the freshest fish, grilled over a wood fire (meals 100,000Rp per person per day) and lodging consists of seven simple beach huts with shared bathrooms.
Pulau Sikandang
Nina’s BungalowsBUNGALOW$
(%0852 7086 8591; www.banyak-island-bungalow.com; r 150,000-200,000Rp; a)
A good bet for island-hopping trips, the only lodgings on Sikandang Island consist of five spacious, thatched bungalows (with electricity!) with hammocks swinging on shady porches and helpful manager Rius taking good care of the guests. In front of the bungalows, the drop off is steep and pretty near the shoreline.
Pulau Tuangku
The main village of Haloban has one basic losmen (100,000Rp per person); what the locals lack in English-speaking skills they more than make up for with enthusiasm and friendliness.
The southern tip of the island attracts almost exclusively a surfing crowd.
Banyak Island LodgeLODGE$$$
(%+61 407 018 708; www.banyaksurfbungalows.com; 8-/11-night package AU$2200/2500)
The only land-based accommodation is the Banyak Island Lodge, situated in the so-called Bay of Plenty. Rates include internal flights, transfers and full board. There are five fan-cooled bungalows with twin beds and mozzie nets overlooking Gunters and Camel Back waves out front. The lounge serves local and Western dishes to the accompaniment of surf chat.
Floating Surf HouseSURF CAMP$$$
(www.floatingsurfhouse.com; 10 nights US$1600; aW)
Sitting in the calm waters of the Bay of Plenty, near Ujung Lolok and within easy reach of Dindos, Gunters and Lolok Point waves, this surf-camp-on-a-raft provides unique accommodation for those chasing the waves. Owned by local surfer Erwin, it has two basic three-bed rooms for solo guests, two doubles and a stilt house.
8Getting There & Around
There are two car ferries a week (Tuesday 10am and Friday 1pm) between the mainland port of Singkil and Balai (40,000Rp to 50,000Rp, 3½ to four hours), returning on Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm. Local boats depart Singkil (30,000Rp, four to five hours) daily between 8am and noon (depending on the tides), returning in the afternoon. During the worst of the rough seas in October and November, boats may not run for days.
By far the most convenient – but expensive – way to reach the islands is to charter a speedboat from Singkil (one way 1,500,000Rp, two hours); most lodgings offer this services and can arrange speedboat pickup from Balai.
Enquire in Balai about hiring a fishing boat (from 600,000Rp to 2,500,000Rp per day, depending on boat size, with all the rice and fish you can eat). Mr Darmawan at Banyak Island Travel can also assist.
Gunung Leuser National Park
%0629
The Aceh section of Gunung Leuser National Park has slipped under the tourist radar for years, seeing only a trickle of visitors as the masses head to the more-hyped Bukit Lawang. Its jungle is basically the same minus the well-worn paths and tourists clambering about trying to spot semiwild orangutans. This is the place for the real jungle experience.
The Unesco–listed Gunung Leuser National Park is one of the world’s most important and biologically diverse conservation areas. It is often described as a complete ecosystem laboratory because of the range of forest and species types.
Within the park’s boundaries live some of the planet’s most endangered and exotic species: tigers, rhinoceros, elephants and orangutans. Although your chances of seeing these celebrity animals are remote, you have a reasonable chance of seeing orangutans, and you can be sure of encountering plenty of other primates. The most common is the white-breasted Thomas leaf monkey, which sports a brilliant, crested punk hairdo.
Habitats range from the swamp forests of the west coast to the dense lowland rainforests of the interior. Much of the area around Ketambe is virgin forest. Above 1500m, the permanent mist has created moss forests rich in epiphytes and orchids. Rare flora includes two members of the rafflesia family, Rafflesia acehensis and Rafflesia zippelnii, which are found along Sungai Alas.
More than 300 bird species have been recorded in the park, including the bizarre rhinoceros hornbill, the helmeted hornbill and woodpeckers.
The park faces a great number of challenges. Poachers have virtually wiped out the crocodile population and have severely reduced the number of tigers and rhinoceros. According to the Indonesian Forum for the Environment, over a fifth of the park has been adversely affected by illegal logging and road construction. A highly controversial road project called Ladia Galaska runs through the park, linking the east and west coasts of the province. Furthermore, during the civil conflict in Aceh, the jungle was a stronghold of GAM militants, and the national park saw fighting between GAM and Indonesian troops.
This park receives a lot of rain throughout the year, but rain showers tend to lessen in frequency and duration between December and March.
Kedah
Located 15km west of the scrappy town of Blangkejeren, the small village of Kedah has seen very few visitors since the conflict in Aceh, making it ripe for off-the-beaten-track travel. At the northern edge of Gunung Leuser National Park, Kedah is a magnificent starting point for treks into the jungle, which is home to orangutans, gibbons and other exotic wildlife, birds and plants.
