INDONESIA – SUMATRA

Indonesia Aug 29-Sept 12, 2023 (Sumatra Aug 29-Sept 8)

Indonesia is a country between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guinea. Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelagic state and the most populous Muslim-majority country. Java, the world’s most populous island, is home to more than half of the country’s population.
The country’s capital, Jakarta, is the world’s second-most populous urban area. Despite its large population and densely populated regions, Indonesia has vast areas of wilderness that support one of the world’s highest levels of biodiversity.
The Indonesian archipelago has been a valuable region for trade since at least the seventh century when the Srivijaya Kingdom formed trade links with China. Indonesian history has been influenced by foreign powers drawn to its natural resources. Under Indian influence, Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms flourished from the early centuries CE. Muslim traders later brought Islam, and European powers fought one another to monopolize trade in the Spice Islands of Maluku during the Age of Discovery. Following three and a half centuries of Dutch colonialism, Indonesia secured its independence after World War II. Indonesia’s history has since been turbulent, with challenges posed by natural disasters, corruption, separatism, a democratisation process, and periods of rapid economic change.
Indonesia consists of thousands of distinct native ethnic and hundreds of linguistic groups, with Javanese being the largest. A shared identity has developed with the motto “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” (“Unity in Diversity” literally, “many, yet one”), defined by a national language, cultural diversity, religious pluralism within a Muslim-majority population, and a history of colonialism and rebellion against it. It is the world’s third-largest democracy, a regional power, and is considered a middle power in global affairs.

Capital. Jakarta 6°10′S 106°49′E
Languages. Official Indonesian. Regional over 700
Ethnic groups. Over 1,300.
Religion. 86.7% Islam, 10.7% Christianity, 1.7% Hinduism, 0.8% Buddhism, 0.1% Folk, Confucianism, and other
Area. 1,904,569^[4] km² (735,358 sq mi) (14th). Water 4.85%
Population. 277,749,853 (4th). Density 143/km² (370.4/sq mi) (90th)
GDP (PPP). US$4.398 trillion (7th). Per capita US$15,855 (98th)
GDP (nominal). US$1.392 trillion[7] (16th). Per capita US$5,016[7] (112th)
Gini. 37.9 medium
HDI. 0.705 high · 114th
Currency. Indonesian rupiah (Rp) (IDR)
Driving side. Left
Calling code. +62

INDONESIA – SUMATRA – ACEH
Day 1 Aug 29
Flight. Air Asia Taipei to Banda Aceh, Indonesia. TPE-KUL @19:55-12:40+1 D7373. Layover 6 hours. I had a point-to-point ticket and had to go to a transfer desk close to immigration for a boarding pass. Slept in KUL.
KUL-BJJ @07:30-08:00 1’30″AK421 US$158.

Visa. Visa on arrival, super fast and easy, paid US$35, 1/3 page sticker that I moved. Much easier than the online VOA that wouldn’t accept the downloads of my passport.
Currency. Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). 1US$ = 15,292IDR; 1€ = 16,531IDR; 1CA$ = 11,245.
Cost. Everything is very inexpensive. Less than CS$10 for a hostel dorm bed, moto-taxis less than 1$ anywhere.

Get in. If flying around Indonesia, you will be tempted to use Air Asia because of their cheap fares. However, because they almost always fly via Kuala Lumpur, one must pay the $35 visa fee to reenter Indonesia (the visa is single entry). I flew from Medan to Panang on Sumatra and learned this the hard way. The VOA is incredibly fast.
Get around. Aiport into Banda Ache. Taxi from the airport – 120,000 was the offer but accepted 100,000. I asked several times about a bus, but they said it was 1.5 km away. There is actually a stop just outside the airport.
Moto taxis are the way to get around. I used Gojek – fast efficient and astonishingly cheap 50-75 cents a ride.
Taxi. Gojek is the cheapest. Also Grab.
Public bus. Free for everyone.
Tuk tuk. More expensive than taxis.
ATM. At the airport. One allowed only 1.5 million and charged 6.5%, the other 2.5 million and no user fee.
SIM. Telkomsei Banda Ache, Go to the main office. SIM 35,000IR, 16gb 45,000IR 30 days. Top up on app.
People. Like all Muslim countries, they are very friendly and helpful.
All the women wear a big hijab that extends past their forehead and hangs like a triangular kerchief down their chest and back. What a way to make yourself look unattractive.
Language. English was surprisingly good in Banda Aceh, not so great in Medan, the best I have experienced in months (since South Africa).
Climate. Banda Aceh is hot but not nearly as hot and humid as Taiwan. There was a nice breeze.

