Sumatra - Reflections

Travelling across Sumatra

Broadly my plan was to start at the North from Banda Aceh and then travel my way south. At that point, I thought I should be able to travel by bus between the different cities and provinces, but soon realized that the distances were too much and bus journeys were over 15 hours. I then changed my tactic and decided to do flights between the provinces and bus journeys within a province which would be 4 to 7 hours which was doable. 

I had come during Ramadan and this was good as well as bad. Good because traffic was low in the day time and accommodations were easily available. Not so good because the hustle and bustle is all part of the experience which you miss out. The Eid Holidays however is a different story. Buses and flights were not available. However the crowds were not big compared to say peak season in India.  

Exploring the Provinces 

Sumatra Map

Sumatra can be explored across 5 broad provinces and this would be my recommendation after having travelled across the Island except for the West and limited exploration of the South. 

1. Aceh - Banda Aceh and Pulau Wei Island
2. North Sumatra - Medan towards the coast as the base and then the forests of Bukit Lawang and the highlands of Lake Toba and Berastagi
3. West Sumatra - Bukittinggi, Padang and Mentawai Islands
4. Central Sumatra - Jambi 
5. South Sumatra - Palembang

Observations

Infrastructure

The Island of Sumatra is underdeveloped compared to Java. There are no train lines and travel is mainly by road or by air. Transport options are less and distances far. This makes the provinces isolated from one another. The main highways are all two laned and good, but public transport is limited. To travel within a province, one needs to get shared taxis or hire a taxi similar to travelling within India. The big cities however have Grab which is very convenient. Flights are the easiest way to travel between the provinces. Most of the big cities have airports with small regional airlines servicing them. 

Quality of accommodation is average except in the big cities and in Lake Toba which is more touristy. Wi-Fi is not very good in hotels. However mobile data is everywhere, inexpensive and speeds are decent, so its a life saver.

Tourist spots and museums are chargeable and reasonable so that basic maintenance can be done. Museums are all in Bahasa language and not too well curated, Google translate is a God send!

Average costs would be Rs. 2500/- per night for hotels, Rs. 1000/- per night for Guesthouses, Rs. 250 for a meal and Rs. 100 for coffee. Dinner is typically at 0730, but many shops are open till late.

Languages and Culture

Many provinces have their own language and the major languages are Acehnese spoken in the Aceh province, Batak which is a language family with several dialects, including Toba and Karo, spoken in the highlands of North and West Sumatra and Minangkabau, the native language of the Minangkabau people in West Sumatra. 

Indonesian people are friendly and approachable though communication is a challenge as English is limited to only known tourist spots. Google translate is a must for menus and can be used to understand food dishes. I used Perplexity AI this time to get information on places and food and it was quick and efficient! 

Drinking is limited and liquor is difficult to get and available only in Chinese owned establishments. A lot of men and teens smoke and smoking is allowed in public places which is going to be a big health issue for the country in general. For non smokers, pubs and bars are not convenient, as smoking is allowed inside. Similarly, smoking is allowed inside hotels, so one has to make sure that accommodation is on a non smoking floor or section of the hotel.

Women are independent and visible in public places, drive on roads and manage front end work in shops and hotels while men do most of the backend work which is the case across South East Asia. 

Ordinary public workers are professional and have a sense of pride in their job and not entitlement like you see often in India.

Cities and Civic Sense 

Cities are like Indian cities, however they are less crowded, have sidewalks and every one mostly follow rules. Compared to Java, garbage is relatively higher and there are more street dogs. Civic sense is less and public places dirty, but the government is efficient in cleaning streets up. There is absolutely no open defecation and this seems to be a problem only in the Indian sub-continent.  

Nature and Environment

Sumatra is a great place to experience nature at its best. My must see and to do experiences were the Sumatran Orangutan, Lake Toba and the Sibayak volcano trek. 

There are Palm plantations all across Sumatra like in Malaysia and though there is deforestation, large tracts have been protected by making them National Parks. However, there is continued environmental pressure due to growth of mining and plantations. As connectivity improves and a new railway line network which is being planned gets developed, this conflict will only grow. 

Indonesia is one of the world's greenest countries with 51% of land area under forests. It is also one of the fastest growing countries in the world with a large young population and one only hopes that they are able to balance development with environment protection. 

Jambi and Palembang - Central and South

Jambi

Jambi Bridge and Riverfront

The province of Jambi was the heartland of the ancient kingdom of Malayu, which first rose to prominence in the 7th century. It was then conquered by the Srivijayas who shifted their capital to Jambi in 1025 after their capital Palembang was sacked by the Chola dynasty from India. Jambi's location on the Batang Hari (Means Prosperous River) River provided better access to trade routes, allowing Srivijaya to maintain its commercial dominance. 

After the Srivijayas decline power shifted east to Java under the Majajapit empire. Later, the rise of Islam in the Malay Archipelago during the 16th century led to the establishment of an independent Muslim state in Jambi. 

The Dutch East India Company arrived in Jambi in 1615 to trade and Jambi became a Dutch Residency in 1906 after a series of conflicts.  This period saw significant economic changes, including infrastructure development and the introduction of cash crops like rubber.

