Last updated on September 8th, 2026 at 12:06 pm
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For me, Sumatra has to be one of the most underrated regions in Indonesia.
There is just so much to offer here for the outdoorsy traveller, and for some reason Sumatra doesn’t get nearly as much attention as Bali or Java. That is not necessarily a bad thing; in fact, as an off-the-beaten-path, shoulder-season gal, that’s pretty much the dream.
This 3-week travel itinerary for Sumatra gives you the best of everything, from trekking in the dense rainforest of Gunung Leuser National Park to surfing on the paradisiacal island of Nias, which oozes laid-back charm, and scuba-diving the pristine coral reefs of Pulau Weh (Sabang).
We had an amazing time in Sumatra, an island filled with friendly people, a rich culture, beautiful nature, and some seriously tasty food!
Read on to find out everything you need to know to make the most of your travels in Sumatra, including when to visit, how to get around, handy Sumatra travel tips, and ideas for things to do for your Sumatra travel itinerary!
CONTENTS
- About Sumatra & When to Visit
- Important things to know about travelling in Sumatra
- My Sumatra 3-week travel itinerary
- Day 1: Medan – The Gateway to Sumatra
- Days 2-8: Surfing on the Tropical Paradise of Nias
- Days 8-14: Orangutans & Siamangs in the Rainforests of Bukit Lawang
- Days 15-21: Scuba Diving & Snorkelling on Pulau Weh (Sabang)
- Leaving Sumatra
- Budget for Sumatra Travel
3 Week Sumatra Itinerary Map
1 Night in the City of Medan, the gateway to Sumatra, Indonesia
7 Nights on Pulau Nias, Sumatra, Indonesia
5 Nights in Bukit Lawang, near Gunung Leuser NP, Sumatra, Indonesia
6 Nights in Pulau Weh, Sabang, Aceh
About Sumatra
Sumatra is one of Indonesia’s largest islands, and it is a deeply authentic travel destination. It is predominantly Muslim and influenced by a variety of ethnic groups – including Batak and Acehnese.
If you’ve heard much about Sumatra before, it might be to do with Orangutans and coffee, but there is a lot more to this friendly island than that.
So what else is special about Sumatra?
- It is home to one of the oldest rainforests in the world.
- Sumatra is the only place on earth where tigers, rhinos, elephants and orangutans all live together in the wild (think Life of Pi with less murder).
- Sumatra is the birthplace of Rendang, that world-famous, delicious slow-cooked, caramelised beef curry dish.
- Sumatra is home to world-class surfing, in the Mentawais and Nias off the west coast.
- You’ll also find spectacular scuba diving off the northern tip of Sumatra, in the waters surrounding Pulau Weh, which is where the exact meeting point of the Andaman and Indian Oceans brings strong currents and a huge variety of marine life.
- There’s also Lake Toba: Spanning over 1,700 square kilometres, this massive lake was formed by a supervolcano eruption roughly 75,000 years ago. In its centre sits Samosir Island, a stunning spot to spend some time.
As you can see, Sumatra has SO much to offer! So where do we begin?
RELATED POST: How to Extend your Tourist Visa for Indonesia
When to Visit Sumatra
Unlike much of the rest of South-East Asia, Sumatra’s dry season is March (ish) – October. This is because it straddles the equator, so it is caught between both the Asian and Australian monsoons. This means the island receives year-round rain, but it tends to come in the form of short, heavy evening downpours.
The best time to visit Sumatra is during the dry season, as with less rain, bad roads are easier to navigate, smaller islands are easier to access by boat, and the conditions are better for trekking.
If you want to socialise with other travellers, aim to travel to Sumatra during high season in June, July, and August. But don’t worry if you aren’t a fan of crowds; outside of tourist hotspots like Bukit Lawang, Sumatra is rarely crowded with tourists, even in peak months.
Things to know about travelling in Sumatra
The most important thing to know about travelling in Sumatra is that it is much more conservative than some other parts of Indonesia (like Bali). This means, to show cultural sensitivity, women should wear long trousers and long sleeves or loose-fitting T-shirts when travelling around the main island of Sumatra.
Once you reach tourist hotspots like Bukit Lawang, shorts and tank tops are far more acceptable, and on the surf islands of Nias and Mentawai, bikinis AT THE BEACH are absolutely fine as well. Please don’t be that wally who tries to go into a 7-11 topless or in a bikini; even in Thailand that is not ok.