BANDA ACEH  (pop 257,635; elevation 35 m) is the capital and largest city in Aceh on the northwestern tip of Indonesia at the mouth of the Aceh River on the Strait of Malacca to the north.
The city originally served as a capital and hub for the Sultanate of Aceh upon its foundation in the late 15th century. The city is dubbed the “port to Mecca,” in reference to the days when hajj pilgrims traveled by sea from Indonesia to Mecca.
Banda Aceh was long at the center of protracted conflicts between the Acehnese and foreign powers, including the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Japanese, and the Indonesian government.
Banda Aceh has strict Sharia laws since 2003 – no music after midnight, no movie theatres, whipping for alcohol, adultery, and other moral crimes. Women can’t camp on the islands.
Airports: Banda Aceh (BTJ)
Aceh Tsunami Museum. The city rose to international prominence in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean earthquake in 2004  249 km off the western coast of Sumatra when it was the closest major city to the earthquake’s epicenter. It suffered great damage in the earthquake and further damage when a tsunami struck shortly afterward. Around 60,000 people in the city died as a result and many more were injured. The aftermath of the tsunami has seen a cessation of much of the conflict in the city and province, and domestic and international aid, as a result, has seen a major modernization and reconstruction of the city over the past decade.
In the NM The Dark Side series, walk through a tunnel with running water and rain, see 30 large photos of the damage (basically everything was destroyed with only the mosques left standing), photos of the recovery and a good demonstration of plate tectonics and tsunami formation. 15,000 IR
Tsunami-related shipwrecks and sites (Apung 1 etc.). In the NM The Dark Side series, this is a large odd-shaped ship with a big block structure. It is an electric generator ship carried about 2 km from the ocean and sitting in the middle of the city. The ship is not open but you climb several stairs to the top deck for some moderate views. Free
Baiturrahman Grand Mosque. A wonderful mosque with one large minaret, 4 loudspeaker towers, two huge umbrellas, and white with 4 black domes. I had to cover my legs and my shoes were off at the entrance to the courtyard. Inside is a wonder of white columns with copper bands and capitals, pointed arches, decoration, 2 large green domes, and two octagonal white domes. A gilt mihrab. One thing I have not seen previously in a mosque was many groups of young kids sitting on the floor getting Koran lessons. I was eventually kicked out.

Without much more to see in Banda Aceh and discovering that the only buses to Medan left in the evening, I bought my bus ticket at Terminal Botah for the evening, napped, saw the above sites using moto-taxis, and relaxed writing this waiting for the bus. 
Bus. Banda Aceh – Medan @20:00-08:00, 11 hours. Harapan Indah Sleeper bus with bedding. 380,000IR. These drivers have amazing stamina. With one short break to let off passengers, the only other was at a mosque for prayer. No stops for food. I slept for most of the 11 hours, although the bed didn’t recline completely.

I didn’t see
Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra WHS. Mount Leuser NP
Pulau We (We Island). XL and M@P
Breueh Island: To get here take a ferry to the first island then hire private boats to get to the north island. Lighthouse.
M@P: Simeulue Regency
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INDONESIA – SUMATRA – NORTH, WEST, RIAU (Medan, Padang, Pekanbaru)

