The perfect 25 day Sumatra route
Welcome to the PERFECT way to spend 25 (ish) days in North Sumatra!
Sumatra is my favourite island (so far!) in Indonesia and also one of my favourite destinations of my whole trip!
It has such a mix of incredible stuff to see and do, and isn’t overrun with western tourists like you see in Bali, making it such a nice vibe surrounded by wonderfully friendly locals!
Timeline
3 nights: Iboih, Pulau Weh, Aceh🏝️
Night bus🚎
2 nights: Bukit Lawang🦧
2 nights: Berastagi🌋
3 nights: Tuk-tuk, Lake Toba💧
Night ferry⛴️
3 nights: Teluk Dalam, Pulau Nias🏄🏼♀️
3 nights: Banyak Islands🌅
1 night: Singkil🌴
Night bus🚎
3 nights: Bukittinggi 🥾
2 nights: Lake Maninjau🌊
Destinations
Pulau Weh
Getting there
To get from Banda Aceh airport and sort transport to and from ferry terminal both on mainland Sumatra and on Weh Island (which the locals call Sabang), contact Heri +62-853-7360-1215 on whatsapp - he seems to be the big dog round here for transport.
We bought our slow ferry (2 hours) ticket at the port for 35k per person just an hour before we left. The tuk-tuk to Iboih from where we arrived on the island was 120k overall for an hours drive.
Where to stay
We stayed at Olala bungalows which was a lovely option, the location was perfect and there's a great restaurant attached! We paid 125k Rp per night for a bungalow with balcony, en suite and a sea view!
I would recommend booking a few days in advance here as the island can get a bit busy!
Where to eat
During our time in Pulau Weh there was a national festival so lots of places were shut, BUT it meant that we stumbled across the best warung ever, Limbo, while snorkelling off Gapang Beach.
I cannot recommend this place enough, we went every day during our stay! Get the tempeh and potato sambal with rice - you will not regret it!
What to do
We did our diving with Iboih Dive Centre - the best (and reasonably priced) base in Iboih!
Our instructor Fahmi was amazing and all the staff were so friendly and it was such a great atmosphere! It is worth emailing a few days ahead to book your dives here as it was so popular!
We spent 2 days driving around the island on a bike we rented in Iboih. Here are our favourite spots!
Banda Aceh
Having taken the ferry back from Sabang to Banda Aceh, we spent the afternoon being taken to the main sites by Jack (whatsapp +62 813-6265-4280). Be sure to dress respectfully in Banda Aceh as the city is incredibly religious.
Jack helped us book our overnight bus ticket to Binjai, and the next morning we caught a local bus to Bukit Lawang, where our next host Putra was waiting for us.
Bukit Lawang
We arrived in the morning and our host Putra picked us up from the bus station in Bukit Lawang. That afternoon we had a lovely swim in the river and explored the local Bat Cave! some great local food and got an early night ready for our jungle trek the next day!
It’s definitely worth messaging Putra a few days in advance to be sure he’s available to take you on a jungle trek - he really is an incredible guide! We only did a one-day hike but he offers as many days as you’d like! The tubing back from the jungle is great fun too and definitely worth the extra money!
Where to stay
We saw 6 orangutans on our trek into the jungle with Putra! We were really lucky to see this many but Putra was amazing at finding them!
From Bukit Lawang, Putra helped us organise our bus to the next destination: Berastagi!
Berastagi
The bus from Bukit Lawang dropped us centrally in Berastagi, and we headed straight down to Raymond Café which seems to be the only place with bike rental in Berastagi.
Once we had the bike we went to explore some places nearby… Here are our favourite places!
Where to stay
We booked this the day before and were the only people staying there - they had free water refill (hot and cold) but no shower, only a bucket… The balcony, view & location more than made up for this though!
Volcano hike
From Hotel Miranda, we started our walk at 7am and it took us about 40 minutes to get to the entrance to the volcano park.
Lake Toba - Samosir Island
Getting there
Then we caught the 10 minute ferry over to Tuk Tuk, where they dropped us directly at the hostel.
Where to stay
We stayed at Bagus Bay and I can highly recommend it! However, another hotel we visited for a swim was Carolina and also looked really nice if you want something a bit less budget.
What to do
We spent our time on Samosir just relaxing and exploring. We didn’t have the best weather so the hike we planned was replaced by a day chilling at the hostel!
We hired bikes just opposite Bagus Bay which was very handy, and enjoyed driving around the island. Here are our top spots!
Food & Drink
Samosir is well-known for its endemic ‘magic mushrooms’ which are widely available throughout Tuk-Tuk. Try them in a tea, omelette, shake, or even a pizza!
