Sumatran Dreams

After a quick catch‑up with Mark in Kuala Lumpur, we hopped over to Sumatra—the first of our two Indonesian stops. A short flight and an easy train ride brought us into central Medan, where a lively swarm of tuk‑tuk and taxi drivers eagerly vied for our attention. We climbed into one who we later fondly named the Pirate of Medan—only realising afterwards that we’d paid roughly four times the going rate. Still, for £5, hardly worth shedding a tear.

Our studio apartment, complete with a pool, felt like a treat—until we tried to leave for dinner. We spent a good while wandering in circles through endless cream‑coloured corridors before being shown an exit that delivered us straight into a shopping mall. Unfortunately, the mall wasn’t keen on letting us reach street level. By the next morning, we discovered we could enter the mall but seemingly not exit it at all. Breakfast ended up being a red cabbage sandwich from a curious shop‑café hybrid. That was our cue: we’d had enough of Medan.

We headed for Bukit Lawang, gateway to the jungle and our best chance of seeing orangutans in the wild.

Bukit Lawang was everything we’d hoped for and more—lush scenery, hammocks perfect for reading, direct access to the Bohorok River for a dip, and warm, generous hosts. The only drawback? The resident thieving monkeys, who gleefully stole our jam and toast at breakfast.

After a couple of days of blissful lazing, we were ready for our two‑day jungle trek and overnight camp. Sizing us up, our guide gently suggested a slightly shorter route—an offer we gratefully accepted, and thank goodness we did. The trek was packed with steep climbs and descents in 33‑degree heat and roughly 90% humidity. But every sweaty, breathless step was worth it. Our first sighting was a vibrant green snake in a tree, now I hate snakes but this was truely beautiful, but not all match for all the colourful butterflies we would see in Sumatra. We watched a pregnant female orangutan glide effortlessly through the trees, pausing to nibble young leaves and radiating utter calm. Observed a group of Thomas Leaf Monkeys (nicknamed the David Beckham monkeys by the guides because of thier hairstyles). Later, with only our two guides for company, we spotted three Rhinoceros Hornbills—an even more magical moment, especially compared to the crowd of 30 gathered for the orangutan sighting.

Throughout the day we were treated to an impressive fruit spread, including snake‑skin fruit and mangosteen—the latter quickly becoming our Sumatra favourite. Lunch arrived wrapped in a banana leaf, packed with nasi goreng. After one final rope‑assisted descent, we reached our riverside campsite—just the two of us, our guide Pipet, and a cook. We swam, dined by candlelight on the riverbank, and were in bed by by 8pm.

The next morning brought more river swims and rest before the “jungle taxi” arrived: inflatable inner tubes lashed together. As we drifted downstream, we sang the jungle song—set to the tune of Jingle Bells: Jungle trek, jungle trek, in Bukit Lawang. See the monkeys and the birds and orangutans… I’ve sung it most mornings since in an attempt to keep the jungle joy alive. I’m less certain about the joy levels for Mark.

The river ride was a perfect ending to two perfect days. The only downside of Bukit Lawang is seeing how much the palm oil plantations are destroying the forest.

Leaving Bukit Lawang meant it was time for our next adventure: a sunrise climb up Mount Sibayak near Berastagi. Berastagi itself only warrants a one‑night stay, but the volcano makes it worthwhile. The region is lush and fertile, full of vegetable fields and the beginnings of Sumatra’s coffee country. Our 4.30am start paid off with beautiful views from the summit.

We’ve spent the last three days on Samosir, an island in Lake Toba—the world’s largest volcanic lake. The accommodation is a touch fancier than our norm (think “low‑budget White Lotus”), and arriving by water taxi straight to our hotel jetty felt wonderfully indulgent. It even reminded me of Sunday afternoons watching Love Island as a child. Samosir, home of the Batak people, has given us chance to try Batak cuisine, learn about the culture, and spot plenty of birds of prey circling overhead.

Sumatra has been amazing, I would highly recommend visit before it becomes overrun by influencers taking photos of themselves for Instagram. The wildlife, scenery and food are all divine.

It’s been lovely to sit on the terrace or by the pool, reflecting on the past three months. We’ve also mapped out our next steps—onward to Java, arriving in Yogyakarta just in time for the end of Ramadan.