Rainforest Lodge (%0812 699 2732, 0813 6229 1844; www.gunung-leuser-trek.net; r without bathroom 100,000Rp) has simple but pleasant bungalows in beautiful jungle surrounds, with plenty of opportunity for wildlife-spotting. The lack of electricity adds greatly to its charm. Firstly, let Mr Jally know in advance that you’re coming. The Rainforest Lodge is an hour’s walk from Kedah village and is literally in the middle of nowhere. Mr Jally can organise jungle treks for around 450,000Rp per day, including food and guide; these are serious adventures, from the thre
e-day summit of Gunung Angkosan peak to a six-day expedition to an immense waterfall in the upper Alas valley. Shorter treks can also be arranged, including night treks. Park permit fees are collected intermittently and the cost is not included.
To get here catch a bus to Blangkejeren, from where you can take an ojek (50,000Rp, 20 minutes) to Kedah.
Ketambe
Ketambe, in the heart of the Alas Valley, is the main tourist centre of the national park. A handful of guesthouses spread along the road, hemmed in between the river and the jungle. It’s one of the most chilled-out places in North Sumatra and a few lazy days relaxing beside the river and partaking in some jungle hikes is likely to be a highlight of your Sumatran adventures.
2Activities
Rafting
Rafting (half/full day 450,000/800,000Rp) is a fun way to see the forest and keep cool at the same time. Most guesthouses can help organise this.
Trekking
For serious trekkers and jungle enthusiasts, the trekking (half/full-day/overnight 350,000/500,000/900,000Rp) around Ketambe offers a much more authentic experience than that near Bukit Lawang. Be prepared for extreme terrain, leeches and mosquitoes, and bring plenty of water. Guides can tailor a trip to specific requests. One of the more popular hikes is a three-day walk to some hot springs deep in the forest.
Gurah Recreation ForestTREKKING
The hutan wisata (recreation forest) at Gurah is a small, riverside picnic area, but guides lead half- and full-day hikes in the forest that surrounds this and the village. There’s a pretty good chance of seeing gibbons, Thomas leaf monkeys and orangutans here.
Bukit LawangTREKKING
Starting one-hour south of Kutacane, this six-day trek through tough terrain passes over 20 river crossings. You have a good chance of seeing orangutans and gibbons, and the trek passes through areas that elephants are known to inhabit. You can arrange to have your luggage delivered to Bukit Lawang separately.
Gunung KemiriTREKKING
At 3314m, this is the second-highest peak in Gunung Leuser National Park. The return trek takes five to six days, starting from the village of Gumpang, north of Ketambe. It takes in some of the park’s richest primate habitat, with orangutans, macaques, siamangs and gibbons.
Gunung LeuserTREKKING
The park’s highest peak is, of course, Gunung Leuser (3404m). Only the fit should attempt the 14-day return trek to the summit (eight days up, six days down). The walk starts from the village of Angusan, northwest of Blangkejeran.
KETAMBE RESEARCH STATION
The Ketambe Research Station has been conducting extensive studies of the flora and fauna of Gunung Leuser National Park for almost 30 years.
In the early 1970s, Ketambe was home to Sumatra’s orangutan rehabilitation program, but the project was relocated to Bukit Lawang to allow researchers to study the Ketambe region without the disruption of tourists. Nowadays the station’s primary concern is hard-core conservation, research and species cataloguing. Both the centre and the surrounding forest are off limits to almost everyone but the Indonesian and international researchers.
The 450-hectare protected area consists mainly of primary lowland tropical forest and is home to a large number of primates, as well as Sumatran tigers, rhinoceros, sun bears, hornbills and snakes. Despite its protected status, well over a third of the area has been lost to illegal logging since 1999.
4Sleeping & Eating
Accommodation is scattered along the only road through Ketambe; there are six guesthouses in total and each has its own small restaurant.
oThousand Hills Guest HouseBUNGALOW$
(%0812 6417 6752; www.thousandhillsketambe.com; r 80,000-120,000Rp, bungalow 150,000Rp)
The most upmarket of Ketambe’s options, and the first guesthouse you come across if approaching Ketambe from the south, consists of cute thatched bungalows hiding in the lush vegetation. Monkeys may peek in on you as you perform your ablutions in the outdoor bathrooms. The indomitable Joseph is full of advice and can organise jungle guides.
Wisma Cinta AlamGUESTHOUSE$
(%0852 7086 4580; www.gunung-leuser-trek.net; r 100,000-150,000Rp)
The cheaper rooms sit in a row in a barrack-like construction, while the pricier ones are little bungalows in their own right; both now come with showers and real beds. Excellent, knowledgeable guides can be organised here. It’s also a good choice for those keen on rafting.
