Sunday, October 30, 2016

Lake Suro Offers Scenic Places to Paddle and Explore

Lake Suro in the late afternoon
This post has been updated on July 14th 2018

     As Kepahiang district is still struggling to warm up, it looks more and more inviting as one of road trip gateways in Bengkulu province which is filled with beautiful and fascinating natural features. When visiting Kepahiang district for one day or more, you must include at least a visit to the lake Suro. The lake Suro (locally known as danau Suro) is truly one of the hidden gems in Kepahiang district. There is so much natural beauty around the lake Suro has to offer, whether you want to just wind down and soak up the views or enjoy some of the outdoor activities on and off the water. 

Fun Things to Do
     For an interesting and fun experience of the lake Suro life and its surrounding rainforests, try to visit here either early or late in the day. If you just want to enjoy the attractive natural surroundings from water, take a refreshing river raft tour for Rp. 10,000 per person (about US$ 0.70 - July 2018) from the dock near the entrance. If you love kayaking, bring your kayak along, the lake Suro which also known as “Wisata Musi Indah” offers scenic places to paddle and explore. Don’t forget to take your camera to capture your personal experience, the lake and river activity. 

A hanging bridge to the off the beaten path hikes
     Tired of visiting water-based attractions? Try some of the off the beaten path hikes! For those who love hiking and nature walk, the villages and the surrounding forests near the lake Suro offer fun nature walks which will allow you to touch and look at the beauty of nature, and develop a strong connection with the local natural environment as you walk along the trails. Keep in mind that many of trails are rather challenging and it is recommended to take a guide or a GPS for hikers who want to venture into the forest interior. Ask the guards or the small restaurant owner near the main entrance if you need a guide.

Entrance & Parking Fee
     There is a per vehicle entrance and parking fee, Rp. 5,000 (about US$ 0.35) for a motorcycle and Rp. 10,000 (about US$ 0.75) to Rp 20,000 (about US$ 1.39) for a four- (or more) wheeled vehicle depending on the number of passengers. Legal permits are not required for regular noncommercial day hikes.

Warning: visitors need to be careful when trying to cross the hanging bridge near the entrance as the walkway is poorly maintained, there are too many broken planks. Take a guide for hikers who want to venture into the forest interior! 

Location: the lake Suro is near the Musi Ujan Mas hydroelectricity plant about 16 km (10 mi) from the city of Kepahiang or about 70 km (43 mi) from Bengkulu city. Find the Danau Suro location on Google Maps.

The lake Suro and its surrounding rainforests

     Hope this post can help you plan your trip and get an idea about one of the places you should think about exploring in Kepahiang district. Happy travels!!!!!

Let’s help each other!
     Let’s make this post available in various languages! Translating this post can help more readers in your language to understand this post. If you would like to translate this post into your language or if you need help to translate some of your posts into Indonesian, please send me an email to kurt_reyhans@yahoo.com

Text and photos by: Adriansyah Putera