Besides jungle trekking as our main attraction, there is a lot more to see and to do in Bukit Lawang and it surroundings. The village alone with the wide river flowing through offers many opportunities for relaxing activities. At the river you’ll find a perfect mix between local and tourist life.
Monang & Anna
We are happy to bring you along on our daily recreation.
Of course you can explore the village on your own, walking around, sit at the river, take a swim and relax in one of the many small bars and restaurants. There are many cute tourist shops and some art galleries and all local people are super friendly.
But if you are looking for a little bit more or extra you can do a village tour with us, visit the batcave, a local waterfall, see children learning English in a charity school or go on a daytrip to see and wash elephants.
For some things you don’t need a guide, like going to the market, but we can help you find the way and bring you to places (more local) you would not be able to find on your own but which are definitely worth a visit.
With this as your backyard, you never wish to go home again. This feels like living the life as nature intended to. Or a real good true holiday.
Anna
Village Tour
- Bukit Lawang itself is accustomed and adjusted to tourists. As you walk around you’ll think you get an image of how people live their lifes here. But in the surrounding villages the actual local life shows slighty different. Here is a tourist face more unusual. We can show you this real village life.
- The market is so colorful and busy. The perfect place to feel far from home and taste different local snacks and exotic fruit.
- A tip for (hobbyist) photographers are the ricefields who surround the mainroad to and from Bukit Lawang. Certainly it’s also possible to visit an ecofarm and take a closer look.
- We are both close connected with ‘The Trust’. This is a charity working to improve the education and employability of the local community. The Trust is involved in environmental and nature projects related to the endangered Leuser ecosystem. With us you can pay them a visit in exchange for a (small) donation to the Trust.
- For activities as described above we can help you find appropriate transportation like renting a scooter or grab a bejak.
- The Indonesian food is really good! If you would like to learn some indonesian style cooking, you can take a cooking class. We are ready to take you to the best cooking class.
- For the more adventurous we can guide you to and in the Batcave. The name says it all!
Landak River
- The river in Bukit Lawang not only brings much joy and fun for you as a tourist; is a necessity of life for the local people: it is their bathroom, washing machine, partly kitchen and source of water and food. On sundays the river is a tourist attraction for people who live in the city and want to escape daily life.
- What these city people and tourists don’t know is that nearby another river provides green, more quiet places to enjoy peaceful relaxing: Landak River.
- This river is defiantly worth to visit. There are many beautiful spots without any other people. Also there is much less current what makes it perfect for a swim.
- We can make you blend in with the local life as we bring food or we make a nice barbecue in jungle style!
- More special would be if we take you night fishing traditional style. Monang can teach you how to catch fish underwater with a spear or water gun.
- On a hot day there is nothing more refreshing than drinking the water of a young coconut. We have some favorite places at the river to do so.
- Last but not least: one of the most fun things to undertake in Bukit Lawang on the river is tubing! All the local kids love to do this and it’s admiring how they manage that. We strongly recommend you not do try this on your own. But with someone like Monang who knows the river and it’s behaviour.
Tangkahan
- If you would like to see the Sumatran elephant then you have to go to Tangkahan. Tangkahan is a jungle paradise and not as touristy like Bukit Lawang.
- This gorgeous place of nature is worth a daytrip but you can also spend the night there and see more than just the elephants.
- The elephants are taken good care of and live a semi-wild life. We don’t want to promote the possibility of backriding an elephant. But the interaction with them at the river by washing, feeding, bathing and playing with them is miraculous.
- What makes this enviroment special too, are the blue green waters with nice waterfalls and natural hotsprings.
- The road to Tangkahan goes through palm oil plantations and is probably one of the worst roads in Sumatra… This is why we would take you by dirtbike instead of a car. It’s much faster and way more comfertable. And really cool as well!
- Monang is an excellent dirt bike driver. He was semi professional once. If you happen to have a motorcycle license, he can also take you on motocross.
- With the scooter as a main means of transport, a dirt bike gives the oppurtunity to go more outback. There is a hidden waterfall for example that allows just dirt bikes to get close.
Sumatra Jungle Travel Tours 