Tourist Spots inside Leuser National Parks:
g. Bukit Lawang (Lawang Hill) - Bahorok
Bukit Lawang is the eastern main gateway to
Leuser National Park. It took about
2.5 hours to reach Bukit Lawang from Medan (North Sumatra province capital)
through Binjai. You can drive your own vehicle from Medan to Bukit Lawang or
use public transport services. If you want to take public transport, you have
to depart from Pinang Baris Bus Terminal, Medan City. |
| Sumatran Orangutan on Bukit Lawang |
Bukit Lawang becomes the
mainstay of the entire Leuser National Park Tourism programs because of their main fuction as Rehabilitation and Research Center of
Sumatran Orangutan. Moreover, Bukit Lawang also has stunning panoramic views of a virgin tropical
rain forests as an additional tourism assets. Bukit Lawang, or better known as The Sumatran Orangutan
Observation Center has an area of 200 ha, located in the village of Bukit
Lawang Plantation, Bahorok – Langkat District, North Sumatra Province.
Formerly Bukit Lawang is the Orangutan rehabilitation center for reintroduction
back into the docile nature. History of the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in
Bukit Lawang started from a program run by the WWF and the Zoological Society
Frankfurd in 1973.
The prime tourist in Bukit Lawang is observing
Sumatran Orangutan in their origin habitat and visiting
the orangutan feeding, which takes place twice daily.
However, some visitors
stay for many weeks without visiting the orangutans, preferring to soak up the
relaxed forest atmosphere. Other activities you can do are swimming, fishing,
and exploring Bahorok or Landak River.
 |
| Bukit Lawang Tourist Center |
There are various alternatives to overnight in
Bukit Lawang, there is ‘Pondok Wisata’ a cottage with a natural feel with rate
varying between Rp 100.000 – Rp 500.000 (US$ 10 up to US$ 50 for US$1=Rp
10.000) per night. There is a camping ground area, viewing center, information
center, visitor center, etc. There are experienced tour guides and tour
packages available in Bukit Lawang.
h. Sekundur Indah'Sekundur Indah' is the name of a tourist area located in the village of Bukit Mas, District Besitang, Langkat. From Medan city is approximately 115 km, through the street of Stabat - Simpang Pangkalan Susu and then turn to the right in the Simpang Lima, from here the journey continued, following unpaved plantation road up to the 'Pantai Buaya'. From "Tekong" (name of a place in Pantai Buaya), the trip continued with down the Besitang river by motor boat towards the upstream with a travel time about 45 minutes.
Apart from the river, Sekundur is also
accessible by road, but due to extremely bad road conditions, we do not
recommend you to do it. However, if you would like for off road adventure sure
you may take it as your choice.
In Sekundur Indah, you probably can see the
Sumatran elephants and Sumatran deer in their original habitat.
On site tourist accommodation, facilities are
available.
Tourist activities that available Sekundur
Indah are:
(1).
Eco Adventure: Exploring the woods, watching wildlife / plant, Safari elephant
tracks, Bird Watching, Living with an Elephant, Living with local people,
Camping, canoeing, fishing and cycling.
(2). Eco Education (program thematic route);
this program designed with specific-purpose guiding participant to be more
familiar with tropical forests, local fruit trees, wetland ecosystem, reptile
& amphibian species, succession and regeneration of tropical forests.
(3). Eco Research: Research Society biodiversity
and the environment.
To be continued
