I woke up around 8 am to plan my activities for the day. Surprisingly, I found out that I would be visiting a crocodile farm in Medan later. With assistance from the Kesawa hotel’s reception, I headed to a tourist information kiosk, conveniently situated just 5 minutes from the hotel along the main road. The friendly lady there welcomed me and provided a small map of Medan along with a large map of central Sumatra. Inquiring about a tourist bus to Bukit Lawang, she marked Tobali Tours on the map, located just behind the Grand Mosque of Medan. Without hesitation, I decided to head there immediately.
After a 20-minute walk, I reached Tobali Tours. During the journey, I didn’t feel well; Medan was a hot and dusty city with limited sidewalks, and the ones available were quite narrow. Moreover, I didn’t sense a particularly welcoming atmosphere. At Tobali Tours, a man named Michael informed me that transportation to Bukit Lawang would cost 175,000 IDR since I was traveling alone. Despite attempting to negotiate, the prices were fixed. When asked about my preferred departure time, I chose 3 pm. Michael mentioned that if there were other tourists joining at that time, I would receive a 75,000 IDR refund.
Bitterballen in Indonesia
Upon returning to the hotel, I dined at a Western-style restaurant across the street. To my surprise, the menu featured Dutch bitterballen, a reminder of the historical Dutch influence in the region. While enjoying my drink outside, approximately five beggars approached the restaurant’s border, seeking attention. Swiftly, three waiters appeared at my table, shooing the beggars away with gestures and shouts. This scenario repeated several times, creating a rather unusual experience. In contrast to Banda Aceh, I observed a higher number of beggars here.
Tobali Tours picked me up at 3 pm, and fortunately, a few other tourists joined the trip, as Michael informed me. Upon reaching Tobali Tours, I received a refund of 75,000 rupiah. Later in the afternoon, we picked up Jamie and Maguire, two friends employed in China. Jamie, a 29-year-old Englishman, and Maguire, an American girl, both work as English teachers in China.
Innumerable Reptiles
The trip from Medan was expected to last up to three hours. In the afternoon, Jamie and Maguire requested the driver to make a stop at the crocodile farm in Medan, a pleasant surprise for me as I had no prior knowledge of the arrangement. The crocodile farm was somewhat shocking to me, but the majority of the crowd, mostly Indonesians, seemed indifferent to the poor living conditions of the animals. I personally found the enclosures to be excessively small and poorly maintained.
Numerous crocodiles in the crocodile farm appeared motionless, almost lifeless, but appearances were deceiving. Maguire fixed her gaze on one of the crocodiles near the edge. Out of nowhere, the crocodile swiftly leaped, snapping its jaws loudly in Maguire’s direction. Needless to say, she experienced the most significant fright among us. Quick as a cheetah, Maguire sprinted away from the fence or wall, and Jamie and I couldn’t contain our laughter.
Our taxi driver proposed the idea of feeding the crocodiles, and Jamie and I were interested, but Maguire declined. Jamie and I agreed to share the cost 50/50 (35,000 IDR) for one duck. The staff member went inside the building to fetch a duck for us. Naively, I assumed they would provide the crocodiles with a frozen, lifeless duck, but being in Indonesia, things unfolded differently. The staff member returned, holding a live duck in his hands.
Following that, I anticipated that he would feed Porosus, the massive 41-year-old crocodile residing alone in one of the basins. However, to my surprise, with a forceful throw, the duck soared through the air over the fence and into the lake. It was then that I noticed the lake teeming with duckweed and its concealed inhabitants. I estimated there were between 50 to 100 crocodiles swimming in the small lake.
Feeding Time
All the locals rushed toward the fence to witness the spectacle we had just initiated. It was madness! The Indonesians must have thought, ‘Crazy foreigners.’ The duck managed to evade the initial attack and swam to the sides. People were laughing and enjoying the spectacle. I couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty; this seemed somewhat cruel to the living ducks. Fortunately, our duck survived and sought refuge in the bushes on a small patch of land next to the fence.
At that moment, I playfully suggested to Jamie, and now I regret it, saying, “Looks like we need to get another duck.” Jamie responded, “You want to buy another one?” I replied, “Do you want to buy another one?” Jamie agreed, saying, “Let’s do it.” I added, “Okay, but if the duck doesn’t make it, I have a clear conscience on this one.” Jamie said, “Okay.” And so, we bought another duck.
On this occasion, our taxi driver tossed the duck with much greater force, and unfortunately, the poor bird landed in the center of the lake. There was no chance of survival for this duck; as soon as it hit the water, one of the crocodiles attacked. It occurred within seconds. The crocodile swiftly seized the duck between its jaws. Submerged underwater, the duck struggled helplessly. Eventually, the struggle ceased, and the show came to an end. The duck had drowned.
We returned to the car and resumed our journey. Throughout the ride, the driver persuaded me to book the two-day trekking tour with their company. With Jamie and Maguire also participating, the peer pressure influenced my decision. In Bukit Lawang, I intended to visit each tour operator, attempting to secure a discount through negotiation. Eventually, I discovered that all prices for the tours (with various operators) were fixed (50 euros for a 2-day trek and 10 euros for rafting).
Arrival in Bukit Lawang
Time to explore Bukit Lawang. We reached the village in the evening, around 7 pm. The sky was in twilight, and the driver took me to my accommodation, Thomas Retreat. I had no prior impression of the village, but I caught a brief glimpse. The notable part of the journey was crossing the river on a rickety wooden suspension bridge, followed by a left turn.
Thomas Retreat was situated right at the jungle entrance and adjacent to the riverbank, boasting the best reviews on Tripadvisor. The check-in process was relaxed—simply enter your room and settle the payment upon departure. Despite the absence of hot water, the room was excellent. Considering the jungle setting, I felt quite pampered with the accommodation.
In the evening, I enjoyed a fantastic dinner and had the pleasure of meeting Michael and his fourteen-year-old daughter, Gaya. Hailing from Tasmania, Australia, they were on a short holiday in Sumatra. Michael generously shared numerous travel tips about Lake Toba and kindly offered to keep my backpack while I embarked on a trek the next day. I graciously accepted his hospitality—some people are truly remarkably welcoming. Michael also recommended Bukittinggi, a place I wasn’t familiar with. The way he described it and the potential experiences convinced me to visit if the opportunity arose, and eventually I did.
Welcome to the Jungle
Later that evening, I strolled around and observed numerous people gathering together. The locals were playing music, and I spotted Jamie and Maguire in the midst of it all. I happily joined the vibrant group and quickly became immersed in the laid-back, hippie atmosphere.
That night, we indulged in numerous fantastic acoustic songs. We covered tunes from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Rolling Stones, Coldplay, and even some Dutch songs, with the Indonesian guy skillfully playing the guitar and singing Dutch lyrics. I was pleasantly surprised when they started singing “Het is een nacht” by Guus Meeuwis. Two Dutch girls and a Dutch guy were also present. I relished the lively atmosphere, the company, and the music, which is why I retired to bed quite late.
