Bucket List Idea: North Sumatra

Rice fields, beautiful beaches, ancient temples, delicious food and friendly people – Indonesia has a lot to offer when it comes to vacation and travelling. Most people tend to choose popular spots like Bali or the Gilli Islands. Yet, this culturally diverse country is rich with beautiful nature and has a lot to offer for South East Asia lovers. We put Northern Sumatra on our bucket list for 2017. Why? Because, we think, it’s the hidden gem of Indonesia and worth checking out. 

Why not try something new: North Sumatra

Discovering the less travelled routes of a country might bring a lot of advantages such as lower prices and less crowded sites. Situated on the biggest Indonesian Island Sumatra, North Sumatra sits strategically perfect for travellers in South East Asia. It’s proximity to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur makes it easily accessible. For example, you can take a ferry from Singapore to Bintan and go diving for the weekend at one of the world class spots in the Riau archipelago.

Things to do in North Sumatra:

So, what is there to do in North Sumatra? A lot! Apart from some super dive spots, you have the beautiful Lake Toba, which is one of the popular attractions. It sits right on top of a volcano in the central mountains. Fellow travel blogger Mark from Born 2 Travel recommended the “Taman Simalem Resort” in Jalan Raya Merek. You can check it out on traveloka.com if you want to visit Lake Toba. I haven’t been there yet, but trust that it is worth a visit!

We are also curious and put North Sumatra on our bucket list for 2017 because there is so much to do in this area. For example, to the North, you’ll find the riverside town of Bukit Lawang which has a well-known orangutan rehabilitation centre close to the town Medan. If you are into buildings, you should pay a visit to the village Bukittinggi. You’ll meet the Minangkabau people who live in extraordinary decorated homes. You’ll also find a lot of natural attractions where you can bird-watch, elephant-spot and learn about life in the jungle.

Don’t worry, we will post about our experience as soon as we have visited this part of Indonesia.

Have you been to North Sumatra? What did you like most? Can you recommend any other places I didn’t mention? 

>> All pictures are taken by us, otherwise it’s explicitly mentioned. <<
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