Maimun Palace in Medan was built in 1888 by the Sultan of Deli. Its design mixes Malay, Islamic, Indian and Italian styles, in bright yellow, the royal colour. The palace has about 30 rooms, and the main hall with its throne is open to visitors. Members of the sultan's family still live in part of the palace.

The Great Mosque of Medan, Masjid Raya Al Mashun, was built from 1906 to 1909 by the Sultan of Deli, near Maimun Palace. It was designed by a Dutch architect and mixes Moroccan, Middle Eastern, Indian and Spanish styles. It has an octagonal plan with a large central dome and smaller domes over its porches. Fine stained glass and marble decorate the interior.

Bukit Lawang is a village on the Bohorok River at the edge of Gunung Leuser National Park in North Sumatra. It is the best known place to see Sumatran orangutans in the wild. A rehabilitation centre for orangutans was set up here in 1973. Jungle treks lead into the rainforest, and visitors float back down the river on rubber tubes.

Sipiso-piso is a waterfall at the northern end of Lake Toba in North Sumatra. A small stream falls about 120 metres from a cliff into a deep gorge, making it one of the tallest waterfalls in Indonesia. Viewpoints at the top look over the falls and down to Lake Toba. A long stairway leads down towards the base.

Lake Toba in North Sumatra is the largest lake in Indonesia and the largest volcanic lake in the world, about 100 kilometres long. It fills the caldera left by a super eruption about 74,000 years ago. Samosir Island, nearly as big as Singapore, sits in the middle. The Batak people live around the lake, with carved traditional houses and tombs.

Jam Gadang is a clock tower in the centre of Bukittinggi in West Sumatra. It was built in 1926 by the Dutch as a gift to the town's secretary. Its roof was changed after independence to the curved horn shape of Minangkabau houses. The clock was made in Germany, and its numeral four is written IIII. A square and market surround it.

Sianok Canyon is a deep valley on the edge of Bukittinggi in West Sumatra. Steep cliffs about 100 metres high line a green valley floor with rice fields and a river. A Japanese tunnel from the Second World War runs under the town to a viewpoint. A walking path called the Great Wall of Koto Gadang follows the hills on the far side.

Lake Maninjau is a volcanic crater lake in West Sumatra, about 17 kilometres long. Steep green walls rise about 600 metres around it. The road from Bukittinggi drops to the lake through 44 hairpin bends with views over the water. Villages and fish farms line the shore. The lake is known as the birthplace of the Muslim scholar and writer Buya Hamka.

Pagaruyung Palace near Batusangkar is a replica of the royal palace of the Minangkabau kings. Its huge roof sweeps up into eleven curved horns, the symbol of Minangkabau culture. The original burned in 1804; the present building dates from 1976 and was rebuilt after a fire in 2007. Inside are carved and painted walls and displays of traditional dress.

Harau Valley is a narrow valley near Payakumbuh in West Sumatra. Granite cliffs rise up to 200 metres above flat rice fields, with waterfalls dropping from the rock walls in the wet season. It is sometimes compared to Yosemite. Homestays and paths through the fields make it a peaceful place to stay, and the cliffs are used for climbing.