Day 2 Wed Aug 30
Arrived at Medan at 07:00. I sat drinking coffee at the bus station for 3 hours trying to figure out what I was going to do next.  
MEDAN (pop 2,435,252, 3.4 million urban) is the capital and largest city of the Indonesian province of North Sumatra, as well as a regional hub and financial centre of Sumatra. Medan is a multicultural metropolis and a busy trading city bordered by the Strait of Malacca, making it one of the major economic cities in Indonesia. A gateway to the western part of Indonesia, Medan is supported by the Port of Belawan and Kualanamu International Airport.
The city was founded by Guru Patimpus, a Karonese man. It later became a part of the Deli Sultanate, established in 1632. In the late 19th century, colonial Dutch seeking new plantation areas chose Medan and Deli as the most recent plantation hubs with Deli Company. They set up tobacco plantations, transforming Medan into a trade hub within several years and earning Medan the nickname Het Land Dollar, meaning “the land of the money”. The city was well known due to the importance of tobacco as an export to Europe and the West. The rapid development of Medan came with the Deli Railway, which was established for shipping tobacco, rubber, tea, timber, palm oil, and sugar from Medan to the Port of Belawan, then exported around the world. Medan was dubbed Parijs van Sumatra due to the city’s resemblance to Paris.
Medan is a financial, trading, and economic center for North Sumatra province and the whole of Sumatra Island. For many foreign investors, Medan is rich in culture and history a strategic location close to Singapore and Malaysia. The city is known as a trading hub for palm oil export. North Sumatra has approximately 4 million acres of palm oil plantations.
I then had a moto taxi / walk about to see mostly museums in Medan.
Museum Perjuangan TNI. Military, War and Police Museums. As only the guns are labeled in English, I never did figure out exactly what this museum was all about. Has photos of many army officers, uniforms, badges, medals, money, and a lot of guns. Free but the guy hassled me for money and I gave him 7000IR
Medan Centre Point Mall. A lovely modern mall with wide-open curving open areas. Six levels with all the usual high-end shops. I had a frappuccino at Starbucks.
Tjong A Fie Mansion. House and Biographical Museums. Mostly in Indonesian, this huge lovely 2-story house has enough English to figure out the following: Tjong A Fie (1860-1921), married twice with 7 children from his second marriage (his eldest daughter Queeny Chang has photos on the second floor). He was a Parnakan Chinese businessman (coffee, rubber, banks, Medan Hotel) and community leader who won many awards. The house is furnished with lovely furniture especially the inlaid mother of pearl in the lower hall. A huge open area on the second floor that looked like a ballroom.
Istana Maimun Palace. A huge palace from the outside, the inside to be seen is small with very high ceilings, a throne, and little else except many shops. Famous as Sultan Maimum once held a meeting here. 10,000IR.
ON Dazhong Backpacker’s Hostel. US$5, A very garrulous host in an incredibly filthy hostel. Dorm room that smelled bad due to mothballs.

Day 3 Thur Aug 31
In the morning, I saw the three museums missed the day before using moto-taxis as they were all far apart. 
Rahmat International Wildlife Museum & Gallery. A huge collection of stuffed animals big and small, and birds all the way to insects. In treed dioramas. I get tired of these natural history museums, I have seen so many. Many of the critters I’ve seen in the wild or zoos. This is a well-done museum, but it should be at a very high price. 150,000IR
Museum Uang Sumatera. A money museum that I also get tired of – coins and bills are not interesting, only when they have ancient money. 10,000
North Sumatra Museum. This was very well done with some very good exhibits, especially all the wood carving at the entrance with some very unusual pieces like ancestor poles. Sections on Buddhism, Islam, and the Dutch who first arrived in 1641. Labour from China, India, and Java was brought in to work the rubber, tobacco, palm oil, and tea plantations producing a multicultural society. Indigenous people, trades, housing, and ethnographic material were all well done. The worst was the political history with far too much detail in small hard to hard-to-read text. 30,000IR
Museum Situs Kota China. Far in the north side of Medan. Not seen.

The tour to Gunung Leuser NP was organized through my hostel Dazhong Backpacker’s Hostel WA+62 82273093889. Left at 11 am to drive the 3-hours to Bukit Lawang, a small tourist village to overnight.
Here it is a much freer culture. Eddy my guide is Christian, everyone smokes dope, drinks beer, and commits adultery.
ON Fadel S Guesthouse, Bukit Lawang.

