Horas (welcome) everyone to Exploring Sumatra! We are Agung and Carly – an Indonesian/Kiwi couple living smack-bang in the middle of Lake Toba in North Sumatra.

Carly first visited Sumatra waaaay back in 2009 and fell head over heels in love with the jungle. After 7 years of back-and-forth visits, she finally ditched NZ to live here permanently in 2016.

Agung may have been born here, but his love for this wonderful island is just as intense – how could it not be when you grow up in an idyllic jungle village!? Lucky for us, that enchanting village eventually introduced us, and we’ve spent the last 8 years exploring Sumatra together, now from our home base on stunning Samosir Island.

Over that time, we started our website and YouTube channel and began sharing the Sumatra love! We have helped hundreds of people discover Sumatra and plan incredible adventures throughout the island.

We don’t just write about Sumatra, we LIVE it! As a former solo female traveller and a local traveller, we have firsthand experience of the challenges involved in navigating one of the most stunning off-the-beaten-path destinations in Indonesia.

We genuinely believe that a trip to Sumatra can be a life-changing experience, and we want to encourage people to get out of their comfort zones and discover it for themselves!

Rumah Bolon - Home of the Batak

Rumah Bolon - Home of the Batak: Canvas Print

Rumah Bolon - Home of the Batak: Canvas Print

Rumah Bolon - Home of the Batak: Digital Print

Rumah Bolon - Home of the Batak: Digital Print

Rumah Bolon - Home of the Batak: Poster Print

Rumah Bolon - Home of the Batak: Poster Print