Sumatra

Western Indonesia's big island: Lake Toba's caldera and Batak culture, orangutans at Bukit Lawang, and the Minangkabau highlands around Bukittinggi.

Sumatra is the world's sixth-largest island, spread across ten Indonesian provinces; for travelers, North and West Sumatra are the most developed, known for volcanoes, rainforest and diverse ethnic cultures. Bukit Lawang, near the northern gateway of Medan, sits on the edge of Gunung Leuser National Park (part of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra, a World Heritage site), where you can trek with a guide to see wild Sumatran orangutans. In the highlands, Lake Toba is the largest volcanic crater lake on Earth, and Samosir Island in the lake preserves Batak boat-shaped houses and stone tombs. In West Sumatra, Bukittinggi is the center of Minangkabau culture, with traditional buildings with buffalo-horn roofs, Sianok Canyon and the Harau Valley, and a cuisine represented by Padang food; to the south, the Mentawai Islands are a surfing destination. The classic route is Medan–Bukit Lawang–Lake Toba for 5–7 days, then a flight to Padang–Bukittinggi for 3–4 days. Roads on the island are long and winding, and long-distance minibuses are slow, so combine them with domestic flights. Rainforest treks require a licensed guide, and never feed the orangutans; dress modestly in conservative areas.

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