TROPICAL RAINFOREST HERITAGE OF SUMATRA WHS.
It comprises three Indonesian national parks in Sumatra: Gunung Leuser National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park, and the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park with outstanding scenic beauty, varied habitats, and outstanding biodiversity in both lowland and mountain forests. All are threatened by poaching, illegal logging, agricultural encroachment, and plans to build roads. This once vast island of tropical rainforest has been condensed to secluded areas in 50 years.
They are located on the spine of the Bukit Barisan Mountains, known as the ‘Andes of Sumatra’ and form mountainous backdrops to the established and developed lowlands of Sumatra. Stunning Lake Gunung Tujuh (the highest lake in Southeast Asia), the giant Mount Kerinci volcano, and many small volcanic, coastal, and glacial lakes in natural forested settings are some of the highlights.
The three sites make up 50% of the total plant variety in Sumatra. At least 92 local common species have been recognized in GLNP. There is also both the world’s largest flower (Rafflesia arnoldi) and the tallest flower (Amorphophallus titanum). Neither were in the right season when I was there.
The mountains have year-round little-changing high temperatures, high humidity, and high rainfall for 9 months in wetter areas and 7 months in drier areas. This climate has encouraged high speciation and a variety of species.
Gunung Leuser National Park in the north of the island is 150 km long, over 100 km wide, and is mostly mountainous. 40% is steep, and over 1,500 m. 12% in the lower southern half is below 600 meters and 25 km runs down the coast. Eleven peaks are over 2,700 m with the highest, Gunung Leuser (3,466 m).
174 mammals, 3 being endemic and 21 listed as threatened in 2000. 380 species of birds – 13 endemic and 52 threatened. Important species include orangutan, Sumatran rhinoceros, and the pigtailed monkey. Important plants are Rafflesia arnoldi, and Amorphophallus titanum. Important birds: Rueck’s blue-flycatcher, and white-winged wood duck.
Gunung Leuser, receives 3000 mm of rainfall in the north, and 4657 mm in the lowland south. Temperatures 21°C to 28°C and the humidity is always above 60%, especially when over 1700 m.
Get there. Visitors center in Bohorok, 3.5 hours by car from Medan airport and 3 hours from Medan city – no rental cars in Medan airport but can rent a car in Medan. Taxi 1.2m INR (about 65-70 EUR). The road is tolerable with some sections of potholes through very populated areas. Normally a tour is booked out of Medan and they provide the transportation.
See. Bohorok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center was created to save orangutan babies who were collected illegally by killing their mothers and sold as pets. When they grow up and become unmanageable, they are abandoned. The purpose was to train them to survive in the wild with some supplemental milk and food. The center is closed and the few orangutans kept there were released.
The forest can no longer sustain the numbers so the rangers supplement their food supply.
Orangutans in the wild – a dozen including alpha males, females, young and newly born orangutans. Demanding trekking with lots of climbs and slippery descents. Orangutans, chances to see in 3 hours are about 30%. Usually, people stay there at least overnight to see them.
Habituated so feeding them was not a problem but cannot feed the baby if his mother is not eating – she beats the baby and takes away the food.
Can also see Sumatran elephants on another day of trekking towards a deeper water source within the NP. Sumatran rhinoceros. Others include white-handed gibbons, black gibbons, long-tailed macaques, pig-tailed macaques, Thomas’ leaf monkeys, silvery lutungs, Sunda slow loris, monitor lizards, jungle peafowls, Salvadori’s pheasants, Roll’s partridges, Sumatran Laughing thrushes, Sunda Laughing thrushes, Rueck’s Blue-Flycatcher and countless butterflies.
Camping. Sleeping in the tropical rainforest/jungle.
Accommodation. There are many options in Bukit Lawang, the gateway to Gunung Leuser National Park.

My experience. Day 4-6 Fri to Sun Sept 1-3
Three-day/two-night tour to Gunung Leuser National Park. I had originally booked a 2-day/1-night trip (the first day included the drive from Medan to Bukit Lawang) then was told by my guide that because there was only one of me, I had to pay double – 90€ instead of 45€ so I changed to the 3-day/2 night trip starting on Friday, Aug 31. that would get me much further into the jungle and greatly increase my chance of seeing Orangutan and much more wildlife, but now the tubing down the river was mandatory (10€) so the total price now was 120€. I packed my sleep sheet, pillow case, swim trunks, and another pair of socks for the trek.
Day 1 Fri Sept 1. After breakfast on Friday, we left Fidels at 9 to start our jungle trek and crossed the river on a big iron bridge to Bukit Lawang Indah, a hostel from which we started the walk. I joined a group of six others – A French couple, an English couple (originally from Latvia and Bulgaria), Carlos from Spain, and Mayo from the Netherlands. I can’t remember traveling with a nicer group.
We soon entered the national park under a big sign. Many Thomas leaf monkeys.
We stopped several times for our guide to discuss all the plants – a leaf crushed and spread all over you as a mosquito repellent (they all did making an unnecessary mess as there were no mosquitoes, I didn’t), an aromatic herb with special healing properties, native coffee, and latex trees (many trees were being tapped, guys walked by carrying a huge rectangular block of latex).
We soon saw our first orangutan, a habituated female, and her baby who ended up sitting in a chair on the deck with over 40 other tourists gaping and taking photos.
Wadan Canopy Walk. Built in 2018, it is not useable.
On the way, we saw several long-tailed macaques and pig-tailed macaques. Many giant ants, a few millipedes, and several other kinds of ants. No mosquitoes.
The walking was relatively easy with a big climb and steep descent at the end down to a small river for our first night camp. It was hot and incredibly humid, but not much mud on the trail. Everyone went for a swim. We saw 3 orangutans in the camp, likely wild as they stayed high in the canopy.
ON Jungle camp. Constructed lean-tos with a mattress, pillow, and light nylon sleeping bag.