We also had a few fun nights out; I even got up behind the microphone one evening!
We stumbled across this amazing restaurant run by an Indonesian-English couple, who bring various different cheeses each time they come back to Sumatra! When we visited, they had halloumi, brie and cheddar!
Mario also would be a good option for accommodation if you're planning on staying for a while.
Nias Island
Next we headed to Nias for some time at the beach for surfing! Note: if you do not want to surf, I would skip this island as this really is the main thing to do here. If you’ve never surfed before but are keen to give it a try, this is a great spot to start! The island has an amazing variety of different surfing beaches, ranging from some really clean, easy waves perfect for learning, to huge competition-worthy breaks for the real pros!
Getting there
Twice a week, the ferry goes directly to Teluk Dalam, so try to coincide with this if you can! If not, Gunung Sitoli is only 3 hours drive and there are many taxis waiting at the ferry port.
Where to stay
We booked Salty Dog the day before we arrived, and extended our stay with Arif once we checked in. They have a few rooms available and run on a very relaxed vibe, so there’s no need for too much planning!
We loved staying here: the kitchen was amazing, and very handy to have with the local fresh market nearby. They also rented us a bike and lent us a surfboard!
What to do
The main thing to do here is surf. We only visited 2 spots, but there are lots more to choose from too.
Beginners surfing can be found a few minutes down the road at Lagundri Beach. There are regular, small, clean waves which are perfect for learning, and lots of people around offering surfing lessons.
Just at the next beach is where the more advanced waves can be found. Sorake Beach/The Point has a variety of surfboard rental places as well as accommodation and food options.
For non-surfing activities, head slightly inland to the traditional village Desa Bawomataluo.
Banyak
The Banyak Islands are a group of small islands to the north of Nias. We headed here for some snorkelling and relaxing after our time in Nias.
Getting there
Once or twice a week (on irregular and spontaneous mornings), a small local cargo boat goes between Nias and Banyak. Message Rius at Nina’s Bungalow on whatsapp to find out whether this will work with your timings.
We were lucky and caught the small boat at 8am, having organised a taxi through Arif in Nias.
If the days don’t line up for you, it’s still easy to get there! Get the overnight ferry back to the mainland - go from Gunung Sitoli on Nias to Singkil. From there, sort a boat to take you to Balai, where Rius will meet you.
If you decide to skip Nias Island, just head to Singkil rather than Sibolga after Lake Toba.
Where to stay
Sikandang Island (where Nina’s is) was a lovely but tiny island, about 3 hours to walk around, and with excellent sunsets!
This is a lovely place to chill, and they organise a snorkel trip to some excellent spots nearby!
Singkil
On the way back from Banyak we stayed the night in Singkil. This was such a nice place to chill and rest up before our travel day.
Bukittinggi
Getting there
Where to stay
Hello Guesthouse is a popular spot so book ahead, but if they’re full we also found a great alternative.
What to do
Hiking
Near Bukittinggi there are 2 big volcanoes for hiking, we chose Marapi as we were told the path would be slightly easier after the recent rain. ‘Bemos’ (small collectivo buses) run from the town centre, and cost 5k per person for any length journey. Ask at the hostel, or alternatively catch a Grab taxi there and on the way back it’s super obvious!
Lots of people do this hike overnight and camp, but the walk itself is only about 4/5 hours return so if you’re tight for time it’s easy to do in a morning.
Lake Maninjau
Getting there
We rented a bike from Hello Guesthouse to drive the hour from Bukittinggi to Lake (or Danau) Maninjau. The route was easy until the end where the infamous ‘Kelok 44’ made it a bit more interesting! The road is known for having 44 hairpin bends down to the lakeside. If you’re nervous on a bike, buses run between the two towns but if you have a bit of experience, as long as you take it slowly you should be fine!
Where to stay
What to do
There are some great waterfalls to check out around the lake, and walks too. These were our favourite activities.
Padang Airport
This is the company we used for our booking, and paid 100k per person.
Whatsapp number +62 853-5516-1234
Next up…
Thank you for reading this blog, I really hope you found it useful in planning your trip!
From Sumatra, we headed to Lombok (via Kuala Lumpur in order to renew our visa) for another month of exploring!
If you’re interested in any itinerary planning and help, please let me know!
Travel insurance
Going on a trip? Don’t forget to buy your travel insurance; I use SafetyWing which is the best option out there. It’s super flexible as it’s a rolling monthly subscription, so you can cancel or extend whenever! It also covers all manner of activities, so whatever you’re up to, you’re covered! And the best part is that with this link it’s $10 off your first month!!
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