Religion and ethnicity 

Due to transmigration policy, many ethnic groups from various parts of Indonesia have moved to Jambi. Ethnically 38% population are Jambi Malay while 20% are Javanese, 10% Chinese, 10% Kerinci (Native to Jambi province) and 5 % Minangkabau. 96% are Muslim and 4% Christians.

Jambi City

From the Sultan Thaha Airport (named after the last Sultan of Jambi and a National Hero) to the Luminor hotel was about 8 Kms and 20 minutes. Jambi city is similar to Chennai city in size (170Sq Km) and has a population of 0.6 Million people and is located on the Batang Hari River, the longest river in Sumatra. There is no public transport and only shared taxis and Ojeks run. Ride share services like Grab are available.  

River Front

Pedestrian Bridge

In the evening, I went to the river front where there is a mall and a beautiful curved pedestrian bridge across the river where one can see the sunset. There are also street food stalls by the riverside. Beside the bridge, there is a large Mall with many shops and restaurants and a good place to saunter around. I had a beef bowl in Yoshinaya which is a popular Japanese restaurant chain.

The next day, I set out for the Muaro Jambi temples, a buddhist temple complex about 26 Kms east of the city.

Muaro Jambi Temple Compound

There is no public transport to this place. I took a cab through Grab and had to pay extra because it was out of the way. Coming back was a challenge, and on hindsight, I should have taken a bike on hire. For solo travelers in Sumatra, it is best to hire a bike and travel like the locals, as public transport is non-existent. 

Muaro Jambi Temple Ruins

The Muaro Jambi temple ruins have only walls and foundations left and is a little underwhelming. The local administration has done a great job of building pathways, sign posts etc. and most one can do is is imagine what the size and scope of the temples would have been like as you walk around.

The temple complex was built by the Melayu Kingdom and the remains are estimated to date from the 7th to 13th century CE. The archaeological site stretches 7.5 kilometres along the Batang Hari River and over 80 mounds of temple ruins, are not yet restored.

It was a good walk with forests around and after I reached the end of the temple complex at  Candi Kedaton, one of the security guards at the temple gave me a lift back to the entrance gate. I then negotiated a drop back to the city on a bike (IDR 100K) by one of the Ojek guys as it is expensive to get an Ojek to drop me.  

Leaving Jambi

I wanted to go to the Museum, but it was closed due to the Eid Holiday. The next day at 8 AM, I took the shared taxi to Palambang (240K) from Jambi Indah JIT company. The journey towards South East of the Island took 7 hours through the country side and Palm plantations before reaching Palembang.

South Sumatra

South Sumatra is the largest province of Sumatra and similar in size to West Bengal or Bihar in India. It is rich in natural resources, such as petroleum, natural gas and coal. The province is inhabited by many different Malay sub ethnic groups, with Palembangese being largest ethnic group. Most speak the Palembang language, Other ethnic groups include the Javanese, Sundanese, Minangkabau and Chinese. Most are concentrated in urban areas and are largely immigrants from other parts of Indonesia.

Historically, the area was dominated by the Srivijaya Empire which was a Hindu-Buddhist empire based on the island of Sumatra with its capital in Palembang. Srivijaya was an important centre for from the 7th to 11th century AD and dominated much of western Maritime Southeast Asia. 

By the late 15th century, Islam has spread throughout the region, replacing Buddhism and Hinduism as the dominant religion. In 1659, the Palembang Sultanate was established and stood till 1825 when it was incorporated into the Dutch East Indies after the abolition of the Palembang Sultanate. 

Palembang City

Ampera Bridge

Palembang is the second largest city in Sumatra after Medan. It covers 350 Sq Km (similar to Bhopal or Lucknow) across the River Musi and has a population of 1.7 Million.  Palembang has a metro system, the Palembang Light Rail Transit (LRT), which was developed to support the city's infrastructure needs during the 2018 Asian Games. The city was coming alive after the Ramadan month and Eid and I could finally feel the buzz that Indonesian cities are famous for. Of course that came with the noise and pollution that after India was very much manageable. At least traffic moves! 

I checked in at the Algoritma Hotel and in the evening went down to the Musa river across the Ampera bridge where most of the city lands up in the evening. There are food markets, restaurants and the area is buzzing with holiday makers along with traffic, noise and pollution. I walked around soaking the atmosphere and taking photos. Before returning, I had some Pindang dish at Pindang Pegagan Mbok Yah near the riverfront.

Museum

The next day, I went to the Park Taman Kambang Iwak Besak for a nice morning walk and after an hour post excellent coffee at Tomoro Coffee Iwakee just across the park, went for some shopping of Palembang's most famous artefact, Songet. 

In the morning, also visited the Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Museum where you can get some understanding of the Palembang people and culture and the dynasties that ruled the city. Google translate was irreplaceable to translate the commentary which was written in Bahasa, though there was also an English QR audio scan available. 

Food

Palembang is famous for its cuisine and is the second most well-known Sumatran cuisine after Padang. Palembang cuisine is characterized by fresh fish which is widely available and a preference for sour and sweet tastes, Popular dishes that I tried out were the Pempek (which I had in Jambi), Pindang and Lo Mie. 

