12 Epic Things to Do That You Can Discover in South Sumatra

South Sumatra is one of the provinces in Indonesia that has a lot of beautiful scenery and historical spots. Has been civilized since the pre-historic era, it makes this place is rich from the histories and cultures side. And while you are here, these are the epic things that you can do and discover!

1 | Marvel at Air Batu Lake

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This one was actually not a tourism site. In the beginning, this was an entrenchment of the mining that was left behind and become a lake. Located in Banyuasin, South Sumatra, this lake has a fascinating view. With green colored water and surrounded by little cliffs and relief, this lake has become one of the most visited places around the area. A lot of tourists came to the ground not only to enjoy the beautiful scenery, some of them also came just to take pictures. Even there are so many local tourists make a visit here to do their pre-wedding shoots. And it the place itself is so reachable. It takes only about 50 minutes from the central part of Palembang.

2 | Explore Sembilang National Park

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Covering 2,051 km2 along the east coast of Sumatra, this national park is dominated by swamps as peat forests. The park is considered to have the most complex shorebird community in the world, with 213 species recorded. It provides habitat for 53 mammal species, including the endangered Sumatran Tiger, Sumatran Elephant, Malayan Tapir, Siamang, as well as the vulnerable Sunda Clouded Leopard, Marbled Cat, and Sun Bear. And the rivers of the park are inhabited by over 140 species of fish and 38 species of crab. Within the park is the largest breeding colony of milky storks in the world. You can explore this area by speedboat or barge, or canoe, if you wish to explore the swampy area.

3 | Have an Adventurous Journey to Mount Dempo

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Mount Dempo is the highest volcano in South Sumatra. For the adventurous experience, you can hike up this 3,173 meters high active volcano and see its spectacular view from up above! There are 7 craters around the summit and even a 400 meters wide lake. To make it even better, camp at the caldera near the top of Mount Dempo, and sleep under the stars and take the sunrise in the morning. For the seasoned hiker, it takes about 3 hours up and slightly under that to decent. While a guide is not required, for your safety, you need to get a permit at the car park starting point.

4 | Chill at Ranau Lake

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Ranau Lake is the second largest lake in Sumatra. Located in the borderline of West Lampung, West Sumatra Province and Ogan Komering Ulu Regency, South Sumatra. This lake was not even there until the blast of volcanic made a huge basin around the area back then. And as time goes by, that huge basin slowly turned into a lake. This lake has a hilly topography which makes the weather is breezy and refreshing. The visitors can dive along the lakeside from Banding Agung to Pusri cottage to adore the wonderful view of a lake and mount Seminung. There also are several tourist attractions to enjoy at the lakeside road such as swimming pool and Water Park. And you can also jet skiing around the lake!

5 | Enjoy the City Forest of Punti Kayu

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Taman Wisata Alam (TWA) Punti Kayu is the only forest in the city of Palembang. Located right at its heart, this park has become an integral part of the city, both for the tourism and for being the lung of the capital city of South Sumatra. Spreads around 50 hectares on the ground, most of the area is used for conservation purposes. Surrounded by pines, a lot of tourists, both local and foreign, enjoy the cold-relaxing air and the calming scenery of the place. And you can experience the super fun attractions at the mini amusement park, such as riding horses and/or elephants, or you can just take a swim by the pool and chill out!

6 | Make Way to Curup Maung Waterfalls

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Curup Maung, also known as Maung Waterfalls, is located in Rinduhati Village, Gumay Ulu sub-district, Lahat Regency, South Sumatra. In order to reach this place, travelers must pass a challenging route. The view of this place is very beautiful and different from the other waterfalls that can make you so amazed. There are some water streams in this waterfall that makes some stairs of water. All the cliff surface of this waterfall is covered with many medium-size plants. While watching the beauty of the Mother Nature, you can relax in the giant rocks formation in the riverbank. There are lots of big trees around the place, which makes it more beautiful. And the best part is, there is no ticket entrance to enjoy this beauty.

