The Potential of Bukit Lawang as an Ecotourism

lost their homes. After eight months of rebuilding. Bukit Lawang was re-opened again in July 2004. For many villagers the trauma of losing family, friends and their homes has taken a long time to come to terms. The people were facing unemployment and homelessness. It has been a long road to recovery and an especially hard task to rebuild a town with only limited financial assistance from the government. However the people in Bukit Lawang are survivors and the new village is taking shape and more businesses are opening again. Especially the young generation is hoping to rebuild the village in more sustainable way than before and they aware of the importance of preservation of the fragile eco system they live in. They can use all the support they can get and the income of tourism will help them in realizing their ideas for a brighter future for Bukit Lawang.

3.2 The Potential of Bukit Lawang as an Ecotourism

Ecotourism is a form of sustainable tourism development in support of efforts to preserve the environment, including nature and cultures. The local government involves local people in developing ecotourism in the Gunung Leuser National Park. WWF Indonesia sees in Bukit Lawang` area as a nature conservation area home to thousands of fauna, flora and animal species including Orangutans. With the development of ecotourism in the national park, local people must have equal Universitas Sumatera Utara values and bargaining position with other people, and they should not become objects but subjects of the ecotourism development projects. Bukit Lawang is most famous for being one of the last places in the world where can see Orangutans in the wild. Bukit Lawang is situated at the eastern side of Gunung Leuser National Park. Gunung Leuser National Park is magnificient rainforest of thus park have become famous throughout the world as the harbor some of the most endangered and rare species on earth for example Sumateran Rhinoceros, Orangutan and Rafflesia the largest flower in the world. The park is in habited by animals like the Great Argus Pheasant, Elephant, Sumateran Tiger and as many as seven species of primates of which is Siamang which has an impressive, far-reaching vocal display. The agile and pretty face Thomas leaf- monkey and long tailed macaques. In total the park lists 285 species of bird, 90 of mammals, reptiles and 35 of amphibians. The park-flora contains some 3.500 plants species and on each hectare of the lowland forest you can amazing 13-60 trees species. Bukit Lawang gives a sense of adventure, because they have many features, namely • Orangutan Feeding Platform Feeding time start 8am and 3pm everyday. There 25 minutes walk of about 25 KM from Bukit Lawang of the Orangutan station and than a short climb to the viewing centre. Universitas Sumatera Utara • Bat Cave This cave 2 KM south of Bukit Lawang, just 25 minute walk through the rubber plantation. There is short climbing before the entrance to the cave. Bring a flashlight for your safety. • River Trip Floating along the scenic Bahorok River, is about 2 KM and take 2-3 hours on an infated tube. These can be rented at numerous location. • Jungle Trekking The tropical rainforest of Gunung Leuser National Park has many interesting options for places to camp in the jungle for one day or longer. • White Water Rafting Spend a day or more rafting down the Wampe river on rubber boat. • Motor Bike Tour to Tangkahan From Bukit Lawang take a 2 hour ride to Tangkahan with motor bike, on the way you see a nice rurel village and organize elephant riding trek for 1 or 2 hours. • Planting tree The system on planting trees are tour land as private land they would like get the benefit from our land, they have some kind of trees on the land weather Universitas Sumatera Utara tree for wood or fruits. They plant the trees its for us and they share with the wild life as we have on the our land monkeys etc.

3.3 The Strategies in Developing Bukit Lawang as ecotourism