About North Sumatra

North Sumatra is a province of the island of Sumatra that also includes the islands of Nias, a surfer’s paradise, and Musala, as well as hundreds of others. Its geography, which consists of coastal lowlands, towering mountains, dense jungle and tropical rainforests, is as varied as its peoples, cultures and religions.

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Overview

North Sumatra is home to Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Acehnese, Batak, Javanese, Chinese, Malay and more. North Sumatra is also home to Mount Leuser National Park, the only habitat where elephants, rhinos and orangutans live together, and a world-renowned orangutan rehabilitation center at Bukit Lawang. Lake Toba, the largest lake in Indonesia and the world’s biggest volcanic lake, calls North Sumatra home. Due to its tropical weather and fertile volcanic soil, North Sumatra is a world-class coffee region. In fact, it, along with Indonesia, is one of the largest coffee producers on the planet.

What To Do

Expansive and mountainous Mount Leuser National Park, which includes the orangutan sanctuary at Bukit Lawang, is the largest wilderness area in Southeast Asia and one of its most biodiverse tropical rainforests, which contains approximately 750 species of animals and 10,000 plant species. No trip to North Sumatra is complete without visiting Lake Toba and Samosir Island, located in the center of Earth’s largest volcanic lake; relaxing by Sipiso-Piso, one of Indonesia’s tallest waterfalls; and exploring the North Sumatra capital Medan, where you will find the Museum of North Sumatra, Medan Zoo, Maimoon Palace, Old City Hall and Vihara Maha Maitreya, one of the largest Buddhist temples in Indonesia.

When to Go

The best time to visit North Sumatra is during the dry season, from March through September. October is the wettest month, and during the wet season North Sumatra receives an average of six inches of rain a month.