Tea gardens
Green terraces below the volcano.
Eryantii — CC BY 4.0 · Eryantii — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kibe00 — CC BY 4.0 · Cendy00 — CC BY 4.0
An active volcano rising about 3,170 metres above the town of Pagar Alam, South Sumatra's highest peak, its lower slopes clothed in broad tea estates the Dutch planted in the 1920s, stepping green up the hills to the forest with the towering cone of the mountain behind. The tea gardens are the main draw for most visitors: winding roads between the green rows, viewpoints and cafés serving fresh Dempo tea, cool fresh air above a thousand metres, and beautiful sunrises when the sky is clear. The climb to the crater is a hard trek of a day or two with a guide, ending at a crater holding a green lake. Fees are token, about five thousand rupiah at some points, and driving through the estates is free. Pagar Alam is a quiet mountain town about six hours by car from Palembang, known for tea, vegetables and ancient megalithic sites, so allow two days.
Green terraces below the volcano.
Above a thousand metres.
For those who reach the top.
Slopes of Mount Dempo, Pagar Alam city, South Sumatra
By road from Palembang in about six hours, or by air to Pagar Alam's small Atung Bungsu airport when flights run.