Pempek

Lo Mie is a Palembang noodle dish with a large bowl and a lot of meat. Pempek is a traditional fish cake made from ground fish meat and tapioca, served with a sauce called kuah cuko which is a dark, tangy sauce typically made from a blend of gula merah (palm sugar), asam jawa (tamarind), and chili. Some variations include garlic and other spices. Cuko offers a balance of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, complementing the savory fish cakes. 

The dish which stood out was the Pindang. This is a sour and spicy soup featuring fish as a main ingredient. This dish is known for its unique combination of savory and slightly sour flavors, making it a popular choice for family meals in South Sumatra. I tried

Pindang

out Nasi pindang Bandeng which is milkfish cooked in a flavorful broth as well as Nasi pindang patin sungai which features the freshwater fish patin (catfish) cooked in a flavorful broth. The dish is served with white rice, sambal, mashed potatoes, fried small fish, and pineapple pieces. The best place in town to have Pindang is the Pondok Pindang Pada Suka restaurant which is run by a Chinese Malay family and a must visit if you are in Palembang.

In Jambi, I also had Gulai Patin Kecombrang which is a typical dish from Riau Province North of Jambi. It is made from patin fish cooked with thick and spicy gulai spices. Kecombrang (or fragrant lemongrass), one of the spices used gives a distinctive aroma to the dish.

Leaving Palembang

The buses and flights to Jakarta were all booked due to the Eid holidays, luckily I managed to get one seat in a private mini bus which was leaving in the evening. The journey to Jakarta took almost 21 hours with a stop at Bandar Lampung for a few hours in the morning. The journey involved crossing over by ferry across the busy Sunda strait to the port of Merak and then driving across the northern province of Banten, home of the Sundanese people through Tangerang, the provincial capital and then finally to West Jakarta. From Jakarata was the flight back home. 

Lake Toba and Berastagi - Land of Bataks and Karos

Lake Toba

Enroute to Samosir on Lake Toba 

Lake Toba is a volcanic lake in a Caldera inside which is an Island called Samosir which is of the size of Singapore. The lake itself is the largest fresh water lake in South East Asia. One of the traveller's told me on the boat ride to  Samosir, "It's an Island in a Lake in an Island in an Ocean". Wow!

We first went from Bukit Lawang to the Medan airport to drop off a few people before catching an impressive highway to Parapat on the other side of the lake where we had to catch the ferry. The price was 250K per person from Bukit Lawang and the total journey took around seven and half hours. The ferry costs 25K one way. I checked in into the Hub Tata guesthouse which is in the North side of Tuk-Tuk, the town where most of the hotels and guesthouses are.

Toba is the land of the Bataks, an ethnic group endemic to these areas. 

Bataks

Bataks are six ethnic groups of the North Sumatra highlands who speak closely related Batak languages and includes groups around Lake Toba and Karos who live near Berastagi which is closer to Medan. Their total total population is around 10 Million. Each Batak language has its own script which is derived from old Pallava script from India though these are hardly used. Religious books are called Pustaha (deom sanskrit Pustaka) and written in bamboo. Batak had rajas or kings who ruled over small areas and were never politically united.

The Bataks practiced a syncretic religion of Shaivism, Buddhism and local culture. The Karos were influenced by Tamil traders and many of them have surnames like Brahmana, Pandia, Pelawi etc. which are of Indian origin. Toba and Karo Bataks started converting to Christianity from the 1900s and today they are mostly protestant Christians with a Muslim minority. A significant minority of Batak people do not adhere to either Christianity or Islam, and follow traditional practices.

Sopo or Graneries

The houses have a saddle shaped roof with several of them decorated with intricated carving. Toba traditional villages are usually organized as a line of houses (jabu) facing granaries (sopo). In the last decades, virtually all sopo have either collapsed or have been converted into dwellings. Originally roofs were made of sugarpalm fiber (ijuk), but now corrugated iron and tin is increasingly used. Today the only Toba houses with traditional ijuk can be seen in the museum in Samanindo. Traditional large houses were inhabited by several families. Nowadays, most Toba houses have a concrete extension built in the back, usually equipped with running water and used as a bathroom and kitchen. 

All across the Island, one can see reburial or bone houses called Tugu. A reburial ceremony is a tradition in which the bones of one's ancestors are reinterred several years after death. The bones of a particularly honored ancestor and those of his descendants are exhumed, cleaned, mourned and finally laid to rest again in a bone house.

Exploring Toba and Samosir island

Stone Chair of King Siallagan

The next day, I hired a bike (150K IDR) and went off to explore the island. The plan was to go North and circle the island if possible. Enroute was Batu Kursi Raja Siallagan ( Stone Chair of King Siallagan ) which is the palace of King Siallagan.  At the center, there is a a large Banyan tree locally known as hariara and a set of stone chairs which were used as the place where village matters were discussed and wrongdoers were tried. Another set of stone chairs and table at the back of the courtyard is where the executions would take place. All around are some beautiful Batak traditional houses in stilts and a few Totem poles.