Aceh province, in North Sumatra, is a slightly different kettle of fish as it is the only place in Indonesia that is subject to Sharia Law. This does not apply to foreigners, though, but here both men and women should follow the long-trousers, loose T-shirt dress code.
Another thing to note is that in Aceh, alcohol is illegal, but on the island of Pulau Weh (Sabang), dive shops get a little leniency. You’ll still be ordering it under its alias of ‘apple juice’ and are expected to be discreet, and you’ll be paying twice the price as you would for a cold Bintang on Nias. (30K IDR on Nias, 60K on Pulau Weh).
My Sumatra 3-week travel itinerary
Medan – 1 Night
Nias – 7 Nights
Bukit Lawang – 5 Nights
Medan – 1 Night
Pulau Weh – 6 Nights
We initially planned to go to Lake Toba, but we loved Nias so much we extended our stay there and skipped it in the end, although I’ve only heard good things!
Medan
Medan City is the gateway to Sumatra, and it’s about an hour’s drive from Kualanamu (KNO) airport to Medan City proper. While Medan itself doesn’t have much tourist appeal, I found it to be a really friendly place and fairly easy to navigate.
We mainly used Medan for a rest break between jungle trekking and surfing, and we stayed at the Swiss-Belinn in the west of the city, which we chose because it was sort of close to the Immigration office, where we were extending our visas.
The Swiss-Belinn was pretty crap, so I wouldn’t recommend it; there are plenty of nicer hotels in Medan for half the price. Although, in that area there are some seriously good eats.
The beef satay place opposite the hotel, Sate Matang Bang Nan, is a MUST – 10 sticks of spicy beef satay served with incredible beef soup and rice for 55k (£2.50) – the best satay I’ve ever had in my life. And just a few minutes’ walk away is El’s Pizza, the best pizza I have ever had in Asia (I would go back to Medan just for that pizza).
You can use Grab to get around the city, or walk, as unlike Jakarta, Medan lacks high-rises and flyovers and is a bit more pedestrian-friendly, but it is best you walk on the road instead of the pavement. Like Mysore in India, the crumbling pavements are a menace.
Surfing on Nias
You may have heard of the Mentawais, those islands off of West Sumatra famous for advanced and professional surfers. It used to be just a handful of Aussies who made the long journey to this part of the world, but now ‘The Ments’ are shaping into a little Bali of old, with boutique hotels, busy line-ups, and hoards of boats with camera crews, and in season, no beginner waves.
But you probably haven’t heard of Nias, though- also off the west coast of Sumatra, just further north. Compared to ‘the Ments’ Nias has stayed largely off the radar, even though they have waves all year round, including a famous right-hand barrel called ‘The Point’. They also have baby waves for beginners deep in the shelter of Lagundri Bay, which is why I chose to come here over The Mentawais, and I am so glad I did.
What I found was a beautiful little island with a deeply ingrained surf culture among the very friendly and very welcoming locals. One resort, a boutique hotel, and a handful of more rustic but cute surf-focused homestays. Nias Island has now made it to this list of my 5 favourite paradise islands of the world.
Nias does not have the luxuries or conveniences that you may find in Bali, and it’s all the better for it. For one thing, the island is ridiculously pretty, in that balmy Aldous Huxley ‘The Island’ kind of way. Sugar-white sands, jungled hills with villages built from palm fronds and bamboo. Forget traffic, trash, and CrossFit gyms; instead think barefoot, salty hair, low-fuss.
Nias ticked all of my boxes. The locals are incredibly welcoming, the surfing is super-accessible, and there are some great cafes and restaurants to eat delicious Indonesian food (which is finally growing on me), juicy mango smoothies, and lots and lots of fresh seafood.
Read more about how to get to Nias and my experience learning to surf on Nias.
Where to Stay on Nias
Budget – Shady Palms Surf Camp or Oseda Surf House
Lux – HIMA Bungalows
Nias is dominated by surf-focused homestays, and most places offer a similar style of fit-out. Clean and simple double rooms, with air-conditioning and a view of the waves, sit around the £10 per night mark.
How to get to Nias
From Medan, even though you could technically bus it to the western coast of Sumatra and take a ferry to Nias (the journey could take around 3 days) – the most convenient option is to fly. Wings Air (a subsidy of Lion Air) operate flights a couple of times a day, but their website can be a bit finicky. We found that when booking domestic flights in Indonesia, it was always easier to do it through Traveloka.
In May 2026, the flight was £60, which is higher than normal due to the fuel crisis.
After a short one-hour flight to Gunung Sitoli (GNS) airport, you’ll need to grab a 3-hour transfer to the southern tip of the island. This may seem like a lengthy journey, but remember the best places in the world are often difficult to get to.
