Sumatra

Sumatra is a large Indonesian island in western Indonesia known for its volcanoes, extensive tropical rainforests and significant biodiversity. It is one of the largest islands in the world and spans a long northwest-southeast axis.

Popular attractions include the Lake Toba caldera in the north, highland plantations, and several national parks that protect critically endangered wildlife such as Sumatran tigers and orangutans. Landscapes range from coastal plains to the volcanic Bukit Barisan mountain chain along the island’s western side.

Historically the island was home to many local kingdoms and played a role in regional maritime trade; it was later integrated into the Dutch East Indies and became part of the Republic of Indonesia after independence. Recent decades have seen extensive land-use change for agriculture and plantations.

Geographically Sumatra lies west of the island of Java across the Sunda Strait and is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the west. The island’s interior is remote in many areas and travel between regions typically involves long road or ferry journeys.

• Lake Toba: Contains Lake Toba, the largest volcanic lake in Southeast Asia and a prominent natural landmark and cultural area in northern Sumatra.
• Volcanic and seismic activity: The island's western spine of volcanoes and tropical rainforest supports high biodiversity but is also prone to seismic and volcanic activity.

What to See #

• Lake Toba: A large volcanic lake occupying a caldera in northern Sumatra, approximately 100 kilometres long and created by a massive eruption tens of thousands of years ago.
• Bukit Barisan range: A north-south mountain chain along the western side of the island that contains many of Sumatra's volcanoes and highland ecosystems.
• Gunung Leuser National Park: A network of protected rainforests in northern Sumatra that conserve critically endangered species including Sumatran tigers and orangutans.