Siberut National Park with Its Virgin Jungle

Siberut is an island located at the offshore of West Sumatra beach, separated by Mentawai strait. Its distance with Padang city is 155 km. Siberut National Park is situated in the island, with more than 60% covered by primary forest of Dipterocarpaceae, mixed primary forest, swamp, coastal forest and mangrove. The forest in the National Park is generally still natural with many high trees with the average height of 60 metre.

Siberut National Park has 4 kinds of primate fauna that can not be found in any places of the world (endemic), such as bokkoi (Macaca pagensis), lutung mentawai / joja (Presbytis potenziani siberu), bilou (Hylobates klossii), and simakobu (Nasalis concolor siberu). Beside, there are 4 kind of endemic squirrels, 17 kinds of mamalia fauna and 130 kinds of birds (4 of them are endemic).

Siberut island and its National Park is stated as one of biosphere sanctuary by UNESCO in the Man and The Biosphere program (MAB).

There are still a few of tourists and visitors interested in traveling into the National Park area. And until now, the main tourism objects for the visitors are the culture of Mentawai people who live in and around the National Park. In many ways, Mentawai people is still very traditional and most of them are still animist. Their social activities are centered around their Uma, a family house which has along size and is inhibited by 30 - 80 people.

The visit to Siberut National Park is a traveling combination of boating, oaring, strolling on the mud track, enjoying the beauty of natural tropical forest circumstance, including plant and fauna observation, waterfall and the observation of local people way of life. The journey will become unforgetable experience. The journey to Siberut island is usually arranged by travel agents from Padang city and Bukit Tinggi including tourist guide.

Some of Interesting Places to be Visited

• Adobak, Rokdok, Matotonan, Rorogot, Butui, Teteburuk, Selaoinan and Mailepet: explore the forest, follow the river, hot water spring, waterfall, nautical tourism, wild life and plant observation, and cultural tourism (uma house and religious dance),
• Sagulubek and Masilok beaches: surfing and snorkling, sea garden and mangrove.
• Cultural attraction outside National Park: Gandang Tasa festival in May, Tabuik festival in June at Padang city.
• The best time to Visit: during January until September every year.
• The best way to reach the location: from Padang (Muara Padang) to Muara Siberut / Muara Sikabaluan / Muara Saibi using ship (3 times a week) at night. It takes time fo 10 hours.
  

If you want to know further detail of the park, please contact:
Office: Jl. Raden Saleh No. 8C, PO Box 159 Padang, Sumatera Barat, Telp./Fax. (0751) 442309
E-mail: tsiberut@indosat.net.id

Siberut National Park:
Wide : 190500 hectare
Location: Mentawai archipelago regency, West Sumatra province.
temperature: 22 - 31 C.
Rainfall: 2.900 - 3.700 mm/ a year
height: 0 - 500 m. dpl