From Sumatra to Siam - A cross cultural expedition

Jakarta, located in Java Island, is known as one of the most developed cities and biggest cities in Indonesia. This city is a mixture of old heritage, cultural richness, historical places and modern recreation. Whether you are foodie lovers, culture enthusiasts or history buffs, our Jakarta tour holidays will make your travel wishes come true.

Welcome to the biggest city in Sumatra Island – Medan, is the commercial and economic hub of this island. Medan is well known for its special traditional cuisine which is rich with many flavours. Take a Medan Tour which will help you gain an insightful view into the daily life and culture of this bustling city – visit the Tjong A Fie Mansion and the Grand Mosque, taste a bowl of soup at Soto Kesawan and know more about the history of the province at the Museum of North Sumatra.

Located in the Indonesian state of North Sumatra, Bukit Lawang is a small tourist town on the bank of the Bahorok River. It is around 86 km northwest of Medan and is the primary eastward entry point to Gunung Leuser National Park and home to the majority of Sumatran orangutan wildlife sanctuaries, with 5,000 or more living there. In 1973, the orangutan rehabilitation center at Bukit Lawang was established. Its primary goal was to protect the orangutan population, which was declining as a result of deforestation, poaching, and trade. The center closed in 2002 because it was becoming too touristic and unfit for the rehabilitation of animals.

The town and district of Karo Regency, Berastagi (Dutch: Brastagi, meaning 'rice store'), is located at a crossroads on the main highway that connects the coastal city of Medan with the Karo highlands of Northern Sumatra. The settlement of Berastagi is situated 1,300 meters above sea level and around 66 kilometers south of Medan. When Dutch immigrants in Sumatra established a boarding school there in the 1920s, the village gained notoriety. The colorful fruit and vegetable market and tourism are the two primary drivers of Berastagi's economy. Berastagi's passion fruit is well-known. The town's two active volcanoes, Mount Sinabung and Mount Sibayak, with its hot springs, are its main draws. You can climb each peak in a single day, but a guide is needed.

Large volcanic island Samosir, also known as Samosir Island, is situated in Lake Toba in the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Six of the nine districts that make up Samosir Regency are responsible for overseeing Samosir Island administratively. Approximately 75,000 years ago, a supervolcano erupted, creating the lake and island. The island was formerly a peninsula that was joined to the surrounding caldera wall by a narrow isthmus. To facilitate shipping, the Tano Ponggol Canal was built in 1907. Samosir is the biggest island inside an island and the sixth largest lake island in the world, covering 630 square kilometers (243 sq mi). Lake Sidihoni and Lake Aek Natonang, two of its smaller lakes, are also present. To the east, across the lake lies Uluan Peninsula. A small isthmus that connects the towns of Pangururan on Samosir and Tele on the mainland of Sumatra connects the western portion of the island to the mainland. As a result, Tele provides one of the best views of Samosir Island and Lake Toba.

Penang is a state on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Geographically, the state consists of Penang Island, and Seberang Perai, the mainland strip facing the island, which are separated by a small stretch of the Strait of Malacca. Penang is rich in culture and history, with a unique mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian and British influences. Visitors will find Penang brimming with charming historic buildings, ornate religious sites, sandy beaches, kampungs surrounded by rice paddies, vast unbeaten jungles, all topped with a splash of bustling city life. The unique way in which cultures have melded in Penang may be best represented in the food. Frequently voted among Asia’s top locations to eat street food, the blend of Malay, Chinese, Indian and European culinary traditions makes for an unforgettable banquet of taste sensations. Once was a British colonial holding, Penang has an abundance of classical Victorian architecture, particularly in the capital city, Georgetown. History buffs and architecture lovers in particular will appreciate the colonial-era Penang City Hall, Fort Cornwallis and the Penang State Museum. Part of Penang’s charm is that within minutes of admiring colonial architecture you can be wandering among the colorful statues of the Burmese Buddhist Temple or admiring the peaceful geometric patterns of the Kapitan Keling Mosque. Don’t miss the superb Pinang Peranakan Mansion, where the opulent lifestyle enjoyed by the wealthy Chinese Straits families has been recreated with antique furnishings from all over the world. If you enjoy getting back to nature, take a hike in the Penang National Park. Visit the nearby Penang Butterfly Farm for a colorful adventure the entire family will enjoy. And don’t miss the tropical spice garden, one of Malaysia’s premier eco-tourism attractions with more 100 herbs and spices growing wild.

Kuala Lumpur is a diversity cultural melting pot, where jade-topped Chinese gates open out onto palm-lined squares, Indian restaurants serve banana leaf curries in marigold-scented alleyways, and old-fashioned Malay villages lie squeezed between the skyscrapers. Founded in 1857 under British rule as a tin mining outpost, Kuala Lumpur is fairly new as far as Malaysian cities go and does not have the rich history like Georgetown or Malacca. After a couple of decades of fluctuation, Kuala Lumpur began to prosper and was made capital of the Federated Malay States in 1896. Today, Kuala Lumpur is the capital of one of the economic powerhouses of Asia. Kuala Lumpurites come in all sorts. Malaysian and Chinese make up 80 percent of the population, and about 7 percent are Indians. Among the rest are offspring of intermarriages between races. Most Kuala Lumpurites speak at least two languages, one of which is Malay, or Bahasa Malaysia, the national language; some speak up to five – including Chinese and Indian dialects.

Buzzing, humid and energetic, Bangkok is the city where magnificent temples, historic markets, skyscrapers and rooftop bars create an intoxicating vibe that's hard to resist. The city is a mesmerizing blend of old and new, East and West, and dizzying contradictions. Historical sites next to vibrant nightlife areas, bustling markets near modern shopping malls, and street food vendors close to world-class restaurants. Hence, the city is still fascinating for its traditional culture. Saffron-robed monks weave among the morning rush hour to collect alms; communities dwell in stilt houses by the Chao Phraya River, eking out a living using centuries-old skills. A city tour in Bangkok often begins in Rattanakosin, drawn by the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. It's here the Chao Phraya River separates the city proper from its old capital Thonburi, a spot where quitet, narrow canals and floating markets illustrate why Bangkok was once called 'Venice of the East'. East of the canals is modern Bangkok, a hive of activity with countless businesses, markets and shopping malls handily connect by the BTS Skytrain. As a city that feels alive day and night, Bangkok is the destination for all, from foodies, shopaholics, culture seekers, history lovers, urban explorers, even party animals. That makes the well-known Southeast Asian gateway one of the world's most visited cities.