Wisma Batu Mandi

Stayed with my family at Wisma Batu Mandi for four nights, including a one day jungle trek and guided walk to the bat cave and Landak river. The accommodation is very basic - simple rooms (a bit rundown) with a comfy bed, mosquito net and fan with a cold water bathroom and scoop toilet. For the price, the rooms were very acceptable. The grounds are beautiful and well maintained with green lawns, lots of flowers, fruit trees and vegetables (which are used in the kitchen) all on the banks of the river in a quiet area a short walk to the main part of Bukit Lawang. All staff were very friendly and accommodating. Food was very nice and well presented but at the high end price-wise for the area (although still very cheap) with a variety of foods and delicious drinks on offer. Our guided walks were definitely a highlight of our trip to Sumatra and I highly recommend booking through Wisma Batu Mandi. The guides all spoke very good English and were extremely helpful, enthusiastic and knowledgable. Barbecued fish cooked by our guide Supri on the banks of the Landak river was probably the best meal we ate in Sumatra!

The owner of this accomodation immediately pressures you into booking transport or jungle tours through him. If you have you own proper arrangements he gets offended and sends weird messages to you through the night. Really strange behaviour! It is not fair that you should feel pressured into the owner making additional money from tourists by booking through him. Other guests we met who had stayed here also had the same issue with regards to pressure guests into booking through him!