7 | Trek to Gunung Nyawe Waterfalls

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Located nearby the flow of Lematang River, Talang Sejemput Village, South Sumatra, Gunung Nyawe waterfall has a height of 100 and the water is always swearing swiftly. The tall cliffs that surround the waterfall make the area look so fascinated. The cliffs are yellow, combined with the green color of the trees. You can sit back and relax on the rocks nearby the pool and enjoy the scenery. When the weather is good, you can see the rainbow from where you sit. Being in the natural attractions, this waterfall always makes your eyes stunned with its sublime view. Therefore, this place has always been crowded, especially on the holidays.

8 | Check Out the Incredible Temam Waterfall

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Temam waterfall has 12 meters high and 25 meters wide. It's location surrounded by natural rocks and green trees with a genuine natural environment. This waterfall is located in the river flow of Temam, Air Temam Village, Lubuk Linggau. On top of the waterfall, there is a suspension bridge that ran along a 100 meters, so that visitors can view the falls from the top only at a distance of about 50 meters. The cost of admission for Temam entrance also quite cheap, which is only 10,000 Rupiah for each person!

9 | Wander to Bukit Besak

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Bukit Besak, often called as Bukit Besar (Big Hill), is situated in Perangai Village, Lahat Regency, South Sumatra. This big hill itself has the height of 1700 meters above the sea level. It takes approximately 3 hours of hiking to get to the top of the hill. And while you are tracking up to the top, you can already enjoy the green scenery of the environs. As the twilight crawls in, you can feel the change of the weather very clearly, with the thin fog started to cover the scenery up. And in the evening, you can enjoy the bright clear starry sky from the camp!

10 | Visit Air Terjun Mandi Hawa in Baturaja

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Air Terjun Mandi Hawa is located in Tualang Village, Lengkiti district, around 43 kilometers from the heart of Baturaja city. On the way to this waterfall, the Sound of Saka River flowing in a small stream will accompany you. Based on the myth that locals believe, this site was the battlefield of turf between Puyang Dehang and Puyang Lampung Abung. And today, there are a lot of relics from that turf that you may found around this historical ground. Some of them are Batu Asahan, Kolam Darah (Blood Banks), and Kuburan Puyang. So, if you visit this place, you can enjoy the scenery of the refreshing Air Terjun Mandi Hawa while learning about its history.

11 | Caving at Goa Batu Putri

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With the depth of 150 meters, 20 meters in height, and the width of 30 meters, this cave in Padang Bindu, Seindang district, is one of the icons of tourism spot in South Sumatra. Back in the days, this cave was a village of Prabu Amir Rasyid’s mistress family, Putri Dayang Merindu. In this cave, you will find the outfall of Sumuhun River. And based on the story, this river was the place where Putri Dayang Merindu bath herself. In the center of the cave, you will see many kinds of unique stones. Some of them make a shape like a king’s throne, and some of them shaped like a tiger. You can also see the picturesque stalactite and stalagmites in this historical cave.

12 | Discover the Beauty of Danau Cinta Tanjung Enim

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Located in Tanjung Enim district, South Sumatra, this lake was actually not open for a tourism purpose. But then again, this place was always crowded. So now, they make it official that this lake is open for tourists to enjoy the view and the scenery, with 10,000 Rupiah as an entrance ticket. And why is this lake called Danau Cinta (Love Lake), because this lake is shaped like a heart. Around the lake, there is one beautiful hill called Bukit Kendi. But it takes an hour to get to the hill, and you have to pass the challenging track too. But it’s worth the effort because the scenery from the top of the hill is way more magnificent! You can see clearly the greeneries surround the blue colored lake water from up above.

So these are the 12 epic things that you can discover in South Sumatra. If you’re having a vacation and thinking about visiting Indonesia, be sure to put steps in South Sumatra. Bet you will fall in love instantly the first time you make a glance at these sites.

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