Day 2 Sat Sept 2
In the morning we had much better views of the same three orangutangs. It seems the baby goes wherever she wants and everyone follows.
Today was harder walking with many ups and downs and a long, punishing descent down a muddy route to the river. Hot and very humid.
At our lunch stop high on a ridge (the others had made a detour with a chance to see orangutangs but I stayed for a much experience), I saw a. 4 white-handed gibbons move close overhead through the canopy using incredibly acrobatic moves, b. a siamang
c. A mother orangutan and her tiny baby clutching on her abdomen very close.
Further on the trail we had a very close encounter with 4 siamang (also called black gibbons, it all got very confusing). One came to within 3 metres and may have been threatening.
ON Jungle camp 2. Similar lean-tos with mattresses and a pillow. On a large fast fast-moving river. Tortoise next to the toilet. Many lovely butterflies. I washed all my clothes soaked with sweat. We were entertained by our guide with several “match games”.

Day 3 Sun Sept 3
An easy morning with a 15-minute walk to a 2 m high waterfall. After lunch, the inner tube rafts were prepared – huge truck inner tubes, 2-3 lashed together for the guests, and small truck inner tubes on the ends of the guides who steered them with long poles. We sat two to a tube on mats and life vests for a very comfortable but wet 30-minute ride with many rapids down to Bukit Lawang. Near camp were a few guesthouses in the middle of nowhere but soon the town appeared with many guest houses and eventually hundreds of people on the banks enjoying the river.
ON Bukit Lawang Indah. A much nicer place than Fidels with a large common area and a restaurant. 150,000IR

Day 7 Mon Sept 4
Taxi. Bukit Lawang to Medan Airport at 6am. 40€
Flight. Medan to Panang. Air Asia @11:15-15:45 vis KUL. A very cheap flight but presented its own problems. I had to cross an international border to transit through Kuala Lumpur and lost the scissors I had carried through 50 countries. Exiting immigration in Medan, my visa had not been dated requiring over 30 minutes to sort out and I almost missed my flight. I hadn’t kept my boarding pass from the flight from Taiwan or the receipt for the visa. I only had the record of the flight on my phone and the Taiwan exit stamp. In KL you have to go through security to get to your boarding gate and I lost my mayonnaise.
Then I had to pay for the VOA to get back into Indonesia – €35, but I still think this was cheaper than the direct flight.

PADANG (pop 1,015,000) Padang is widely known for its Minangkabau culture, cuisine, and sunset beaches.
The city had historically been a trading center since the pre-colonial era, trading in pepper and gold. The Dutch made contact with the city in the mid-17th century, eventually constructing a fortress and taking over control of the city from the Pagaruyung Kingdom. Save for several interruptions of British rule, Padang remained part of the Dutch East Indies as one of its major cities until Indonesian independence. In 1906, Padang along with Palembang became the first populated places in Sumatra to achieve city status.
 Dutch East India (1663–1781),  British Empire (1781–1784),  Dutch East India (1784–1795),  British Empire (1795–1819),  Dutch East Indies (1819–1942),  Japanese occupation (1942–1945)  Republic of Indonesia (1945–present)
Up to circa 1780 the most important trade product was gold originating from gold mines in the region. When the mines were exhausted, the focus turned to other products such as coffee, salts and textiles.
In 1797 Padang was inundated by a tsunami causing the deaths of two people. In 1833 another tsunami inundated Padang. From 1950 the Ombilin coal field developed with Padang as its outlet port. In 2009, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit about 50 kilometres off the coast of Padang with 1,100 fatalities, 313 of which occurred within Padang.
More than 60% of the area of Padang is in the form of hills covered by protection forests.
ON Kokos Hostel Padang City. 170,000IR, nice, clean.

Day 8 Tue Sept 5
I spent the morning figuring out my route from Kalimantan – whether I would go to Papua (Jayapura), enter PNG to Vanimo and then find transport to Wewak (virtually impossible). The only advantage of this would be to fly only in Indonesian, then PNG at reduced fares but produces a lot of complicated travel. So I decided to go to Jakarta and fly to Port Moresby from there via the Philippines.
Museum Adityawarman. The regional museum for West Sumatra, it is in a lovely building with multiple sweeping rooflines. Minanghabau culture – a matrilineal society. Weapons, dress, jewelry (some great gold especially the elaborate crowns, bracelets, belts, and necklaces), brass, model villages, ethnography, music, fishing, and a science and traditional food section. 5000 IR.
After casing out all the flip flops on the shelves at Kokos, I saw Eigers with a great design (soft toe loop, simple nylon side straps, and a formed footbed) and went to their store in Padang. I found a great choice from the many styles. they were very cheap 230,000 $18, made in Indonesia. I threw out the terrible Sketchers that I had paid three times the amount for in Taiwan. 