Next, further North is Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo. The museum is housed in the former home of Rajah Simalungun, a Batak king. His Grand Daughter still stays there and manages a Dutch styled Glass house and a few rooms have been converted into a Guest House. I met her in the glass house where she was working with her team and getting things ready for the tourist season. The museum's collection includes brass cooking utensils, weapons, crockery from the Dutch and Chinese, sculptures, and Batak carvings. All through the roads there are beautiful churches and Batak graveyards with some spectacular view of the hills on one side and the lake on the other. 

Parhallow viewpoint

The west side of the Island is connected to the mainland with a bridge and her I turned Eastwards into the Highlands to get back to the East Coast as circling the Island would take a lot of time. Up in the mountains, there are small village and dwellings of farmers. A nice stop is a lake high up in the mountain called Danau Sidihoni Samosir. The road cuts through a protected forest area before coming down to the coast. There are some excellent views of the lake from high up and I stopped at Parhallow viewpoint and coffee shop, a nice place for Coffee and views. Soon, I was back to Tuk Tuk town. 

I was planning to go to Bukittinggi West Sumatra, but because of the upcoming Eid holidays, seats were not available and flight tickets from Padang to anywhere was expensive, so I decided to skip West Sumatra for now and go back to Medan through Berastagi where there were two volcanic mountains that could be explored. From Medan, I would fly to Jambi, in Central Sumatra and make my way to the South. West Sumatra and the unique culture Minangkabau people or Minang had to be done in my next trip.

Berastagi

Berastagi Town Monument

I got my ticket to Berastagi booked through my guesthouse caretaker Rahmat. We were three of us going to Berastagi, so we could share a taxi which costed us IDR 250K each. Where ever you are in Tuk Tuk, the ferry stops at the hotels and picks you up directly, so that was nice. From the guesthouse, we dropped off at Parapat and soon, we were on our way. En route our driver Raja played some Batak songs which were really good. I asked him for some of the song names and plan to add it to my already excellent Indonesia songs playlist.

Berastagi is around 66 km south of Medan and is located around 1,300 m (4,265 ft) above sea level, giving it a pleasant salubrious climate. The town developed in the 1920’s as Dutch hill station and today has become a popular weekend destination. Its famous for two volcanos, Sinabung and Sibayak and also for the hot springs near Sibayak. Sinabung is an active volcano and off the limit for trekking while Sibayak is a dormant volcano and one can hike up to the summit. 

Due to the rich volcanic soil and temperate climate, a lot of vegetables are grown around Berastagi. There was a major vegetable market very near where I was staying and a farmers market used to be held everyday. 

I checked in to a guest house called Nachelle Homestay. It is run by a couple - Mery and Abdy. Mery welcomed me and sat me down with details of all activities, food to eat, places to explore etc. 

The city was a few Kms away from the guest house. It is a crowded and dusty place with lots of local tourists and noise pollution all around. There are many local markets and variety of outlets and food options. The best place to get away and do some walking and running are the Gundaling hills nearby where there are also some good resort stay options.

Karos

Karos are a Batak tribe located in the highlands around Berastagi. In the 13th to 16th century, the Karo people established the Aru Kingdom and it was one of the earliest kingdoms in Sumatra. It was mainly a mix of Hinduism and animism with Islamic influence coming in later. The successor state of the Aru Kingdom was the Sultanate of Deli, which had a mixed influence of Karo, Malay, Tamil, and Aceh. 

A Karo Building Architecture

The Karo started converting to Christianity due to Missionary activity during the Dutch rule and interestingly became predominantly Christian only after independence. This is because the church itself became independent and started adopting more elements of traditional Karo culture such as respecting local adats (tradition) and music. Most of the churches I saw all had GBKP prominently displayed which meant "Gereja Batak Karo Protestan" or Karo Batak Protestant Church which is the largest church among the Karo people. However people living away from the Karo Highlands have converted to Islam. 

Mery told me that some of the Karos had titles like Pandia and Behramana and originated from India. On exploring further, I found out that the Karos belong to one of five marga or clans. One of the margas is Sembiring which means 'black one', and many Sembiring sub-marga (Colia, Berahmana, Pandia, Meliala, Depari, Muham, Pelawi, and Tekan) are of South-Indian origin, suggesting that inter-marriage between Karo and Tamil people took place.

Traditional Karo houses are longhouses which is a type of long, proportionately narrow, single-room building for communal dwelling. Only a few can be seen now.

Food

BPK

Mery told me not to miss the local delicacy BPK which is available only during lunch. Over the next few days, I tried out the BPK food. It stands for "Babi Panggang Karo" (Karo Grilled Pork), a dish that includes roasted or grilled pork slices served with boiled cassava leaves (daun singkong), saksang sauce (chilli sauce with a mixture of congealed blood), Sambal Andaliman (Sambal made from Sichuan pepper), a slice of lime, and a plate of white rice.

Abdy told us that Karos also have dog meat, and shops and eateries display this by marking it as B1 or "biang" compared to B2 which is Pork or "babi". After that all across the province, I kept seeing B1 and B2 shops Understandably, I didn't dare to venture into the B1, though I am an enthusiast for local cuisine.