Friendship GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$
(%0852 9688 3624; www.ketambe.com; r 100,000Rp; W)
This spot has a beautiful riverside location with charming wooden bungalows equipped with Western toilets. The main hang-out area is decked out with photos of travellers engaging in jungle stuff. Staff are very friendly, and there are usually jungle guides lurking on the doorstep.
Wisma Sadar WisataGUESTHOUSE$
(%0852 7615 5741; r 60,000-80,000Rp)
Here you’ll find a range of good-value bungalows; some overlook the river, as does the cafe. The owner’s daughter, Mira, is an excellent cook and can hook you up with a jungle guide.
8Information
Ketambe is one of the main access points to Gunung Leuser National Park. Directly across the river is Ketambe Research Station, a world-renowned conservation research station, which is off limits to tourists. Kutacane, 43km from Ketambe, is the closest town of any note and is the place to go for transport, ATMs and internet. Permits to the park (150,000Rp per day) can be arranged at guesthouses in Ketambe. Guides can be hired from any guesthouse in Ketambe; ask other travellers for recommendations.
8Getting There & Around
There are two weekly flights between Kutacane and Banda Aceh with Susi Air (www.susiair.com).
From Kutacane there are countless labi labi to Ketambe (10,000Rp, one hour), but they stop running around 6pm; arrange pickup with your guesthouse if arriving later. All north-bound buses from Kutacane pass through Ketambe. If you want to arrive in Takengon during daylight hours, catch a minibus to Blankejeren around 8am by standing ready on the main road; with later ones, you miss the 11am connection and will be stuck in Blangkejeren until 4pm or 5pm, when a minibus leaves for Banda Aceh via Takengon.
If travelling south to Lake Toba, catch a Sidikalang-bound bus from Kutacane, then another to Pangururan, and then one to Samosir Island. For Berastagi, there’s a direct minibus from Kutacane.
BUSES FROM KUTACANE
Destination Fare (Rp) Duration (hr) Frequency
Banda Aceh 220,000 18 daily
Berastagi 60,000 6 daily
Blangkejeren 50,000 3 2-3 daily
Medan 70,000 7 several daily
Sidikalang 40,000 3½ daily
Singkil 180,000 8 daily
West Sumatra
In Sumatra Barat (West Sumatra), fertile uplands ring jungle-clad volcanoes, waterfalls cascade into deep ravines and nature takes a breath in deep, still lakes. Rainforest still clings to the steepest slopes, while rice, tapioca, cinnamon and coffee bring in the wealth.
This is the heartland of the matriarchal Minangkabau, an intelligent, culturally rich and politically savvy people who have successfully exported their culture, language, cuisine and beliefs throughout Indonesia and whose soaring architecture dominates the cities and villages.
Bustling Padang on the Indian Ocean is a popular pit stop for surfers, trekkers and indigenous culture enthusiasts, bound for the Mentawai Islands. Nestling in the cool highlands north of Padang, scenic Bukittinggi is surrounded by picturesque villages where traditional artisans still ply their trades, with the gorgeous Danau Maninjau and the secluded Harau Valley providing plenty of scope for outdoor adventure. Nature lovers also head south to explore Sumatra’s largest national park in Kerinci, the last stronghold of the Sumatran tiger and with hidden lakes, volcanoes and jungle trekking galore.
History
Little is known about the area’s history before the arrival of Islam in the 14th century. However, the abundance of megalithic remains around the towns of Batu Sangkar and Payak
umbuh, near Bukittinggi, suggest that the central highlands supported a sizeable community some 2000 years ago.
After the arrival of Islam, the region was split into small Muslim states ruled by sultans. It remained this way until the beginning of the 19th century, when war erupted between followers of the Islamic fundamentalist Padri movement and supporters of the local chiefs, adherents to the Minangkabau adat (traditional laws and regulations). The Padris were so named because their leaders were haji, pilgrims who had made their way to Mecca via the Acehnese port of Pedir. They returned from the haj determined to establish a true Islamic society and stamp out the pre-Islamic ways that dominated the ruling houses.
The Padris had won control of much of the highlands by 1821 when the Dutch decided to join the fray in support of the Minangkabau traditional leaders. The fighting dragged on until 1837, when the Dutch overcame the equator town of Bonjol, the stronghold of the Padri leader Imam Bonjol, whose name adorns street signs all over Indonesia. In today’s Minangkabau society, a curious fusion of traditional beliefs and Islam is practised.
THE MINANGKABAU
Legend has it that the Minangkabau are descended from the wandering Macedonian tyrant Alexander the Great. According to the story, the ancestors of the Minangkabau arrived in Sumatra under the leadership of King Maharjo Dirajo, the youngest son of Alexander.
Lonely Planet Indonesia Page 103