Rent a car. Baim car rental in Padang city. He came very late, wanted my driver’s license or passport for security (I needed both to travel) but eventually took a 1 million IR deposit using all my cash). The Toyota Yaris was very cheap at 300IR.
I didn’t get away till 14:30 and it took 2.5 hours to drive about 120 km, some of the most difficult driving of my life. Much of the road was very narrow and shoulderless. Add many motorcycles, carts, large trucks, rain, and basically a continuous town for the entire distance to make it more difficult.
Lake Maninjau. I drove around the north end of this large lake. 
Bayur Grand Mosque, Agam Regency. An unusual large. square mosque built in 2004, it has a stone facade on the bottom and a large four-tiered “padoda” tower in the centre along with 3 small 2-tiered “pagoda” announcement towers. There are several layers of lovely geometric stained glass. The inside has no columns and is supported by large, brown, wood beams in a hexagonal shape. The dome over the central prayer hall has a hexagonal plate and a large chandelier, all turquoise painted. The mihrab is very unusual with an almost blank brown wall fronted by an arch where a large wood minbar sits. There are 5 lovely semi-circular geometric stained glass windows on three sides.
From Bayur, one climbs up 35 hairpin switchbacks, each requiring going down into first gear.
Bukittinggi. Near the Mount Merapi and Mount Singgalang volcanoes. Nearby are relics of Fort de Kock, a 19th-century Dutch hilltop outpost. Panorama Park overlooks Sianok Canyon, the site of Japanese WWII tunnels. West, Lake Maninjau is a caldera surrounded by forests.
Jam Gadang. In a large central square, this lovely square clock tower was built in the 1920s. With 4 levels, there are long narrow windows on each level, a clock on each side, and a traditional, pointed Minangkabau roof.
ON RedDoorz, Bukittinggi. A chain hotel. 170,000. Spare but adequate. No hot water.

Day 9 Wed Sept 6
I was driving just after 6 am, initially on one of these very narrow roads. It took 1′ 15″ to go 35 km.

Pariangan is a Minangkabau village on the lower slopes of Mount Marapi, a highly active volcano, Despite its size, the village is of great cultural and historical significance to the Minangkabau people. Local legend states that Pariangan is the oldest of all Minangkabau villages and one of the best-preserved containing many ‘rumah gadang’ traditional houses. The oldest is three hundred years old with beautiful wood-carving and walls woven from rattan.
The town also has a ‘surau’, a communal living quarters for unmarried males, one of the very few surviving examples of such a structure. The centrepiece of the town is a large traditional mosque dating to the beginning of the nineteenth century and the oldest Minangkabau mosque in existence. Beside the mosque are the hot springs where communal bathing continues as it has for centuries.

Istana Basa Pagaruyung, Batusangkar is the istana (royal palace) of the former Pagaruyung Kingdom, located near Batusangkar. It was built in the traditional Minangkabau Rumah Gadang vernacular architectural style but had a number of atypical elements including a three-story structure and a larger dimension in comparison to common rumah gadang.
Since the Pagaruyung Kingdom was disbanded in 1833, no king or royal family resides in the palace today but is still held in high esteem among Minangkabau people, as the descendants of scattered Minang nobles (bangsawan) still find roots and links to the former royal house of Pagaruyung. The palace has been destroyed by fire several times, in 1804, 1966, and 2007. It has been rebuilt again and today functions as a museum and popular tourist attraction.
The original Pagaruyung palace was built entirely from timber. The current building is a modern concrete structure faithfully restored using traditional techniques and materials adorned with 60 carvings that signify Minang philosophy and culture.
The palace has three stories with 72 pillars and the typical Rumah gadang gonjong, a horn-like curved roof made from 26 tons of black ijuk aren palm fibers. The palace is also furnished with over 100 replicas of Minang antique furniture and artifacts, aiming the palace to be revived as Minangkabau cultural center as well as a tourism attraction in West Sumatra. This building was not built on the original site but moved south from the original site.
After the fire of 2007, only 15 percent of the valuable artifacts survived. The pusaka or heirloom of the Pagaruyung Kingdom is stored in Silinduang Bulan Palace 2 kilometers from Pagaruyung Palace. Restoration of the building took six years and an estimated RP20 billion (US$1,71 million) to complete in 2013.
The entire outside is carved in intricate coloured flowers. The inside has a large open area surrounded by 12 “rooms” screened by three layers of curtains. Above them, the walls are large carved panels. The ceiling and walls have many cloth “banners”. Free
Lake Singkarak