The best coffee in town is at Kopi Tarik Bioskop Berastagi where I used to go in the evenings and hang around. There are lot of food options from Indo chinese to local delicacies in the city area.

Sinabung

Cabbage fields 

The second day, I hired a bike for the day (IDR 150K) from a nearby place called Raymond Cafe and went to explore Mount Sinabung which is around 25 Kms away towards the west of the city. After being dormant for 1200 years, it erupted in 2010 and and has been continuously active since September 2013. 

Enroute, I stopped at various places taking photos. All around the volcano, the land was lush green with farmers growing vegetables. There were churches and villages enroute and also a few cafes around the volcano where one can have a vantage view. Stopped at a place called Pancur Pitu Cafe and after spending 2 to 3 hours driving, went back to the city. 

Sibayak

At the top of Sibayak

The next day, I had planned for a sunrise trek to Mount Sibayak. Abdy from Nachele homestay organized it for 300K per person, which would include driving with him to the base, trekking to the top and on the way back, visiting the hot springs.  

We left at around 0430 AM after some black Coffee. We were three of us, myself and 2 others from Belgium. Abdy's SUV took us some way up to the mountain and then we parked and started climbing. It was pitch dark, all the way to the summit. Two friendly dogs joined us happy to see Abdy who was a familiar face to them. We slowly inched our way to the top through the moderately strenuous hike.

Abdy showing sulphurous rock

At the top, we could see stars and the sky was intermittently clear and cloudy with clouds rolling in from all around. There was also vapor from the volcano steaming up from below. Slowly as our eyes got accustomed, we could see the contour of the crater. Then as the morning light started getting stronger, we could see the panoramic view of the landscape around, the mountains, the cities below. Far away was Medan and nearby was Berastagi. Still closer were the hotels and homestays from the Hot Springs below us. The morning sunrise got obscured by the clouds, but the view was spectacular, with Mount Sinabung at a distance from us. Other visitors joined us and also people from the tents below where people had camped for the night.

Soon, it was time to start the descent. As we went towards the crater below, we checked out some fumaroles (opening on the crust emitting steam and gases). The temperature of the gas leaving the vent was pretty hot and can burn the hand, so it has to be felt a few feet away from the vent. In addition to steam, sulfurous gases are emitted. These have their origin in magma cooling underground.

Along the way down, Abdy kept showing us the different Flora and their local uses and medicinal properties. After some time, we reached our vehicle and then we drove down the hot springs. Sulphur hot springs are formed by fumaroles when some of the steam condenses at the surface. Rising acidic vapors from below, such as CO2 and H2S, dissolves, creating steam-heated low-pH hot springs.

The water from the hot springs were collected into many swimming pools which can then be used to bathe in. We spent about 1/2 hour in the pools and it was an amazingly relaxing experience after the hard climb and descent.

Sipiso-Piso

The Knife waterfall 

The next day I rode to the Sipiso-Piso which means Knife waterfall in Batak. It is at the edge of Lake Toba and is a pleasant day visit with steps leading all the way to the bottom. Though it can be better maintained, it was a nice hike with the Lake visible on one side and the waterfall on the other. 

After a few pleasant days in Berastagi, I left for Medan and then flew into Jambi in central Jakarta. 

Videos

Medan and Bukit Lawang

Medan

Medan is Sumatra's largest City and the fourth largest city in Indonesia after Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung. It covers a total of 265 Sq Km and has a population of 2.4 million residents. The majority of the population in North Sumatra adheres to Islam (63%), followed by Protestantism (27%), Catholicism (7%), Buddhism (2%) and 1% others.

Sultan's Palace

The Sultanate of Deli was a kingdom founded in 1630, as a tributary kingdom of the larger Sultanate of Aceh with Medan as the capital.

The modern development of Medan began in the 1860s when Dutch entrepreneurs recognized the area's agricultural potential, particularly for tobacco cultivation. Under Dutch colonial rule, tobacco planters moved into Sumatra, causing the city of Medan to expand rapidly. The Deli Company, which began a tobacco enterprise near the Deli River, made use of Medan’s port and set up tobacco warehouses, contributing to the population increase. Parts of Medan still bear names such as Polonia and Helvetia, after the Polish and Swiss planters who used to own the land.

Today, Medan is recognized for its colonial architecture and serves as Indonesia's largest port in terms of export value.

Stay in Medan

The bus from Banda Aceh to Medan takes almost 16 hours, so I decided to take the flight which was for an hour. The ticket was around 800000 IDR which is around Rs. 4200, double of what it would cost for a bus. The decision was worth it as it would save time and not compromise on sleep. The Medan airport is a bigger one than Aceh and there is an airport train that takes you directly into the city for 35000 IDR. 

I checked into the  LePolonia Hotel & Convention Center which is a beautiful and inexpensive hotel. The next day, I set out to experience Medan. All the main attractions are along a straight single road near  the Center of the city. 

Mosque and Palace

Masjid

I first went to the Masjid Raya Al-Mashun and opposite that is the Palace, Istana Maimun where the descendants of the royal family still stay. The Palace is unremarkable and in need for maintenance. Its interiors combine elements of Deli Malay, Islamic, Spanish, Indian, Dutch and Italian styles.  

