Beach at walur village, Lampung, South Sumatra Beach near Walur village

Travel destinations South Sumatra

With it's perfect tropical beaches, highland jungle treks and surf, South Sumatra can still offer an off the beaten track adventure. Too far out of the way for most tourists it's a destination for travellers who don't need or want a lot of tourism infrastructure.

Don't think Bali, Phuket, Lombok or Vietnam. Prepare yourself for Wifi that's as slow as a snail, a power supply that turns your air-conditioning into a fan heater and a rugged look that's straight out of a classic Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western.

Development has been steady over the last 20 years but confined to the areas of Krui, Walur Headland, Tanjung Setia and Mandiri Sejati. Here the once stunning coastal environment has been hacked down to make way for concrete walls and fences built to limit free access to the beach. If you're looking for an authentic Indonesian experience you'll probably have to look further afield.

Luckily you don't have to look too far as the rest of Pesisir Barat's coastline remains virtually untouched and retains it's original charm. Exploring it requires a DIY attitude and you won't see many familiar faces once you leave the tourist zones but you will have stepped off the beaten track.

The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see. ~ Gilbert Chesterton