The orange hues of the afternoon sun complement the cool environs of the mangrove tourist spot in Kuala Langsa village.
By
ZULKARNAINI
·4 minutes read
Kompas/Zulkarnaini
The vast, lush canopy of mangrove trees covers the mangrove forest tourist destination in Kuala Langsa village, West Langsa district, Langsa city, Aceh, Thursday (14/9). The 6,000-hectare mangrove forest is home to 28 mangrove species and is being developed as an education and conservation tourist area.
From the top of a 20-meter tower, the vast mangrove forest below is a soothing view. The orange hues of the afternoon sun on Sept. 14 complement the cool environs of the mangrove tourist spot in Kuala Langsa village West Langsa district, Langsa city, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.
It was getting late, yet the dozens of visitors seemed reluctant to leave the lush mangrove trees. They were still enjoying the cool air and natural, green view. Some chose to sit on a small wooden pier, taking one selfie after another.
In the last two years, the popularity of Langsa’s mangrove forest has been rising among local, national and international travelers. The city administration has now designated the forest a tourism mainstay.
The mangrove trees were flourishing at different heights, with the highest being 10 meters tall. The trees bear steel plaques providing information on the mangrove species. There is a 2-meter-wide footpath between the wild mangrove trees. The permanent footpath is 2-3 meters above the water’s surface.
The twisting path extends between the mangrove trees, dotted with several rest areas. Dozens of monkeys sit along the perimeter fence and in trees, waiting for visitors to give them food.
In one area of the forest, a sturdy wooden tower stands 20 meters tall. For safety reasons, only 10 visitors at a time are allowed to climb the tower. From its top, visitors can gaze down upon the soothing view of lush, green mangrove trees.
The mangrove forest is located in Kuala Langsa village, 7 kilometers from downtown Langsa. Public transportation to the mangrove forest is unreliable and it is better for visitors to take their own vehicles or an ojek (motorcycle taxi).
Like most coastal villages, Kuala Langsa’s fishing community has built wooden houses on stilts along both sides of the road heading into the mangrove forest. The road is smooth and wide.
Visitors pay Rp 2,500 (US$0.19) to enter the forest. The forest receives around 300 visitors on regular days, and the number of daily visitors can jump to 1,000 on weekends.
Idul Basyar, 28, a visitor from North Sumatra’s Langkat regency, said he was mesmerized by the mangrove forest. He said that pristine and well-managed mangrove forests were rare. “I think this mangrove forest should be a nature tourism center at the national level,” he said.
According to Idul, everyone who visited Langsa should visit the mangrove forest, even if they were not in the city for leisure. “I will post photos of this mangrove forest on my social media channels so that many more people will know about this place,” said Idul, who had come with five friends.
Idul said the area still lacked proper facilities for visitors, such as toilets, shelter and an information center.
Rudika Yovanda, 24, from Aceh’s Pidie regency, said that she had long wanted to visit the mangrove forest. “This place is very soothing and calming to the mind,” she said.
The 6,000-hectare mangrove forest is to be a conservation and educational tourist destination with protected forest status. The forest is home to 28 mangrove species, including the bakau minyak or tall-stilt mangrove (Rhizophora apiculata Blume), upriver orange mangrove (Bruguiera sexangula) and Indian mangrove (Ceriops tagal). Among such forests in Indonesia, Kuala Langsa mangrove forest has the most diverse types of mangroves.
Natural balance
Langsa Mayor Usman Abdullah said that before the forest was designated as a tourist area, tree poaching was rampant. Locals cut down mangrove trees and sold the wood as charcoal. The poaching was done openly, despite the mangrove forest’s importance in maintaining the natural balance by preventing erosion and tidal flooding, reducing the effects of global warming and providing a habitat for diverse living organisms.
“In declaring the forest a tourist area, the forest is protected and residents can benefit from it. They can sell things and find fishes,” Usman said.
He said the city administration had allocated Rp 3 billion to build a road that circled the mangrove forest. When he first proposed the idea, he said many criticized it, saying it would be a waste of money. Usman persisted, as he believed the mangrove forest would be destroyed without the road, which would be more costly in the long run.
“These days, we are praised for the project. Gradually, we are turning the mangrove forest into an education and conservation tourist site,” he said.
He hoped the mangrove forest could also be used as a research center on mangroves, so visitors would be able to learn something new while enjoying the view.