The Masjid was constructed in 1909 and its architectural style has Middle Eastern, Indian and Spanish elements. The financing was done by the Sultan, the Dutch company and  Tjong A Fie, the richest businessman in Medan whose family home near the city center was next in line for me to explore.

Tjong A Fie Mansion

Tjong A Fie Mansion - Exterior

Similar to what I had seen in Malaysia, the immigrant Chinese have had a great economic influence in the region as successful businessmen. Tjong A Fie was a Chinese businessman and banker in the 1900s of Hakka descent who successfully built a large plantation business in Sumatra Because of his success, Tjong A Fie was close to the Sultan of Deli and the Dutch colonial officials He was appointed as Captain to lead the Chinese community in Medan and was highly respected and revered. His business empire included plantations, palm oil factories, sugar factories, banks, and railway companies.

Exploring his Mansion was the highlight of the trip so far and though it is more than a hundred years old, it is very well maintained. It is one of the most opulent examples of building representing Peranakan culture in Indonesia. This is a two-story house with an an area of ​​8,000 square meters and 35 rooms. Completed in 1900, it is designed in Chinese, European, Malay and art-deco architectural styles. The rooms are on four sides of the structures and surround a big open-air courtyard in the middle.

Since 2009, part of the house has been opened for public viewing. Visitors can experience the life history of Tjong A Fie through photographs, paintings and home furnishings used by his family and learn about Malay-Chinese culture. 

Interior Rooms

The floors are made of Venetian tiles and has beautiful lamp furniture which is a combination of Chinese and European styles. There is a main hall where guests were received, a family dining room, bedrooms and a large kitchen complete with ancient pestles and mortars on the ground floor while on the upper floor there is a Kwan Ti Kong temple and a Ballroom. The two side wings of the mansion were mainly used as residences for the family members and one side wing is still being used as a private residence. The other side-wing is part of the museum space to showcase Peranakan and vintage artifacts.

One of the guides, a young student called Tiara took me around the Mansion explaining the history, architecture and lifestyle of the inhabitants. Chatting with her, I learnt a new Indo social media term. She told me that I was a "Skena". I checked it up. The term comes from the English word "scene" and refers to a community or subculture with interests related to music, arts, fashion and social interaction. This sub culture classification is similar to what I heard from my Gen Z niece in the US, where in her world, folks are categorized under Preppy, Street Style, Nerdy etc. So, Skena it is! 

Food

Mie Gomak

After an hour's exploration, I left the place for a delightful lunch at Tai Hwa, a nearby Chinese restaurant. Later in the evening, took a stroll down the Merdeka Walk area where most of the European buildings can be seen. During my stay in Medan, my dinners were at a Warung near the hotel Warung Incek Budi where I typically had had Mie Gomak, chicken and Ikan.

Mie Gomak is a Batak thick spicy noodle dish in a coconut milk and andaliman based broth. Its slightly sweet but tasty.

Bukit Lawang

Bukit Lawang - By the river

It was time to move to Bukit Lawang which is the largest sanctuary of the Sumatran orangutan and the main access point to the Gunung Leuser National Park from the east (Bukit means Hill and Lawang means gateway). Part of the  Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra, the sanctuary is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Bukit Lawang is about 90 Kms South West and takes around 3 hours from Medan. Connectivity is a challenge and the only transport other than hiring a private car are mini buses which starts from Pinang Baris terminal in the West of the city. These buses are dilapidated and crowded. Also there are touts out to make a fast buck, so one has to be careful. The roads have two lanes and are in good condition though patches were bad due to the rains. All along there were Palm tree plantations and many small hamlets. The countryside looked prosperous with concrete structures and tiled or tin roofs.

Alec, Guest house owner

After reaching Bukit Lawang, At the bus stand,  my Guest House host Alec's son, Nabeel was waiting and he brought me to the Jungle Life guest house where I checked in. Alec greeted me and we discussed all the trek options.  I opted to go for a one day trek the next day. Meanwhile Alex was quite clued in to the Bollywood scene. He told me jokingly I looked like Jitendra in the passport and Anil Kapoor face to face!

I spent the rest of the day exploring the small village, the river front and the resorts nearby.

Trek into the Jungle

Nabeel and the Jungle Boy

That night, it poured heavily through the morning. We pushed out our trek to later hoping that the rains would stop. During rains, there would be no animal sightings, so we had to wait. Other than myself, we had a French Mother and daughter duo who would be with us. The Mother had been to Bukit Lawang 22 years back, now she was back with her 15 year daughter to experience it. Nabeel would be our guide for the day along with another friend of his.

The Alpha

Thankfully the rains stopped and we set out by around 12 pm into the jungle. A few kms into the rain forest, we had our first sighting. It was a female Orangutan high up in the trees. We moved on further. Soon, we sighted a female low down the branches and started following her. She was moving in between the trees. High above was her nest made up of leaves. Another guide joined us and said, we should wait to see if the Male Orangutan comes down. Sighting Alphas is very rare and it would be amazing if we could get sight of one.  Meanwhile  we saw a southern Pig tailed Macaque who was wandering around trying to see if we had any food. We stopped for lunch and finished it all the while watching the female Orangutan as she moved around around the trees.

