Bukit Lawang is a village on the Indonesian Island of Sumatra. It is known for being the gateway of the Gunung Leuser National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is home to various bird, plant and mammal species, most famously the Sumatran Orangutan which is why we visited.
However, the reason why I chose this image for today’s Friday Photo Project is not the orangutans but the village itself. In 2003 a flash flood hit Bukit Lawang and killed many of its residents making many children orphans. Around 400 houses, 3 mosques, 8 bridges, 280 kiosks and food stalls, 35 hotels and guest houses were destroyed by the flood and around 1,400 locals lost their homes. One of the main reasons why the village was hit so hard was because of illegal logging around the village. If the trees were still there, they would have soaked up a lot of the water. A devastating example of nature showing us that if we mess with our environment we will eventually pay the price.
Thankfully, Bukit Lawang is back in full swing. It is a great place to visit not only for our red cousins but for the village and villagers themselves. We had an amazing time with the ultra-friendly locals. Every night we would sit on the porch of our guesthouse swigging beer and jamming with fellow travellers and our guesthouse staff. Our guesthouse even had lyrics printed out for world-famous songs so everyone could sing along. If you want a real, authentic travel experience then Bukit Lawang is the place for you.
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