The next morning, we woke up and planned to set off a little later in the day so we could rest a bit more. What was on our minds here was the Bakauheni–Merak ferry crossing. Naturally, to cross we had to be tested with an Anti-Gen test. In the middle of the day, with our bodies still not fully fit, we crawled along the road. When we reached Tangerang, friends from the BMW and Mercedes car community of Tangerang were already waiting for us. So when we opened the throttle leaving the guesthouse, our whole effort was simply to stay healthy.
By late afternoon we arrived in Bakauheni, South Lampung. Once there, we had to buy tickets and take a COVID-19 test. Finding a clinic that carried out COVID testing was not easy. We had to keep asking around until we found the right address to hand over our noses to be swabbed by the health officers. After completing every requirement to board the ferry, we hurried toward the vessel listed on our ticket schedule. Here we chose the executive ferry to speed up our arrival in Merak.
At exactly 8:30 in the evening on 5 August 2021, we finally set foot on the island of Java. We had spent nine days crossing the island of Sumatra, riding from Banda Aceh all the way to Java. It is fair to say that along the West Coast route of Sumatra we encountered almost no significant obstacles, except for the heavy rain that left me with a fever and the flu. This route is truly a favorite among overlanders who travel by motorcycle. The view of the Indian Ocean and the Bukit Barisan mountain range is hard to forget. Even so, this route is somewhat disheartening, because oil palm plantations have increasingly become a sight that is not so pleasing to the eye.
The total distance we covered from Banda Aceh to Bakauheni was 2,494 km. That was the distance on our outbound journey from Banda Aceh to Bakauheni. On our return to Aceh, we chose the East Coast route, which covered 2,386 km from Bakauheni back to Banda Aceh. On the way home, once we had crossed from Merak Harbour to Bakauheni Harbour, we travelled along the East Coast of Sumatra. We had already explored this route earlier during our Bali–Banda Aceh touring trip.
Crossing the Sunda Strait: The Bakauheni–Merak Ferry
The ferry link between Bakauheni in South Lampung and Merak in Banten is one of the busiest maritime crossings in Indonesia, and for any rider completing a Sumatra expedition it feels like a genuine finish line. The Sunda Strait separates the islands of Sumatra and Java, and the crossing typically takes between one and two hours depending on the type of vessel and sea conditions. We deliberately chose the executive ferry, which is faster and more comfortable than the standard service, because after nine days on the road our priority was simply to reach Java without exhausting ourselves further.
For riders planning this same leg, it helps to arrive at the port with time to spare. During the pandemic period the health screening requirements added an extra layer of planning, and clinics offering the required tests were not always easy to locate near the harbour. Buying the ticket, completing the health check, and then locating the correct boarding lane for your scheduled vessel can eat up more time than expected, especially when you are tired. Keeping your documents, tickets, and test results together in a single waterproof pouch makes the process far smoother.
Nine Days Along the West Coast of Sumatra
The West Coast route of Sumatra, running roughly parallel to the Indian Ocean and shadowed by the Bukit Barisan mountain range, is a road that stays in the memory long after the ride is over. Over nine days we watched the landscape shift from the coastal plains of Aceh through winding mountain passes and river valleys, with the ocean appearing and disappearing beyond the treeline. It is a route that rewards patience: the scenery is spectacular, but the road demands respect, particularly when heavy rain reduces visibility and turns the surface slick.
What makes this stretch special for overlanders is the sense of remoteness. Unlike the busier East Coast corridor, the western side of Sumatra carries less heavy traffic in many sections, giving riders room to settle into a rhythm. That said, the expansion of oil palm plantations has changed the character of parts of the route. Where once there would have been dense forest or open coastline, long monotonous rows of palm now line the road, a reminder of how quickly landscapes can be reshaped by agriculture.
Riding Through Illness and Weather
One of the honest realities of long-distance touring is that the body does not always cooperate. The heavy rain along the West Coast left me with a fever and flu-like symptoms, and pushing on while unwell is something every serious rider eventually confronts. The lesson here is not heroism but pacing: setting off later in the day to allow more rest, keeping the throttle gentle, and listening to what your body is telling you. Arriving safely in a fit state matters far more than arriving quickly.
Weather on this route can change rapidly, and a clear coastal morning can give way to a mountain downpour within an hour. Packing proper wet-weather gear, keeping a dry set of clothes sealed away, and knowing when to pull over and wait out a storm are all part of riding this part of Sumatra responsibly. These small disciplines are what separate a memorable adventure from a miserable ordeal.
The Numbers: Distance and the Return Leg
By the time we rolled off the ferry onto Java at exactly 8:30 in the evening on 5 August 2021, we had covered 2,494 kilometres from Banda Aceh to Bakauheni. That figure alone tells part of the story of how vast Sumatra really is. For the return journey to Aceh we deliberately chose a different path, taking the East Coast route, which measured 2,386 kilometres from Bakauheni back to Banda Aceh. Riding out along one coast and home along the other let us experience two very different faces of the same island.
The East Coast route was already familiar to us from an earlier Bali–Banda Aceh touring trip, so the return felt less like exploration and more like a confident homecoming along known roads. Choosing to loop rather than retrace your exact path is a strategy worth considering for anyone planning a long Sumatra crossing, because it effectively doubles the variety of scenery, culture, and road conditions you experience for roughly the same total mileage.
Practical Notes for Overlanders
For those dreaming of their own cross-Sumatra ride, a few practical points stand out from this leg of the journey. Plan your ferry crossing around the vessel schedule rather than assuming you can simply turn up; the executive service is worth the extra cost when you are tired. Build rest into your itinerary rather than treating every day as a race, because fatigue compounds quickly over a multi-week expedition. And accept that support from friends and communities along the way, such as the car enthusiasts who waited for us in Tangerang, is one of the quiet joys that turns a solo endurance ride into a shared adventure.
Reaching Java marked the close of the Sumatra chapter of Touring Indonesia Harmoni, but it was far from the end of the road. Every kilometre behind us made the next stretch feel more achievable, and the memory of the Indian Ocean shining beside the Bukit Barisan would stay with us for the rest of the journey.
Why the Sunda Strait Crossing Feels Like a Milestone
There is something symbolic about watching Sumatra recede behind the ferry’s wake. For nine days the island had defined every waking hour, from the first turn of the wheel in Banda Aceh to the final push toward the harbour. Standing on the deck as the lights of Java grew closer, the sheer scale of what we had ridden began to sink in. Milestones like this matter on a long expedition, because they break an overwhelming distance into achievable chapters and give riders the psychological boost needed to keep going.
The crossing also serves as a natural moment to check over the motorcycles, rest properly, and take stock of supplies before continuing. Many experienced overlanders treat major ferry crossings as informal service stops, using the downtime to inspect tyres, chains, and luggage straps that have taken a beating over hundreds of kilometres of varied terrain.
Final Reflections on the Sumatra Leg
Looking back, the West Coast of Sumatra delivered exactly what a great touring route should: stunning natural beauty, genuine challenges, moments of discomfort, and a deep sense of accomplishment. The Indian Ocean views and the shadow of the Bukit Barisan provided a backdrop few roads in the world can match, even as the spread of plantations offered a sobering reminder of change. Completing this section without any serious mechanical trouble, despite the rain and illness, was a quiet victory earned through careful pacing and preparation. For anyone considering their own ride across the island, the message is simple: respect the road, plan your crossings, look after your body, and let the landscape do the rest.
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