There was a commotion a few meters below and then we saw a huge Alpha Orangutan coming down the trees. He would have been over 100 Kilos and was majestically moving around from one tree to the next. We were all spellbound and amazed with our cameras working furiously to capture this magnificent creature. We followed the alpha and his partner for the next hour or so as they moved around the area. 

Soon, we reluctantly moved on and then after a few Kms, came down to the river where we would have some fruits and them go down the river in rubber make shift boats.  Just as we entered the area, we spied upon a troupe of Thomas Leaf Monkeys, a variant of the Langur. The journey down the river in the makeshift rubber raft was fun and an end to an incredible day.

Dinner with the locals

In front of the guest house, there was dinner available for IDR 30K after the Ramadan fast. I met a French lady, Helene who was running an NGO called Generation co whose focus is on afforestation of the rainforests. The couple who owned the restaurant Zahara and Joseph were also running an NGO called Kolibri foundation (yayasankolibri.com) to help underprivileged children go to school. Had a nice Conversation with Helen and Joseph. The kids also hung around for a meal and there was a nice overall joyous and positive atmosphere. Volunteers also help out at the foundation and school teaching the kids. 

Dinner with the locals

The next day, it was time to leave to the next destination, Lake Toba - which is a Caldera lake and the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia. 

The Food Spread

Dinner Spread 

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Banda Aceh and Sabang

Banda Aceh

Banda Aceh is the capital and the largest city (0.25 Million residents) in the province of Aceh, Indonesia (5.4 Million population).  Founded in 1205, It had been the seat of the Aceh Sultanate in the late 15th century. In 1874, the city was taken over by the Dutch, however the Acehnese continued to actively oppose Dutch rule. 

Stranded Ship

After becoming part of an independent Indonesia, it has been at the center of protracted conflicts between the Acehnese and the Indonesian government from 1976 to 2005 with the goal of making the province of Aceh independent from Indonesia. This is because there is a cultural and religious difference between Aceh and the rest of Indonesia. A more conservative form of Islam is practiced in Aceh than the rest of Indonesia. The secular policies of Suharto's regime (1965–1998) were especially unpopular in Aceh where many resented the central government's policy of promoting a unified 'Indonesian culture'. Further, given the location of the province at the northern end of Indonesia, there was a widespread feeling in the province that leaders in distant Jakarta do not understand Aceh's problems and have little sympathy for local needs and customs in Aceh.

On 26 December 2004, an earthquake struck off the western coast of Sumatra and triggered a Tsunami in which around 60,000 people which is around 25% of the city's population died as a result and many more injured. The aftermath of the tsunami brought a peace agreement and an eventual end to the insurgency. With help of domestic and international aid, a major modernization and reconstruction of the city has happened over the past decade.

Reaching Banda Aceh

My connecting flight from KL landed in Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport. This is a small airport and immigration was pretty quick. I had booked a hotel called Sulthan International which was about 17 Kms and took around 30 minutes from the airport. The hotel is located in the Peunayong area, also referred to as the city's "Chinatown" where the Chinese community, or "Tionghoa," resides, having been a significant Chinese trading area since the 17th century. 

The first thing I did was to search for a tourist SIM card with a data plan that would last for one month. I asked my way to GraPARI Telkomsel where the ladies at customer service were excellent and I came out with a SIM and a 30 GB plan for IDR 135K (Rs. 700/-). Excellent value for money!

Ramadan and Initial observations

I had landed in Sumatra during Ramadan and all restaurant and food shops used to be closed during the day and opened up only after 7 PM in the evening after the evening prayers. This was the case throughout the trip including after Eid because of the holidays, with lot of establishments closed.

Aceh is a conservative province and the only region in Indonesia that implements Islamic law, or Shariah. The enforcement of Shariah in the province was part of the central government's efforts to put an end to an insurgency and a drive for independence in the region. I saw more men with the Islamic cap and women with the Jilbab and Abaya (other than Hijab). However, I also experienced a positive energy in the city and a population that has moved beyond its tragedies of its recent past. 

Exploring the City

Boat on the Roof

In the evening, I went for a walk along the Aceh river front and visited the "Boat on the roof", which is a fishing boat perched on top of two houses. This happened during the Tsunami when the boat swept into the village from the sea and resulted in saving many lives as people clambered onto it from the rising sea. Along the waterfront, I could see remnants of the Tsunami with a few boats stranded on high grounds. Over the next few days, I went around the city visiting the main sights.

Masjid Raya Baiturrahman

Grand Mosque

This is the grand mosque originally built in 1612 during the reign of Sultan Iskandar Muda. It featured a multi-tiered thatched roof, a typical feature of Acehnese architecture, but however got burnt down during a battle with the Dutch East Indies. In 1879, the Dutch rebuilt the Mosque in Mughal revival style, characterized by grand domes and minarets. More domes and minarets kept being added and today, the mosque has seven domes and eight minarets, including the highest in Banda Aceh.

