It’s said that when children die in the
mountain village of Moni, their spirits
soar high towards Mount Kelimutu,
settling in the warmest and bluest of the
volcano’s sacred, tricoloured lakes.
- STAND ON A VOLCANO
Mount Sibayak, Sumatra
Sibayak’s fiery fumaroles are a staggering sight: hot and pungent
and spewing out f luorescent yellow sulphur at random. They
colour Sibayak’s barren, volcanic slopes and vent the beast that
bubbles beneath the Sumatran hill station of Berastagi. On the
other side of town, Sibayak’s wilder twin – Sinabung – has
exploded annually since 2013, but Sibayak only simmers, and the
stiff, three hour-long climb to the summit is perfect for self-
guided adventurers.
Follow the foot trail that leads from the outskirts of town up
Sibayak’s ever-steepening f lanks, switchbacking beneath the
long-tailed macaques that crash and call from the dense jungle
canopy. Through a muddy tangle of roots and undergrowth, you’ll
eventually top out above the treeline onto a rocky landscape full
of the fiery fumaroles that vent nasty smelling sulphur and colour
the slopes in vivid yellow pools.
Chase the steamy, swirling mist that rises to Sibayak’s 2,094-
metre summit to take in views of lush valleys and verdant,
volcanic peaks beyond. On the return trip, follow the obvious,
rocky trail that tumbles through bamboo forest down the other
side of the mountain and stop to bathe at Semangat Gunung, the
village of hot springs (5hr return).
The essentials: From Sumatra’s capital Medan, take a
90-minute bus ride to Berastagi and find a bed at one of the
guesthouses on the main road. Visit from May to June or
September to October.
Outdoor \ 77