I was grinning from ear to ear as we were heading to the southern tip of the island, along the winding road through lush tropical forest, hugging the ocean.
It really is a beautiful drive, and the price should be 500K (£20) for a private transfer. You can arrange this with your accommodation in Nias or with one of the drivers waiting in arrivals.
Wildlife Trekking in Bukit Lawang
So, do you remember further up in this article I told you that Sumatra has one of the oldest rainforests in the world? Well, that’s the Gunung Leuser National Park, which spans 8000 km², stretching across the Indonesian provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra.
The wider, surrounding buffer zone (which includes the national park) covers over 2.6 million hectares (26,000 km²) of contiguous jungle and is known as the Leuser Ecosystem.
Trekking to see Orangutans is one of the best things you can do in Sumatra, and there are two main entry points to Gunung Leuser for trekking: Bukit Lawang (North Sumatra) and Katembe (Aceh).
This itinerary focuses on the more accessible Bukit Lawang. There was formerly an Orangutan rehabilitation centre here, so because of this, the Orangutans you’ll encounter in the forest are ‘semi-wild’ and comfortable around humans. This means you are almost guaranteed an encounter, with some great photo opportunities. You’ll also have a chance to see Siamangs, the world’s largest gibbons with incredible singing voices!
The town of Bukit Lawang has a vibrant, traveller-friendly atmosphere, with riverside guesthouses, lots of restaurant choices and live music. You can read about our time there in much more detail in my article: What is it like to trek to see the Orangutans in Gunung Leuser National Park?
How to Get to Bukit Lawang
Bukit Lawang (pronounced Bookit LAH-wang) is around a 3-hour drive from Medan, which is Sumatra’s main airport.
So from Nias, you have two options to get to Bukit Lawang:
1. Flight & Taxi/Bus
Fly from Nias to Medan; then get a private transfer to Bukit Lawang (700k IDR/ £30) or a shared taxi (210k IDR/ £9 per person). These can be arranged by whichever accommodation you choose in Bukit Lawang. (If you would like to shave off some pennies, or just prefer to have the local experience, you can also reach there by public transport.)
2. Overnight Ferry & Lots of buses
Then travel by public transport to Lake Toba (3 hours) — Lake Toba to Berastagi (3 hours) — Berastagi to Bukit Lawang (4 hours).
This was our original plan, but we loved Nias so much we decided to extend our time there, skip Lake Toba, and fly back to Medan instead.
Where to Stay in Bukit Lawang
Budget: Orangutan Bungalows or Cheeky Monkeys Jungle House
Comfort: Cheeky Monkeys Villa
Prices per night for somewhere half-decent start at £5 per night. If it is less than that, I would consider the ethics of the situation, which I will talk about more in my other post.
Scuba & Snorkel in Pulau Weh
Next up on this 3-week Sumatra itinerary is the glorious little island named Pulau Weh, a name used interchangeably with Sabang (the main town on the island) – located off of the far northern tip of Sumatra in Aceh province.
Home to ‘Point Zero ’, the 0 km mark which indicates the start of Indonesia- and some amazing scuba diving.
So if you’re imagining sleepy days, powdery white sands, sparkling cerulean waters, pristine coral reefs, and very few tourists, Pulau Weh may be the island of your dreams.
The diving here is special because it’s where the Andaman Sea meets the Indian Ocean, and this convergence creates nutrient-rich, deep-water currents that host an extraordinary density of marine life, ranging from rare macro critters to massive pelagics.
This is all without the overwhelming tourist crowds found elsewhere in Indonesia, as I feel many people are put off by big scary Sharia, or they simply haven’t heard of Pulau Weh.
They have a few very unique dive sites, such as the Underwater Volcano (Pria Laot). This is a surreal, shallow dive where you can watch warm, sulfur-scented bubbles rise directly from the volcanic sand. It’s such a cool experience swimming through shimmering thermoclines and being greeted by the friendly resident Pufferfish!
My absolute favourite dive was The Canyon, located on the island’s northeastern tip. This world-famous advanced dive is characterised by dramatic rock formations, deep canyon channels, and walls covered in giant sea fans. Expect strong currents!
How to Get to Pulau Weh
FLY/BUS from Medan to BANDA ACEH
To get to Pulau Weh, you’ll need to come through Banda Aceh, the capital of the province of Aceh on the island of Sumatra. You can fly to Banda Aceh directly from Medan, or you can catch an overnight bus.
