Hostels in Sumatra 
Looking for the best hostels in Sumatra? You are in the right place!
On this page, we have listed every city in Sumatra with backpacker hostels and budget-friendly stays. Hostelz.com makes it easy to find your ideal Sumatra hostel by comparing prices across major booking platforms. Save money while backpacking Sumatra and sleep comfortably on a budget.
All Backpacker Hostels in Sumatra
We have got you covered with a complete list of every hostel in Sumatra, across 3 cities! Not all cities have hostels, but many offer alternative budget options like guesthouses and affordable hotels. Use our filters to quickly find cities with hostels or other budget accommodations to simplify your trip planning.
All Sumatra hostels on a map
Alright, you are more the visual type? Planning your trip with a map is always handy.
Therefore, this map shows you all cities with hostels in Sumatra. It will help you to plan your trip. Just zoom in the map and click your destination for more details. Just so you know: If we do not have a hostel in a city, it is likely that there is no hostel in that city.
All Top Hostels in Padang
We help you pick your hostel like no one else. Check our detailed guides to:
All Top Hostels in Medan
We help you pick your hostel like no one else. Check our detailed guides to:
Our handwritten guide on Backpacking Sumatra
Sumatra, Indonesia, is the largest island that belongs completely to the country of Indonesia and the sixth-largest island in the world! Located in the western section of the Indonesian archipelago, Sumatra is known for its rare wildlife, beautiful beaches, and phenomenal cuisine. All of these are experiences your Sumatra, Indonesia hostel will be able to help you arrange through their guest services departments. Many Sumatra, Indonesia hostels plan excursions for guests to go see wild Sumatran orangutans. If you're really lucky, you may be able to spot some of Sumatra's other endangered species, such as elephants, cuckoos, tigers, and rhinos! If you're staying in a coastal city, your Sumatra, Indonesia hostel will certainly plan group beach activities, and maybe even surf lessons! As far as trying the local cuisine, the staff at your hostel in Sumatra, Indonesia, will be able to point you in the direction of the most delicious eats.
History lovers will also enjoy visiting Sumatra and should join in on any walking tours their Sumatra, Indonesia hostel may offer, as the island has many fascinating architectural gems left over from the era of Dutch rule. Today, Sumatra -- like the majority of Indonesia except for Bali -- is an Islamic community, so it is important to keep this in mind and dress and behave respectfully. If you're uncertain about customs or what's appropriate, just check in with your Sumatra, Indonesia hostel for advice.
Indonesia generally is very affordable for most budget backpackers. Your biggest expense will be alcoholic beverages, but transportation, activities, and accommodation are all available at a very reasonable cost.
Backpackers tend to visit Medan and Padang. Medan is a big hub due to its location -- it's near Java, but is also a port for flight and boat connections to nearby Malaysia. There are a few Sumatra, Indonesia hostels in Medan, and the most popular places to visit are the Museum of North Sumatra and Mesjid Raya. Padang is a coastal city in the west and is historically a trade center. In Padang, there are many beautiful buildings to see traditional Sumatran architecture, Chinese structures, and Dutch Colonial places. You might get lucky and find a Padang hostel located in such a building. Beach-goers and surfers will want to hop on local boats to nearby Batu Island and Mentawai Island.
Handwritten by local expert for Sumatra hostels Lola
Travel Tips for Sumatra - from the Community
Hey fam! Here are a few more tips from the community, from them to you, and you to them. This space is dedicated for travellers to share their best tips on backpacking Sumatra. Have a closer look - the Hostelz community share real hidden gems, insider knowledge and overall impressions of Sumatra. Everyone is welcome to add something useful, funny, unexpected and the "absolutely necessary to know before you go" - share, share and then share a little more!
FAQ on Hostels in Sumatra
There is a lot of travel planning to do. So let us help you once again by putting together the frequently asked questions:
Finding Hostels and Prices
What hostel booking sites are best to use?
There is several hostel booking sites, such as Hostelworld.com, Hostelsclub.com and Booking.com. While every platform has its pros and cons, there is a universal truth you as a traveler should be aware of: Not a single booking site can always offer the best prices.
This is where Hostelz.com comes in. You can compare all major booking portals with one click.
For you as a traveler, Hostelz.com is the best booking site to actually save money.
How much are hostels in Sumatra?
Prices always vary, depending on various factors. Weekends tend to be more expensive, same goes for special holidays. Please also take into account local vaction time.
You can search for exacty hostel prices in Sumatra here on Hostelz.com. Pick your destination and pick a date. The system will track down the prices to give an idea of what budget and prices you can expect.
When to book hostels?
If you want to stay at the best hostels, it is a good idea to have your hostel booked around 1 month before you travel. For the regular hostels, booking one week before should be okay. Yet again, this always depends.
We dedicated a full article to the topic of when to book hostels.
Safety and Packing
Are hostels in Sumatra safe?
Generally speaking, hostels are as safe as you make them. We highly recommend always to bring your own padlock, using the lockers and taking care of your belongings. Make sure you pick a safe hostel, offering lockers and a safe location. Please always pay attention to the reviews; they can give you a great insight on what to expect and safety tips.
What to pack when staying in hostels?
There is a few basics you should always pack when staying in hostels.
There is more actually. We wrote a complete guide with more details. Read our full hostel packing list.