Sumatra is the world's 6th largest island and perhaps the most cultural rich place in the whole of Indonesia.

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Sumatra is wild and rugged and home to many endangered species. The island has more than 10 National Parks, including Gunung Leuser National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, all these three are listed as World Heritage Sites. The island is home to 201 mammal species and 580 bird species. Some of the mammals are endemic to Sumatra, among these are: Sumatran Tiger, Sumatran Orangutan, Sumatran Rhinoceros (all three critically endangered), Sumatran Elephant, Malayan Sun Bear and Bornean Clouded Leopard.

More than 45 million people live on Sumatra, the most populous regions include most of North Sumatra and central highlands in West Sumatra. The major urban centers are Medan, the capital of the island with 2 million inhabitants, and Palembang. Sumatra is still visibly diverse, with more than 52 tribal languages and different cultures. In a few remaining pockets, hunter-gatherer tribes still collaborate with the jungle for survival.

Sumatra as a whole is a wild country with tropical forests at most places, volcanic activity in the Barisan mountains chain, the backbone of the island, Lake Toba situated at a height of around 1,000 meters above sea level and with beautiful sceneries, but also and island with many coffee plantations and a wide variety of agriculture.