Lampung

Lampung occupies Sumatra's southern tip, separated from Java by the Sunda Strait. With about 9 million people, it is one of Sumatra's most populous provinces and serves as the gateway between Sumatra and Java — the Bakauheni ferry port on Lampung's east coast handles tens of millions of vehicle crossings per year to Merak on the Java side. The province is best known internationally for Krakatoa (Krakatau), the volcano whose 1883 eruption was one of the most destructive in recorded history.

Geography

Lampung covers about 35,000 square kilometres, with the Bukit Barisan mountain range forming the western part of the province and lowlands sloping east. The southwestern coast on the Indian Ocean is dramatic; the eastern coast on the Java Sea is gentler. Several active volcanoes including Krakatoa lie offshore in the Sunda Strait.

Krakatoa

The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa was one of the most catastrophic volcanic events in modern history — the explosion was audible 3,000 km away, the tsunamis killed over 36,000 people, and the global climate cooled measurably for several years. The original island was largely destroyed.

Anak Krakatau ("Child of Krakatoa") emerged from the sea in 1927 and has been actively growing since. In 2018 a flank collapse triggered a tsunami that killed over 400 people in the Sunda Strait. The volcano remains highly active.

Tours to Anak Krakatau leave from Carita (West Java side) and from Lampung. The crater is visible from boats; landing depends on volcanic activity status.

Way Kambas National Park

Way Kambas, on Lampung's east coast about 100 km from Bandar Lampung, is one of Sumatra's most accessible national parks and home to:

• Sumatran elephants: about 250 in the park; the famous elephant training centre allows visitors to watch and interact with rehabilitated elephants
• Sumatran rhinoceros: one of the few remaining habitats for this critically endangered species, with about 30 individuals
• Sumatran tigers: present but rarely seen

The park offers half-day to multi-day visits. The elephant centre is the main draw for most visitors.

Bandar Lampung

The provincial capital (population about 1.2 million) is a coastal city formed by the merger of two older towns (Tanjungkarang and Telukbetung). It is the economic and administrative centre but not a major tourist destination. Notable:

• Lampung Museum: regional history and ethnography
• Tugu Adipura monument: central landmark
• Pasar Bambu Kuning: traditional market

Tapis weaving

The tapis tradition — gold-thread-embroidered ceremonial cloths — is one of Lampung's most distinctive cultural products. Found especially in Liwa and other highland villages. The cloths are used in traditional weddings and ceremonies and have become collectors' items.

Practical

• Airport: Radin Inten II International Airport near Bandar Lampung, with flights from Jakarta and other Indonesian cities
• Bakauheni ferry: continuous service to Merak on Java; the standard Sumatra-Java overland crossing
• Best time: dry season (May-September)
• Krakatoa tours: from Bandar Lampung or via Carita on the Java side
• Way Kambas: book through park-approved operators; allow 2-3 days for the elephant programme
• Climate: hot, humid, equatorial

Other places

• Tanjung Setia: surf beach on the Indian Ocean coast; long uncrowded waves
• Liwa highlands: cool weather, coffee plantations, tapis weaving villages
• Pahawang Island: snorkelling
• Kiluan Bay: dolphin viewing, off the southwest coast

Lampung is most often passed through by visitors moving between Sumatra and Java. For those who stop, Krakatoa, Way Kambas, and the Indian Ocean coast are substantial draws.