There are a couple of things to be aware of: a good mosquito/insect repellent should be applied at least twice a day (in the morning and in the evening) to your clothes and your body (ears, wrists, ankles). Sensitive western stomachs may be rather upset by Indonesian „street food“: it is prepared in the morning and stays on display for hours so it is often contaminated with bacteria. Instead, restaurant food is usually prepared freshly and comes at a reasonable price. Switch off your mobile phone or tablet pc during thunder storms as there are no lightning conductors in the jungle. To avoid being bitten or to even catch rabies, we recommend strongly not to touch any animals around the village, especially pets. Furthermore, don’t drink local alcohol. Apart from local ‘gin’, ‘whisky’, ‘vodka’ and ‘arak’ which are all available in and around Bukit Lawang. Extreme caution is advised because cheap, adulterated local alcohol has already caused serious health problems and even some deaths. You are also quite likely to be offered marijuana in Bukit Lawang. It is illegal and can get you in big trouble with the police if you are caught.