FLY
From Medan, Wings Air is a good choice as an airline, and flights start at £60 one-way (this was during the fuel crisis of 2026, so ordinarily this would be lower). The Wings website can be finicky, so domestic flights in Indonesia are the one and only time I use a 3rd party to book flights – Traveloka being the most popular and reliable.
BUS
If you want to travel local style and take the night bus, the journey is around 11 hours by sleeper, and the buses from Harapan Indah are very comfy, with private pods, chargers, blankets, water and snacks provided.
I recommend booking this ticket at least a week in advance, as we had to fly in the end because when we went to book our night bus two days before our intended travel day, the sleeper tickets had sold out, and we didn’t want to do 11 hours overnight in a chair. Tickets are 350,000, so £15 – a huge saving from the flights.
What’s also good about the bus is it gets you to Banda Aceh early in the morning, so you’ll have ample choice for timings for the ferry to Pulau Weh.
From Banda Aceh airport/bus stand, expect a 30-minute drive to the harbour. If you have time to kill, head to the Tsunami Museum (closed between 12pm and 2pm!).
Ferry Ulee Lheue (Banda Aceh) to Balohan (Pulau Weh)
The ferry schedule is subject to change and can be a little bit unreliable, but in June 2026:
Bahari Express: 8am, 10am, 4:15pm – 100K a ticket
Slow ferry: 8am, 12 noon, 4:30pm – 35K a ticket
*Bring seasickness tablets; it’s wavy and not much outside space for fresh air.
This is a strictly muslim area, and with Friday being the holy day, this ferry schedule will not be the same.
Getting the ferry is a little complicated, and we definitely had some hiccups on both the way and the way back, so I have gone into the process in great detail in my post: A Scuba-diver’s travel guide to Pulau Weh.
Where to Stay on Pulau Weh
Most of the dive sites on Pulau Weh are concentrated around Iboih and Gapang Beach, so it would make sense to choose a dive shop and accommodation in that area.
We chose Lumba Lumba, due to it being a 5* instructor development centre, and we wanted to do our Rescue Diver Course. Considering how sleepy Pulau Weh is, it is a great place to continue your dive education, as there is very little to do outside of scuba and snorkelling, especially in the evenings.
Budget: Apollo Bungalows, Iboih
Luxury: Lumba Lumba Living Room Cottage, Gapang
We stayed in the Living Room Cottage at Lumba Lumba, which is normally out of our price range, but we felt like a treat, and we were very happy there. If you would prefer to support a local homestay, make sure to rent a moped so you can commute to Lumba Lumba for your diving!
Leaving Sumatra
Banda Aceh has one tiny international gate at its airport, which flies to both Kuala Lumpur and Penang in Malaysia. KL would be a great link for your next destination; otherwise, you can fly to Penang and stuff your face on some of the best food in the world in George Town.
FOR TRAVEL INSURANCE for Sumatra, I used SafetyWing, as they let me open a policy partway through my travels, and they cover scuba diving, surfing and trekking in their adventure sports add-on!
They do a 4-week rolling one for nomads, and I have claimed several times with them and the process has always been straightforward and efficient. I could not recommend them enough.
Budget for Sumatra Travel
On a global scale, Sumatra (like the rest of Indonesia) is a relatively affordable place to travel. You can always find a clean and comfortable guesthouse room for less than £10 per night.
If you take public transport, and even taxis, they are very cheap compared to the UK.
I think you can budget £25 per day quite comfortably for accommodation, food, drinks and travel. Then you just need to add on extra for activities.
Below is a sample list of how much things cost in Sumatra, on average, in 2026:
- Beer – 30K / £1.20
- Fresh Juice – 15K / 60p
- Local Coffee – 10K / 40p
- Coffee Machine style Coffee – 40K / £1.70
- Local, simple meal (Veggie omelette, Banana Pancake, Nasi Goreng, Mie Goreng) – 25k / £1
- Local, elevated meal (e.g. BBQ fish, prawn curry) – 80k / £3.50
- Overnight luxury sleeper bus – 350k / £15
- 45 Minute fast ferry – 100k / £4.20
- Scuba dive with all equipment – 600k / £25
- Surfboard rental one day – 150K / £6
- 2 Hour private surf lesson – 500k / £21
- Gojek moto-taxi 5km – 20k / 80p
- Cotton trousers from market – 80k / £3.40
- 3 Day, 2 Night Jungle trek (all inclusive with guide, food, camp, permits etc) – 170 Euros
Thank you for reading my 3-week travel itinerary for Sumatra!