The exterior is dazzling with white walls and black domes. The interiors are very pleasing with marble staircases and floor which were brought from China, stained-glass windows from Belgium and has intricate wood carvings and ornate bronze chandeliers. Outside are giant folding umbrellas to protect worshipers from the heat of the sun during prayer.

Museum PLTD Apung

PLTD Apung

This is an extraordinary sight of a huge 2500-tonne power generator vessel that was carried almost 5 km inland by the 2004 tsunami. It serves as a memorial and tourist attraction and I explored the vessel's deck to learn about the tsunami disaster. The information is in Bahasa and I used Google translate to understand the information.  

Museum Tsunami Aceh

Museum Tsunami Aceh

This is the main Tsunami memorial and educational center and has a great design and curation, especially when one enters the museum. It was designed by renowned Indonesian architect Ridwan Kamil. 

The museum features exhibits about the tsunami disaster, including photos, illustrations, remnants, and interactive stations. However, the maintenance has a lot to be desired and there are not too many visitors. 

In front of the Museum, there is a nice public park and open field (Lapangan Blang Padang) where I went for my evening walks. There are also monuments of gratitude for the countries that have helped and contributed to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Aceh after the Tsunami. 

Museum Aceh

Aceh Museum was established during Dutch colonial rule and is one of the oldest museums in Indonesia showcasing

Museum Aceh

Acehnese history, culture, and artifacts. Displays are in a new permanent building and include Acehnese weaponry, household furnishings, ceremonial costumes, everyday clothing, gold jewelry, and calligraphy. 

The original building of the museum which is in the front is in the form of a traditional Acehnese stage house called Rumoh Aceh which is rarely seen nowadays and I enjoyed exploring the house which also has objects displayed.

The Rumoh Aceh had stilt stakes on the ground to support the house and the lower part of the building is usually used to raise livestock. In the past, the supports on Acehnese houses also functioned so that wild animals could not enter the house. The house itself had three sections consisting of Seuramoe Keue (front porch), Seuramoe Teungoh (middle porch), and Seuramoe Likot (back porch), as well as an additional part, namely the kitchen.

Food 

Mi Aceh

The food to try in Aceh is Mi Aceh. This is a thick yellow noodle similar in size to Japansese Udon noodles served with slices of meat or seafood, such as shrimp or crab. The noodles are served in rich, hot and spicy curry-like soup with a bumbu spice mixture (black pepper, red chili pepper, shallot, garlic, cardamom, caraway, cumin and star anise) and cooked with bean sprouts, tomato, cabbage and celery. 

I tried out the Mi Aceh at Mie Razali which was near my hotel and is famous as the place where the Indonesian President Jokowi had gone to eat. 

Pulau Weh and Sabang

Pulau Weh is an Island 15 of the coast of Banda Aceh in the Andaman Sea, famous for its snorkelling and diving sites. I went out to explore the Island for a day. The way to reach the Island is by Fast ferry from the mainland port which takes around 45 minutes (IDR 100K). The island lies about 15 kilometers off the northernmost tip of Sumatra. The island is small at only 120 Sq Kms, but is mountainous and has dense forests. 

Rahmad

There is a road all around the Island and my plan was to hire a bike and travel round the Island discovering its various beaches and coves. As the ferry reached the Island, there was a commotion and I noticed a welcoming party at the dock waiting for what seemed to be an important person to disembark. While I was waiting to see who it was , I met a person called Rahmad who had his own trading house Indatu trading House and he was into importing commodities from India through Andaman Islands, primarily Sugar. He had a partner in Kerala and now was thinking of also importing Basmati Rice. Sabang which is a town in Pulau Weh and includes a few other Islands is designated as a free trading zone by the Indonesian Government, so there were no taxes to be paid and this was a profitable business for him.

Gapang Beach

Rahmad helped me rent a bike from Balohan Rental near the Jetty (IDR 50K) and after promising to keep in touch with him, I set out to explore the Island.    

Towards the North West, the best beach that one can sit and relax by is the Gapang Beach. There is a Patissere there called Pachamama Indah where I met the owner, a swiss lady called Leticia who had settled down in the Island for 5 years now. I finally had an Americano that I had been pining for sometime. She also makes great  empanadas which I had at the back of her shop as it was Ramadan and food couldn't be served openly.  

From Gapang beach, I went further up to Panorama Seulako where I had a nice swim by the white sand beach and then circled around the Kilometer Zero monument at the top of the Island. The distance from here to Indira Point in the Nicobar Islands in India was only 150 Kms. 

Wisata Gua Sarang

I circled back to Gapang and from there went westwards through Wisata Gua Sarang and Pasir Putih Beach and came back to the Pelabuhan Balohan Jetty for the ferry back to Banda Aceh. 

I found the Island rich in vegetation in contrast to my experience in Koh Rong in Cambodia where there is heavy logging and deforestation. Overall, it was a good experience and worth staying for a few days for diving and snorkelling as there are some great diving sites off the Island.

After Banda Aceh, it was time to move to the next destination. Initially I thought of taking the bus from Aceh to Medan, but the buses were overnight and looking at the time required (15 hours for 600 Kms), I decided to take a flight instead. The cost of a bus would be around 300K whereas the flight costed me 780K which was quite reasonable considering the time and effort saved.

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