Travelling To North Sumatra

On the northern end of Sumatra Island, this Indonesian province is a dream-come-true for travelers who enjoy remote excursions without endless days of transportation. It has everything from national parks to a miniature metropolis as well as plenty of outdoor attractions.

Medan is the capital of North Sumatra as well as the gateway for tourists. It is also a bastion of civilization, with a thriving night scene, ample hotels and an aging colonial district. While visitors seldom spend much time here, Medan is certainly an important stepping stone to the North Sumatran experience.

Other important sites along the way include Pulau Nias, a haven for surfers; Danau Toba, an impressive volcanic lake in the highlands; volcanoes like Sibayak and Sinabung; as well as Gunung Leuser National Park, a stronghold of more than 5,000 orangutans.

The charm of North Sumatra is tied up in its rugged edge. Well-traveled tourists in the area are likely to insist that the island experience here trumps the one in Bali because there are fewer tourists and the experience is more authentic.

The best time to visit this hidden gem is during the April-to-October dry season. Access to North Sumatra is through Medan's Polonia International Airport. This facility is well-traveled and scheduled to expand in the immediate future.

Currently the airport flies to major destinations across the region including Jakarta (2 hours, 15 minutes), Penang and Singapore (1 hour, 25 minutes). Buses from Medan transfer passengers to all corners of North Sumatra.

Geography and Population

The province of North Sumatra stretches across the island of Sumatra between the Indian Ocean and the Strait Malacca. It borders Aceh province on the northwest and Riau and West Sumatra provinces on the southeast. It has an area of 70787 km². The province contains a broad, low plain along the Strait of Malacca coast; the provincial capital, Medan, is located here. In the south and west, the land rises to the mountain range that runs the length of Sumatra; the mountains here are dominated by Lake Toba, formed from the caldera of an ancient volcano. Several large islands in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sumatra are part of North Sumatra, most notably Nias, and the Batu Islands.

North Sumatra recorded a population of 11.48 million in the 2000 national census. Intercensal estimates for 2007 show a population of 12,834,371.

Agriculture And Economy

Sumatra Mandheling and Sumatra Lintong coffee beans are grown in North Sumatra and largely exported to the U.S. Mandheling is named after the similarly spelt Mandailing people located in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The name is the result of a misunderstanding by the first foreign purchaser of the variety, and no coffee is actually produced in the "Mandailing region". Lintong on the other hand, is named after the Lintong district, also located in North Sumatra.

North Sumatra Overview

North Sumatra is one of Indonesia's last surfing frontiers. "North Sumatra" consists of the 5 islands or island groups: Hinako Islands, Nias, Telos and 2 other obscure island groups to the north. North Sumatra receives similar swell to the Mentawais and enjoys its peak swell season from May to September. Despite Indonesia's reputation for hollow lefts, in North Sumatra righthanders are slightly more prevalent. While Lagundri Bay at Nias has been surfed for decades, it is the more obscure rights like Bawa (a Sunset-like right bowl that holds up to 15ft) and Treasure Island (a long, hollow, mechanical right peeling for 200 meters+) that have attracted the attention of late. Throw a mix of hollow and bowly lefthanders into the picture like Asu, Afulu, the Machine, and many more obscure rights and lefts and you have a dream-like setting for a surf trip.

A North Sumatra trip is a bit different than your classic Mentawais trip. The breaks while generally much less crowded (the exception being Lagundri Bay on Nias) are more spread out and there are fewer of them. Conditions from one surf break to the next can vary greatly. Some spots in the Telos and in the Northern islands require major swells from the right direction to turn on while other breaks like Bawa in the Hinakos more often than not have too much swell. Navigating the waters off North Sumatra and getting dialed into its best surf requires a higher degree of expertise than simply piloting a boat out to Playgrounds and waiting there for the next swell. The lack of ports, infrastructure, access, and good anchorages throughout North Sumatra make this a hardcore and difficult area to operate in, needing an experienced operator to navigate the waters.

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