Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine October 2015

Travel | Bukit Lawang © surfing waves / Alamy Stock Photo; © southeast asia / Alamy Stock Photo If during your visit you aren’t lucky enough to see them in the wild, visit the Orangutan Viewing Platform back in Bukit Lawang... Viewing Platform back in Bukit Lawang, where daily feedings take place from 8am to 3pm. The platform is designed to provide supplementary food for the semi-wild population until they become fully selfreliant. The feedings are attended by knowledgeable rangers and park staff who happily answer questions about the primates, the project and the rest of the park. Best of all, the orangutans tend to stick around while they snack on their bananas. Perhaps, for them, this is a human viewing platform. It’s fascinating to see them in their natural habitat, to look in their eyes and wonder what they might be thinking. They might be thinking the same of us! As I retreat to my lodge to call it a day, I smile, remembering that this is only day one at this wonderful nature reserve. Already I’ve adopted a new appreciation for the wild and a deeper understanding of the value and fragility of our rainforests and their complex ecosystem. I can’t wait for tomorrow… The balcony serves as the place for you to sit, relax and enjoy nature. If you are lucky, you will encounter wildlife from here too. Most of the buildings here at Ecolodge Bukit Lawang Cottages were built with bamboo or rattan. They blend nicely with the green surroundings. 129 WHERE TO STAY Ecolodge Bukit Lawang Cottages Tuck in for the night at Ecolodge Bukit Lawang Cottages, nestled on the edge of the Bohorok River and close to the entrance to the national park. The cottages have basic amenities with a comfortable bed complete with mosquito net. You won’t find a TV or AC in the room, since there’s more than enough to explore and enjoy in the great outdoors. The cottages are run on an eco-friendly model. Building materials are mostly locally sourced bamboo and rattan. Solar panels are used to reduce dependency on the grid. Run by a not-for-profit organisation, the Bohorok Environment Education Centre, all proceeds are funnelled straight back into community development, social programmes and nature conservation. www.ecolodgebukitlawang.com Menginaplah di Ecolodge Bukit Lawang Cottages, terletak di tepi Sungai Bohorok dan cukup dekat dengan pintu masuk taman nasional. Di pondok-pondok, tersedia perlengkapan hotel serta tempat tidur nyaman, lengkap dengan kelambunya. Tidak disediakan TV ataupun AC di kamar, karena ada banyak hal seru yang dapat dieksplorasi di luar ruangan. Penginapan ini dibangun secara ramah lingkungan. Sebagian besar bahan bangunannya berasal dari bambu dan rotan setempat. Panel surya digunakan untuk mengurangi penggunaan listrik berbahan bakar fosil. Penginapan ini dikelola oleh lembaga nirlaba bernama The Bohorok Environment Education Centre sehingga pemasukannya langsung dikembalikan kepada masyarakat untuk pengembangan, kegiatan sosial, serta konservasi alam.

Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine October 2015 | Page 131