If you enjoyed the read, please consider subscribing to my blog, where I post articles once per week filled with travel inspiration and stories from my adventures around the world.
Happy Travels! xx
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I Dream of Mangoes is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. That being said, I only link to products I use and love.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may get a commission if you purchase through this website, at no extra cost to you. I only link to products I use and love.
For me, Sumatra has to be one of the most underrated regions in Indonesia.
There is just so much to offer here for the outdoorsy traveller, and for some reason Sumatra doesn’t get nearly as much attention as Bali or Java. That is not necessarily a bad thing; in fact, as an off-the-beaten-path, shoulder-season gal, that’s pretty much the dream.
This 3-week travel itinerary for Sumatra gives you the best of everything, from trekking in the dense rainforest of Gunung Leuser National Park, to surfing on the paradisiacal island of Nias, which oozes laid-back charm, and scuba-diving the pristine coral reefs of Pulau Weh (Sabang).
We had an amazing time in Sumatra, an island filled with friendly people, a rich culture, beautiful nature, and some seriously tasty food!
Read on to find out everything you need to know to make the most of your travels in Sumatra, including when to visit, how to get around, handy Sumatra travel tips, and ideas for things to do for your Sumatra travel itinerary!
CONTENTS
1 Night in the City of Medan, the gateway to Sumatra, Indonesia
7 Nights on Pulau Nias, Sumatra, Indonesia
5 Nights in Bukit Lawang, near Gunung Leuser NP, Sumatra, Indonesia
6 Nights in Pulau Weh, Sabang, Aceh
About Sumatra
Sumatra is one of Indonesia’s largest islands, and it is a deeply authentic travel destination. It is predominantly Muslim and influenced by a variety of ethnic groups – including Batak and Acehnese.
If you’ve heard much about Sumatra before, it might be to do with Orangutans and coffee, but there is a lot more to this friendly island than that.
So what else is special about Sumatra?
-
- It is home to one of the oldest rainforests in the world.
-
- Sumatra is the only place on earth where tigers, rhinos, elephants and orangutans all live together in the wild (think Life of Pi with less murder).
-
- Sumatra is the birthplace of Rendang, that world-famous, delicious slow-cooked, caramelised beef curry dish.
-
- Sumatra is home to world-class surfing, in the Mentawais and Nias off the west coast.
-
- You’ll also find spectacular scuba diving off the northern tip of Sumatra, in the waters surrounding Pulau Weh, which is where the exact meeting point of the Andaman and Indian Oceans brings strong currents and a huge variety of marine life.
-
- There’s also Lake Toba: Spanning over 1,700 square kilometres, this massive lake was formed by a supervolcano eruption roughly 75,000 years ago. In its centre sits Samosir Island, a stunning spot to spend some time.
As you can see, Sumatra has SO much to offer! So where do we begin?
RELATED POST: How to Extend your Tourist Visa for Indonesia
When to Visit Sumatra
Unlike much of the rest of South-East Asia, Sumatra’s dry season is March (ish) – October. This is because it straddles the equator, so it is caught between both the Asian and Australian monsoons. This means the island receives year-round rain, but it tends to come in the form of short, heavy evening downpours.
The best time to visit Sumatra is during the dry season, as with less rain, bad roads are easier to navigate, smaller islands are easier to access by boat, and the conditions are better for trekking.
If you want to socialise with other travellers, aim to travel to Sumatra during high season in June, July, and August. But don’t worry if you aren’t a fan of crowds; outside of tourist hotspots like Bukit Lawang, Sumatra is rarely crowded with tourists, even in peak months.
Things to know about travelling in Sumatra
The most important thing to know about travelling in Sumatra is that it is much more conservative than some other parts of Indonesia (like Bali). This means, to show cultural sensitivity, women should wear long trousers and long sleeves or loose-fitting T-shirts when travelling around the main island of Sumatra.
Once you reach tourist hotspots like Bukit Lawang, shorts and tank tops are far more acceptable, and on the surf islands of Nias and Mentawai, bikinis AT THE BEACH are absolutely fine as well. Please don’t be that wally who tries to go into a 7-11 topless or in a bikini; even in Thailand that is not ok.
Aceh province, in North Sumatra, is a slightly different kettle of fish as it is the only place in Indonesia that is subject to Sharia Law. This does not apply to foreigners, though, but here both men and women should follow the long-trousers, loose T-shirt dress code.
On the tourist beaches of Pulau Weh (Sabang), which is technically in Aceh Province, it is a little more relaxed, and sundresses and swimming costumes do not get much attention.