TROPICAL RAINFOREST HERITAGE OF SUMATRA WHS
KERCINI SEBLAT NATIONAL PARK. In the centre, it extends 350 km down the back of the Bukit Barisan, averaging 45 km in width and 2000 m above sea level. The northern half has a lower eastern mountain range, between 800–1500 m. Three-quarters of the park is steep. The highest point, and highest volcano in Indonesia, is Mount Kerinci (3,805 m).
85 mammals: 5 endemic and 23 threatened; birds: 370 species, 13 endemic and 58 threatened. Some important mammals: the Bornean clouded leopard, Asian tapir, and Sumatran rhino. The population of Sumatran tigers is the highest recorded, making it one of the 12 Globally Important Tiger Conservation Landscapes. Important birds: white-winged wood duck and Sumatran ground cuckoo. Important plants: Hopea beccariana and Shorea ovalis ssp. seicea.
Rainfall averages 2990 mm, temperatures 16° to 28 °C, and humidity is always high (77-90%). A stunning protected area of mountains, lakes, tigers, rhinos, and orangutans in central west Sumatra. It is one of Indonesia’s largest national parks and features the huge Mount Kerinci as its centerpiece. Has many rare and impressive animals, such as the Sumatran rhino, tigers, and crocs plus loads of endangered birds.
Get there: Fly to Padang’s Minangkabau International Airport, then 130 km by bus via the Padang-Sungaipenuh highway direct to Kersik Tua, 7 hours and to Sungaipenuh 10 or 11 hours, the main entrance, 30 km to the south.
SEE. Three main hikes in the park: to the summit of Mount Kerinci, treks to camps two and three, and hikes to the crater lake of Mount Tujuh.
Mount Kerinci is Sumatra’s, and Indonesia’s highest (3,800 m), a stratovolcano with a 600-meter wide crater and a base 25kms north-south.
Climb from the nearby village of Kersik Tua (accommodation and tourist facilities) which is 50 km north of the gateway town north of Sungaipenuh and a six-hour drive from Padang. A full trek of the summit takes at least two days and one night from Kersik Tua, while camps 2 and 3 offer shorter climbs.
Visiting in the dry season is a must as slippery and the surrounding jungle is dense. Need a permit to visit Kerinci Seblat National Park and have a guide to climb Gunung Kerinci.
Lake Kerinci is a huge pretty lake at 783m above sea level and covers an area of 42 square kilometers. The highest lake in Southeast Asia and has good hiking. Good day trip from the main park gateway town of Sungaipenuh, 15 km to the north, and is surrounded by mountain peaks on the western flank.
Lake Tujug. Known as the ‘Lake of the Seven Peaks’, Danau Gunung Tujuh is Southeast Asia’s highest crater lake. The climb takes about three hours from nearby Pelompek village with accommodation. and you must descend over the rim of the volcano to the lake level at about 1950m.
Take camping equipment and you can pitch your tent in a wonderfully scenic location on the lake’s shore.
Birdwatching. With more than 370 species including 17 endemic species. Once-in-a-lifetime sightings might include the Sumatran ground cuckoo, which was considered extinct until it was rediscovered here in 2002.
Tiger spotting. From 2006 to 2010 this was one of only five national parks in the whole of Asia where tiger numbers actually increased. This is no safari park with jeep safari or operators here. Mostly nocturnal and extremely shy, so seeing one is next to none. Wild Sumatra Adventures (http://wildsumatra.com) offers TNKS’s most conservational-minded wildlife experiences, with five percent of their trip costs going directly to tiger conservation.
Caves. Kerinci is home to several impressive cave complexes, the most extensive network – including the celebrated Gua Tiangko, thought to have been occupied some 9000 years ago – situated outside the village of Sengering.
There are also cave paintings to be found in rarely-visited Gua Kasah, 5km southeast of Kersik Tua. Two additional cave systems, Gua Kelelawar and Gua Belang, are located at Ting Kemulun near Sanggaran Agung. Hiring a guide helps in the exploration of both the caves’ physical and esoteric landscapes.
Ladeh Panjang Wetlands. Deep within the western flank of the national park, through Southeast Asia’s highest wetlands. There’s a five-day, 120km route through the rainforest, sulfur lakes, and hot springs before exiting onto the highway north of Kerinci, but shorter treks traversing expanses of virgin rainforest home to deer, gibbons, tapirs – and of course, tigers – are also possible.
Local culture. Kerinci’s tradition-bound communities hold festivals around the calendar, all with singing and dancing. The rangguk dance (simulating the rice planting season) is truly enthralling but the kenduri sko festivals (honouring village ancestors) are arguably the cultural highlights.

