Rimba Ecolodge

Top choice in West Sumatra


Rimba Ecolodge is an intimate French-Indonesian-run place reachable by boat. Monkeys (both silvered leaf and red leaf species) come to explore the beach where the breeze-cooled bungalows are situated and there’s a timeless, tranquil air to the place. The pricier rooms (350,000Rp) have hot water, while wi-fi is an additional 10,000Rp per day.

The food served here features plenty of fresh fish and seafood, and there's a social vibe with communal dinners, cold beer and arak cocktails. Other perks include use of a traditional canoe, good snorkelling, beach volleyball, jungle trekking, plenty of hammocks and a waterfront treehouse for sunset views.

Staff work closely with local fishing communities in coral reef and wildlife rehabilitation; some proceeds go to their NGO fund.

Keep an eye out for Bilbo, the resident owl, who comes and goes. It costs about 400,000Rp to get here by boat, or 200,000Rp from Sungai Pinang village.