Another thing to note is that in Aceh, alcohol is illegal, but again, on the island of Pulau Weh (Sabang), dive shops get a little leniency. You’ll still be ordering it under its alias of ‘apple juice’ and are expected to be discreet, and you’ll be paying twice the price as you would for a cold Bintang on Nias. (30K IDR on Nias, 60K on Pulau Weh).
My Sumatra 3-week travel itinerary
Medan – 1 Night
Nias – 7 Nights
Bukit Lawang – 5 Nights
Medan – 1 Night
Pulau Weh – 6 Nights
We initially planned to go to Lake Toba, but we loved Nias so much we extended our stay there and skipped it in the end, although I’ve only heard good things!
Medan
Medan City is the gateway to Sumatra, and it’s about an hour’s drive from Kualanamu (KNO) airport to Medan City proper. While Medan itself doesn’t have much tourist appeal, I found it to be a really friendly place and fairly easy to navigate.
We mainly used Medan for a rest break between jungle trekking and surfing, and we stayed at the Swiss-Belinn in the west of the city, which we chose because it was sort of close to the Immigration office, where we were extending our visas.
The Swiss-Belinn was pretty crap, so I wouldn’t recommend it; there are plenty of nicer hotels in Medan for half the price. Although, in that area there are some seriously good eats.
The beef satay place opposite the hotel, Sate Matang Bang Nan, is a MUST – 10 sticks of spicy beef satay served with incredible beef soup and rice for 55k (£2.50) – the best satay I’ve ever had in my life. And just a few minutes’ walk away is El’s Pizza, the best pizza I have ever had in Asia (I would go back to Medan just for that pizza).
You can use Grab to get around the city, or walk, as unlike Jakarta, Medan lacks high-rises and flyovers and is a bit more pedestrian-friendly, but it is best you walk on the road instead of the pavement. Like Mysore in India, the crumbling pavements are a menace.
Nias
You may have heard of the Mentawais, those islands off of West Sumatra famous for advanced and professional surfers. It used to be just a handful of Aussies who made the long journey to this part of the world, but now ‘The Ments’ are shaping into a little Bali of old, with boutique hotels, busy line-ups, and hoards of boats with camera crews, and in season, no beginner waves.
But you probably haven’t heard of Nias, though- also off the west coast of Sumatra, just further north. Compared to ‘the Ments’ Nias has stayed largely off the radar, even though they have waves all year round, including a famous right-hand barrel called ‘The Point’. They also have baby waves for beginners deep in the shelter of Lagundri Bay, which is why I chose to come here over The Mentawais, and I am so glad I did.
What I found was a beautiful little island with a deeply ingrained surf culture among the very friendly and very welcoming locals. One resort, a boutique hotel, and a handful of more rustic but cute surf-focused homestays. Nias Island has now made it to this list of my 5 favourite paradise islands of the world.
Nias does not have the luxuries or conveniences that you may find in Bali, and it’s all the better for it. For one thing, the island is ridiculously pretty, in that balmy Aldous Huxley ‘The Island’ kind of way. Sugar-white sands, jungled hills with villages built from palm fronds and bamboo. Forget traffic, trash, and CrossFit gyms; instead think barefoot, salty hair, low-fuss.
Nias ticked all of my boxes. The locals are incredibly welcoming, the surfing is super-accessible, and there are some great cafes and restaurants to eat delicious Indonesian food (which is finally growing on me), juicy mango smoothies, and lots and lots of fresh seafood.
Read more about how to get to Nias and my experience learning to surf on Nias.
Where to Stay on Nias
Budget – Shady Palms Surf Camp or Oseda Surf House
Lux – HIMA Bungalows
Nias is dominated by surf-focused homestays, and most places offer a similar style of fit-out. Clean and simple double rooms, with air-conditioning and a view of the waves, sit around the £10 per night mark.
How to get to Nias
From Medan, even though you could technically bus it to the western coast of Sumatra and take a ferry to Nias (the journey could take around 3 days) – the most convenient option is to fly. Wings Air (a subsidy of Lion Air) operate flights a couple of times a day, but their website can be a bit finicky. We found that when booking domestic flights in Indonesia, it was always easier to do it through Traveloka.
In May 2026, the flight was £60, which is higher than normal due to the fuel crisis.
After a short one-hour flight to Gunung Sitoli (GNS) airport, you’ll need to grab a 3-hour transfer to the southern tip of the island. This may seem like a lengthy journey, but remember the best places in the world are often difficult to get to.