INDONESIA – SUMATRA – Bengkulu, Jambi, Lampung, South (Palembang)

PALEMBANG (pop 1,729,546, metro 2.7 million). On both banks of the Musi River, it was the capital of Srivijaya, a Buddhist kingdom that ruled much of the western Indonesian Archipelago and controlled many maritime trade routes, including the Strait of Malacca. In WWII, its two oil refineries were a significant source of petroleum for the Japanese. 92% Sunni Moslem. The economy is based on trading, service, transportation, manufacturing and construction.
Traffic jams, floods, slums, pollution, and peatland fire are problems in Palembang.
I took Gojek moto-taxis and saw these two museums and the bridge.
Museum Balaputra Dewa. The state museum of South Sumatra. Balaputra was a 9th-century sovereign of Srivijaya kingdom. There are traditional crafts from the prehistoric era to the Dutch colonial period – megalithic statues, the Malay Buddhist kingdom (most replicas), and the 18th-century Palembang Sultanate (looms, clothes, wooden carvings). 10,000IR
Museum of Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II. In the Kuta Lama, the old palace of Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin I (1724–1758), was demolished by the British in 1823 but a new building was built on top of the ruin and later rebuilt as a two-floored stone building. The exhibits are a predictable collection of South Sumatran textiles, weapons, traditional dress, crafts, and coins. The gardens have statues of Ganesha and Buddha. 10,000IR
Ampera Bridge is a red vertical-lift bridge over the Musi River built in 1965. It initially allowed ships up to 44.5 m in height to pass underneath, but this only occurred a few times, and after 1970 it could no longer be opened. It was built on soft mud, the towers’ foundations shifted, and the bridge deformed to the extent that it could no longer be opened. Also silting of the river had made it impassable for large ships. |
ON Katawa Guest House for a second night. 

Day 11 Fri Sept 8
Flight. PLM to Pontianuk, Kalimantan. Super Air Jet @08:45-14:05 via Jakarta. US$122

Go to Indonesia – Kalimantan & Jakarta

I didn’t see
TROPICAL RAINFOREST HERITAGE OF SUMATRA WHS.
Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park is 350 km long and 45 km wide on average. The northern two-thirds are rocky, averaging 1,500 m with the highest point, Mount Pulung (1,964 m). The southern half is lower; 90 km of it is a cape and the park borders the sea for half its length. Many rivers are in the parks and there are several lakes and hot springs.
98 mammals, 1 endemic and 25 threatened: 379 birds: 7 being endemic: reptiles 58, amphibians 59. Important mammal: Sumatran elephant.
The rocky west is wet, especially in the November to May monsoon: rainfall is 3000–4000 mm. The east is drier, with 2500–3000 mm and the temperature 20- 28 °C.

Muarajambi Temple Compound Tentative WHS (06/10/2009) is a Buddhist temple complex, in Muaro Jambi Regency, 26 kilometers east of Jambi. The temple complex was built by the Melayu Kingdom, with its surviving temples and other archaeological remains estimated to date from the 7th to 13th century CE. The archaeological site includes eight excavated temple sanctuaries and covers about 12 square kilometers, stretching 7.5 kilometers along the Batang Hari River, 80 menapos or mounds of temple ruins, are not yet restored.^[1][2] It is one of the largest and best-preserved ancient temple complexes in Southeast Asia.
The kingdom of Melayu can be dated to 1025 when the Indian kingdom of Chola attacked and destroyed the capital of the Sumatran maritime empire of Srivijaya. This allowed a number of smaller Sumatran polities to expand their political and economic influence. During the twelfth and thirteenth centuries it seems that from its river estuarine basis along the Batang Hari, Melayu became the dominant economic power in Sumatra. Muaro Jambi is estimated to have been built somewhere around 7th to 12th century CE, and the substantial archaeological remains suggest that this temple compound may have been the site of the Melayu capital. The city’s age of glory came to an end in 1278 when Java’s Singhasari kingdom attacked the city, even succeeding in capturing members of the royal family. The site was rediscovered by British soldier, S.C. Crooke in 1824. It is now protected as a national monument.
The temple complex of Candi Muaro Jambi is spread out over a large area along the banks of the Batang Hari River. The three most significant intact temples are known as Candi Tinggi, Candi Kedaton, and Candi Gumpung. The temples are built from red brick and unlike the temples of Java, feature very little ornamentation, carving, or statuary. A few pieces of sculpture are housed in a small, on-site museum. The wooden dwellings that are believed to have housed the city’s population have all disappeared without a trace. Only 9 temples have been restored, 3 have mentioned above and the others are Candi Tinggi I, Candi Kembarbatu, Candi Gedong I, and Candi Gedong II.