Introducing Sumatra, a Land of Adventure
Indonesia’s second largest island, Sumatra is not a destination where you lie in the sun and get a tan. It’s a place of adventure with rugged mountains, the jungles of the Mentawai Islands, the fascinating Lake Toba where Batak culture thrives, enjoy the crisp cool air of the hill town of Berastagi, relish in the beautiful rice terraces of Bukittinggi, dive in the waters of Pilau Weh and watch the orangutan at play in Bukit Lawang .....
Covering an immense area of area of 473,481 sq km Sumatra strategically straddles the Indian Ocean on its west and the Straits of Malacca on its northeast, making it historically an important route for shipping and trade and also a channel that has traditionally been plagued by piracy.
Sumatra is diverse, inhabited by numerous tribes speaking more than 52 tribal languages, with some still depending on the jungles for their livelihood. One of the most interesting is the Bataks of Lake (Danau) Toba, who are Minangkabaus and indigenous to the highlands of West Sumatra. They practise the matrilineal culture, with property and land passing down from mother to daughter while religious and political affairs are the province of men (although some women also play important roles in these areas).