I was grinning from ear to ear as we were heading to the southern tip of the island, along the winding road through lush tropical forest, hugging the ocean.
It really is a beautiful drive, and the price should be 500K (£20) for a private transfer. You can arrange this with your accommodation in Nias or with one of the drivers waiting in arrivals.
Bukit Lawang
So, do you remember further up in this article I told you that Sumatra has one of the oldest rainforests in the world? Well, that’s the Gunung Leuser National Park, which spans 8000 km², stretching across the Indonesian provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra.
The wider, surrounding buffer zone (which includes the national park) covers over 2.6 million hectares (26,000 km²) of contiguous jungle and is known as the Leuser Ecosystem.
Trekking to see Orangutans is one of the best things you can do in Sumatra, and there are two main entry points to Gunung Leuser for trekking: Bukit Lawang (North Sumatra) and Katembe (Aceh).
This itinerary focuses on the more accessible Bukit Lawang. There was formerly an Orangutan rehabilitation centre here, so because of this, the Orangutans you’ll encounter in the forest are ‘semi-wild’ and comfortable around humans. This means you are almost guaranteed an encounter, with some great photo opportunities. You’ll also have a chance to see Siamangs, the world’s largest gibbons with incredible singing voices!
The town of Bukit Lawang has a vibrant, traveller-friendly atmosphere, with riverside guesthouses, lots of restaurant choices and live music. You can read about our time there in much more detail in my article: What is it like to trek to see the Orangutans in Gunung Leuser National Park?
How to Get to Bukit Lawang
Bukit Lawang (pronounced Bookit LAH-wang) is around a 3-hour drive from Medan, which is Sumatra’s main airport.
So from Nias, you have two options to get to Bukit Lawang:
1. Flight & Taxi/Bus
Fly from Nias to Medan; then get a private transfer to Bukit Lawang (700k IDR/ £30) or a shared taxi (210k IDR/ £9 per person). These can be arranged by whichever accommodation you choose in Bukit Lawang. (If you would like to shave off some pennies, or just prefer to have the local experience, you can also reach there by public transport.)
2. Overnight Ferry & Lots of buses
Then travel by public transport to Lake Toba (3 hours) — Lake Toba to Berastagi (3 hours) — Berastagi to Bukit Lawang (4 hours).
This was our original plan, but we loved Nias so much we decided to extend our time there, skip Lake Toba, and fly back to Medan instead.
Where to Stay in Bukit Lawang
Budget: Orangutan Bungalows or Cheeky Monkeys Jungle House
Comfort: Cheeky Monkeys Villa
Prices per night for somewhere half-decent start at £5 per night. If it is less than that, I would consider the ethics of the situation, which I will talk about more in my other post.
Pulau Weh
Next up on this 3-week Sumatra itinerary is the glorious little island named Pulau Weh, a name used interchangeably with Sabang (the main town on the island) – located off of the far northern tip of Sumatra in Aceh province.
Home to ‘Point Zero ’, the 0 km mark which indicates the start of Indonesia- and some amazing scuba diving.
So if you’re imagining sleepy days, powdery white sands, sparkling cerulean waters, pristine coral reefs, and very few tourists, Pulau Weh may be the island of your dreams.
The diving here is special because it’s where the Andaman Sea meets the Indian Ocean, and this convergence creates nutrient-rich, deep-water currents that host an extraordinary density of marine life, ranging from rare macro critters to massive pelagics.
This is all without the overwhelming tourist crowds found elsewhere in Indonesia, as I feel many people are put off by big scary Sharia, or they simply haven’t heard of Pulau Weh.
They have a few very unique dive sites, such as the Underwater Volcano (Pria Laot). This is a surreal, shallow dive where you can watch warm, sulfur-scented bubbles rise directly from the volcanic sand. It’s such a cool experience swimming through shimmering thermoclines and being greeted by the friendly resident Pufferfish!
My absolute favourite dive was The Canyon, located on the island’s northeastern tip. This world-famous advanced dive is characterised by dramatic rock formations, deep canyon channels, and walls covered in giant sea fans. Expect strong currents!
How to Get to Pulau Weh
FLY/BUS from Medan to BANDA ACEH
To get to Pulau Weh, you’ll need to come through Banda Aceh, the capital of the province of Aceh on the island of Sumatra. You can fly to Banda Aceh directly from Medan, or you can catch an overnight bus.
