Chapter 1 - Sumatra - An Introduction
Geography, history, ethnicity and my travel plan
After visiting the Island of Java in 2024, I decided to travel to Sumatra in 2025 as a dedicated trip was required to cover this part of Indonesia.
Geography and People
Sumatra is the Sixth largest Island in the world spanning both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Sumatra's population is around 60 Million making it the fifth-most populous island in the world.
Sumatra has a tropical rainforest climate with dry and wet seasons and has a wide range of plant and animal species. However over the years, it has lost almost 50% of its tropical rainforest due to deforestation and cultivation of rubber and Palm plantations. Many species are critically endangered including the Sumatran tiger, elephant, rhinoceros, and the orangutan.
Sumatra is a highly seismic island. The Great Sumatran fault runs the entire length of the island along its west coast. Earthquakes are very common throughout the coastal area of the west and center and tsunamis are common due to the high seismicity in the area.
History
In ancient times, Sumatra was known by the Sanskrit names of Suvarṇadvipa (Island of Gold) and Suvarṇabhumi (Land of Gold). The first Kingdom in Sumatra were the Melayus who in turn were absorbed by Srivijaya Kingdom.
After the 11th century, the dominant role of Srivijaya ended and the spread of Islam in Indonesia occurred gradually, starting from the western regions which became the first place for the spread of Islam in the archipelago due to its position of being close to the Malacca strait. By 13th Century, large part of Sumatra converted to Islam.
Aceh in the north of Sumatra became the trading center for Pepper in the 16th century and the establishment of the Aceh Sultanate. The reign of Iskandar Muda is known as the golden age of Sumatra because he extended the cultural influence of the Aceh Sultanate to Padang and Johor. The Aceh Sultanate sustained the rivalry with the Johor sultanate, the Dutch, and the Portuguese throughout the 16th and 17th century
With the coming of the Dutch Empire, the Sumatran princely states gradually fell under Dutch control.
Ethnicities and languages
There are 11 large ethnic groups and 52 languages in Sumatra. The largest indigenous ethnic groups in Sumatra are Malays (Central), Minangkabaus (West), Bataks (North) Acehnese (Aceh), and Lampungs (South).
Ethnic Groups
The majority of people in Sumatra are Muslims (87%), while 11% are Christians, and less than 2% are Buddhists and Hindus.
Travel Plan
Broadly my plan was to start from the North starting with Banda Aceh and then travel my way south. I hoped to cover the main provinces and cultural groupings which included Aceh (Extreme North) , Medan (North), Padang (West) and then Palembang (South).
Stay Connected Beyond the Newsletter!
Love my travel stories, food discoveries, and creative content? Make sure you follow my profile on Substack to never miss a new project or update!
🔹 Get notified when I launch new series or themed content
🔹 Explore exclusive behind-the-scenes insights
🔹 Engage with my Notes and discussions