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“The weather is good, and the coffee
is nice. There are many different ethnic

groups in Gayo. We make a living from

farming, and it’s an easy life.”

Gayo

Highlands, destinations, many tourists take a fresh cup of coffee at season of Arabica in November. We were lucky to follow
The Sumatra Gayo Highlands welcomed its harvest
As coffee estates and farms become new tourism
the origin as a new choice. Riding on the wave, the cof-
bean hunters and travel southward across 4,000km last year,
just for a good cup of coffee there.
fee growing areas tend to launch celebration events
during the harvest season – a chance to let local coffee
At a local coffee cooperative, we participated in a
and farmers be seen.
cleanliness, aftertaste, and mellowness, as well as its flavors
Kopi Gayo, a type of coffee indigenous to Central Aceh specialty coffee cupping. We were amazed by the decent
Treasure 2 November, Andi Rahman, Chairman of Central Aceh Branch pletely different image to stereotypes of Indonesian coffee,
in Indonesia, has served as a major visitor magnet. Last
of cherry, cane sugar, caramel and cedar. That was a com-
which used to boast thick mellowness and a touch of earth,
of the Indonesian Tour Guide Association, proudly told
spice, cedar, and chocolate.
local media Kompas that Central Aceh has been a new
Could such high-quality Indonesian coffee just be an
tourism hub in Aceh province. “Visitors tended to associate
local tourism with Sabang. For now, Central Aceh has
exception? On a rainy and sunny day, we walked deep into
92 emerged as a new option,” said he. the Sumatra Gayo Highlands to find out. 93