What could be sweeter for a traveler than the opportunity to visit a unique island, lost in the azure ocean? Fortunately, there are a lot of such patches of land, large and small, on our planet. If you have not been to the island part of Asia, then go to Indonesia. You will definitely enjoy the island of Sumatra.
A bit of general information
So, where is the island of Sumatra, the reader will now know. This is one of the largest islands of our planet. It belongs to the Indonesian archipelago and is divided by the equator into almost two equal parts. The shores are washed by the Indian Ocean, the waters of the Strait of Malacca, the Adaman, Java and South China Seas. The dimensions of Sumatra are impressive: the width is 435 km, the length is 1800. The island is part of the Republic of Indonesia and is inhabited by 28 million people.
The island of Sumatra, mountainous in the southwest, has many active and extinct volcanoes. The northeastern part is flat, with many rivers and lakes. The surface of this corner of the Earth is generously covered with dense tropical forest, mangroves and shrubs. The fauna also affects a variety of species.
Holidays in Sumatra
The island of Sumatra is very attractive for vacationers. The length of the island and its location on the planet are already known to the reader. Now let's talk about what awaits the traveler who has entered the shore. First of all, it is the ocean and golden sandy beaches hundreds of kilometers long. A rich excursion program will appeal to lovers of antiquity and oriental luxury. On the island there are many ruins of ancient Buddhist temples, palaces, mosques, royal graves have been preserved. You can also visit national parks and reserves, museums with a unique collection of artifacts, and see the purest mountain lakes.
sights
The reader already knows a lot about the island of Sumatra: what country, where it is located. Now it's time to briefly talk about the best attractions of these places.
- City of Medan. This is the island capital, the largest settlement of Sumatra. Here you can and should visit the large mosque Masjid Raya, the Sultan's Palace, the Military Museum called Bukit-Barisan, the Chinese shrine of Vihara Gunung Timur. Medan was founded back in 1590. Before the capture by the Dutch, he belonged to the Delhi sultanate. A large number of Javanese, Chinese, Tamil people live here.
- Lake Toba. A picturesque pond with an area of 1300 square meters. km is the largest in all of Southeast Asia. On the water surface, in the very center of the lake, there is an island with several villages. The lively city of Parapat, the best resort of Sumatra, flaunts on the banks of the Toba. Near the lake, in the Tonging Valley, there is a 120-meter Sipiso Piso waterfall, and next to it is a magnificent palace and the grave of kings.
- The mountain valleys of Kerinchi and Danau-Ranau, the canals of Palembang are amazing in their beauty.
- In the Sunda Strait rises the world famous volcano Krakatau.
- Putri Cave will give an unusually vivid experience.
- A crocodile farm near Medan will learn a lot about the life of these large reptiles.
- Gunung-Löser National Park, which is home to rare animals and those species that are on the verge of extinction. The parks of Kerinchi Seblat, Siberut, Bukit Barisan Selatan are noteworthy.
For a pleasant experience and color you can go to any village. It is there that you can study well the life, culture, customs and life of the islanders. Moreover, they are famous for their hospitality.
And some more interesting facts.
Sumatra Island is beautiful and interesting in all aspects. We made a virtual tour of its best cities, and now we offer you to go there really. And first go to Bukittinggi. Its name translates as "High Hill", and it is one of the most beautiful settlements in Indonesia. It is located in the cozy Agam Valley, at the foot of two volcanoes at once - Singgalan and Merapi. It is interesting that the equator divides the city into two parts, so we can safely say that you are simultaneously in two hemispheres of the planet, with one foot in summer and the other in winter. It is worth visiting the Fort de Kok, built by the Dutch in 1825, and the no less ancient Jam Gadang.
Sumatra Island is the pearl of the region, and therefore it is worth seeing. The best time for this is May-June, as well as September-October. It is during these months that dry weather reigns and the sun shines brightly.