FLY
From Medan, Wings Air is a good choice as an airline, and flights start at £60 one-way (this was during the fuel crisis of 2026, so ordinarily this would be lower). The Wings website can be finicky, so domestic flights in Indonesia are the one and only time I use a 3rd party to book flights – Traveloka being the most popular and reliable.
BUS
If you want to travel local style and take the night bus, the journey is around 11 hours by sleeper, and the buses from Harapan Indah are very comfy, with private pods, chargers, blankets, water and snacks provided.
I recommend booking this ticket at least a week in advance, as we had to fly in the end because when we went to book our night bus two days before our intended travel day, the sleeper tickets had sold out, and we didn’t want to do 11 hours overnight in a chair. Tickets are 350,000, so £15 – a huge saving from the flights.
What’s also good about the bus is it gets you to Banda Aceh early in the morning, so you’ll have ample choice for timings for the ferry to Pulau Weh.
From Banda Aceh airport/bus stand, expect a 30-minute drive to the harbour. If you have time to kill, head to the Tsunami Museum (closed between 12pm and 2pm!).
Ferry Ulee Lheue (Banda Aceh) to Balohan (Pulau Weh)
The ferry schedule is subject to change and can be a little bit unreliable, but in June 2026:
Bahari Express: 8am, 10am, 4:15pm – 100K a ticket
Slow ferry: 8am, 12 noon, 4:30pm – 35K a ticket
*Bring seasickness tablets; it’s wavy and not much outside space for fresh air.
This is a strictly muslim area, and with Friday being the holy day, this ferry schedule will not be the same.
Getting the ferry is a little complicated, and we definitely had some hiccups on both the way and the way back, so I have gone into the process in great detail in my post: A Scuba-diver’s travel guide to Pulau Weh.
Where to Stay on Pulau Weh
Most of the dive sites on Pulau Weh are concentrated around Iboih and Gapang Beach, so it would make sense to choose a dive shop and accommodation in that area.
We chose Lumba Lumba, due to it being a 5* instructor development centre, and we wanted to do our Rescue Diver Course. Considering how sleepy Pulau Weh is, it is a great place to continue your dive education, as there is very little to do outside of scuba and snorkelling, especially in the evenings.
Budget: Apollo Bungalows, Iboih
Luxury: Lumba Lumba Living Room Cottage, Gapang
We stayed in the Living Room Cottage at Lumba Lumba, which is normally out of our price range, but we felt like a treat, and we were very happy there. If you would prefer to support a local homestay, make sure to rent a moped so you can commute to Lumba Lumba for your diving!
Leaving Sumatra
Banda Aceh has one tiny international gate at its airport, which flies to both Kuala Lumpur and Penang in Malaysia. KL would be a great link for your next destination; otherwise, you can fly to Penang and stuff your face on some of the best food in the world in George Town.
FOR TRAVEL INSURANCE for Sumatra, I used SafetyWing, as they let me open a policy partway through my travels, and they cover scuba diving, surfing and trekking in their adventure sports add-on!
They do a 4-week rolling one for nomads, and I have claimed several times with them and the process has always been straightforward and efficient. I could not recommend them enough.
Budget for Sumatra Travel
On a global scale, Sumatra (like the rest of Indonesia) is a relatively affordable place to travel. You can always find a clean and comfortable guesthouse room for less than £10 per night.
If you take public transport, and even taxis, they are very cheap compared to the UK.
I think you can budget £25 per day quite comfortably for accommodation, food, drinks and travel. Then you just need to add on extra for activities.
Below is a sample list of how much things cost in Sumatra, on average, in 2026:
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- Beer – 30K / £1.20
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- Fresh Juice – 15K / 60p
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- Local Coffee – 10K / 40p
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- Coffee Machine style Coffee – 40K / £1.70
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- Local, simple meal (Veggie omelette, Banana Pancake, Nasi Goreng, Mie Goreng) – 25k / £1
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- Local, elevated meal (e.g. BBQ fish, prawn curry) – 80k / £3.50
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- Overnight luxury sleeper bus – 350k / £15
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- 45 Minute fast ferry – 100k / £4.20
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- Scuba dive with all equipment – 600k / £25
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- Surfboard rental one day – 150K / £6
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- 2 Hour private surf lesson – 500k / £21
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- Gojek moto-taxi 5km – 20k / 80p
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- Cotton trousers from market – 80k / £3.40
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- 3 Day, 2 Night Jungle trek (all inclusive with guide, food, camp, permits etc) – 170 Euros
Thank you for reading my 3-week travel itinerary for Sumatra!
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Happy Travels! xx
Disclosure:
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