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Many millennia after its violent history, Tuk Tuk is now a stunning oasis with unrivaled beauty. The local Batak people used to be cannibals, but now they take pride in their friendly, welcoming demeanor and favor cray- fish, homemade yogurt and banana pancakes over human flesh. Comfortable, and not yet on the touristy trail, we enjoyed swimming, sunbathing, bicycling, hiking and a leisurely kayak trip out on the lake. The waterfalls be- hind Tuk Tuk offered a particularly refreshing swim after the easy trek up, and the view was awesome. It wasn’t long before we felt a pull toward the city of Beristagi and its two volcanoes in the verdant Karo Highlands. Even though the sunrise at the top of Mount Sibayak is sup- posed to be spectacular, we opted for the more difficult Mount Sinabung, an enigma of a volcano that was long thought to be dor- mant until — much to the surprise of the lo- cals — it erupted in 2010 and forced nearly 20,000 people to evacuate. As we turned our toes toward the summit, its continued volcanic activity made itself known; a steady plume of smoke and steam could still be seen bubbling out from the top, and it has been erupting fre- quently since last September. The agricultural benefits of the region’s rich volcanic soils became apparent as we drove to the trailhead, undulating endlessly through landscapes of fertile crops. Passing families en route to their fields in ox-drawn carts, we felt a long way from condo life in downtown Seoul. These feelings would intensify: With a steep, relentless climb in excess of 1,000 meters, the hike took us up and out of the jun- gle and, eventually, above the clouds, where a sulfurous stink announced our imminent arrival at the summit. We spent three hours scrambling up hardened lava streams weaving through dense vegetation, but we had finally reached the steaming crater, and we had it all to ourselves. After our breathtaking experience at the top of Mount Sinabung, we decided to round out our trip with something a little closer to the ground: an orangutan search in Gunung Le- user National Park. We hiked overnight from the small village of Ketambe, got some rest, then met up with our machete-wielding guide, whose backside we would spend the next two days looking at as we wound through green, shadowy jungle. Since the orangutans here are truly wild, there could be no guarantee we would actually see one. However, we had several encounters, the most memorable of which involved an adult male who settled in for a nap mere steps away from us. Stunning. Affordable and accessible, yet off the beat- en path, Sumatra is Indonesia at its finest. Even the more luxurious accommodations are only about 130,000-175,000 rupiah ($11- $14), cheaper than a dinner out in Seoul. Speaking of food, the area has many lovely restaurants serving fresh-caught fish and lob- ster, coconut, rice, curries and beer for mere pennies. You can even get sandwiches made with avocados off the tree in the backyard for 10,000 Indonesian rupiah, or about 860 won. The flight down from Seoul will be your highest expense — April and May dates hover around 700,000 won round-trip. Whether you take a dip in a crater lake, scale a volcano or dive headfirst into the jungle with a machete, it’s well worth your time. Sumatra is heaven. 83 The hike took us up and out of the jungle and, eventually, above the clouds, where a sulfurous stink announced our imminent arrival at the summit. We had finally reached the steaming crater, and we had it all to ourselves.