Bukit Lawang - do not use the guide named Tambrin

Jakarta, Indonesia
2 posts
Bukit Lawang - do not use the guide named Tambrin
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If any of you all are going to Bukit Lawang for a jungle trek, DO NOT use the guide named Tambrin. He's a sleezy crook and a swindler. He charges more than the standard trekking amount of 25 euros a day and he isn't a trustworthy guide. He encouraged feeding the wild monkeys and tried to charge me extra for taking pictures of orangutans outside of the feeding area zone. This guy is not to be trusted. He also lied about how long the one-hour trek would take and almost made me miss my flight. Whatever you do, Tambrin stinks and do not use him!

Australia
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1 review
4 helpful votes
1. Re: Bukit Lawang - do not use the guide named Tambrin
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Hi Mightymin217,

Would you have a photo of Tambrin?

If so send it to my email pamela_fuge@yahoo.com.au

I believe this guide has been in trouble before with travellers.

Pamela

Australia
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2,017 posts
1 review
4 helpful votes
2. Re: Bukit Lawang - do not use the guide named Tambrin
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Hi Everyone,

Mightymin did not have a photo, but further researching on the internet has revealed a photo that has been identified as Tambrin.

See this link for further information from another forum

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2232287&messageID=20140934#20140934

Pamela

rural West Aussie
Destination Expert
for Perth
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28,231 posts
74 reviews
75 helpful votes
3. Re: Bukit Lawang - do not use the guide named Tambrin
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Pamela, unless you want to get a shipload of spam in your email in-box I would suggest you remove your post #2. In any case the private message feature on TripAdvisor can be used to communicate between posters.

To remove your post, click on "report inappropriate content" at the bottom of that post, then scroll down to "remove my post".

Australia
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2,017 posts
1 review
4 helpful votes
4. Re: Bukit Lawang - do not use the guide named Tambrin
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Hi YorkFoodie,

Thank you so much for your concern. I have been leaving my Yahoo email address on various travel forums on the internet since 2000 and you would be amazed at how little I get and what I get goes automatically into my Spam mail.

Pamela

Medan
Level Contributor
1,067 posts
27 reviews
39 helpful votes
5. Re: Bukit Lawang - do not use the guide named Tambrin
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thanks to mightymin for posting it here.....info like this should be spread among the traveller world as wide as possible

lets just hope this one guy didnt ruin bukit lawang for the rest of us

Jakarta, Indonesia
2 posts
6. Re: Bukit Lawang - do not use the guide named Tambrin
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Here is a picture of him. He's the guy on the right in the very last photo, w/o his shirt.

http://191saturdays.blogspot.com.au/2009/03/close-encounters-with-orangutans-mar.html

If you don't want to have such a bad experience like I did, you should avoid him.

Australia
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2,017 posts
1 review
4 helpful votes
7. Re: Bukit Lawang - do not use the guide named Tambrin
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Hi mightymin217,

After texting various contacts in Bukit Lawang I found there is NO elected leader of the guides at this time, but someone has stepped in as a temporary one. So I have contacted this person via text message and told him I have sent him a copy of your post.

And I will be following up on this.

Bukit Lawang has been very dear to my heart since I first visited for just an afternoon in August 2000 and then for 19 days in Jan/Feb 2005 to find out how I could help to bring the travellers back after the devastating flood of Nov 3 2003.

Gathering information on where to stay i.e. Nora's Homestay in the village of Gotong Royong and what good guides to for solo females to use I answered all the questions I could find on the travel forums about Bukit Lawang and after 6 yrs of volunteering work I was told by a reliable western traveller that traveller numbers were back to pre flood days by July 2009.

Photos I took of honest respectful guides who were operating from Nora's Homestay in Jan 2005.

http://travel.webshots.com/album/354912564dvtkJh?start=12

Even back in 2000 Bukit Lawang was getting a terrible reputation of disgusting guides who took advantage of women in every way and many European women were posting on LP Thorn Tree Indonesia forum saying Do not go to BL, not even if you are 2 women because the guides will still con you and treat you in a disgusting way.

It was these posts that prompted me to want to suggest some good reliable guides in BL.

Out of 160+ guides there are only a few bad ones but they are the ones that seem to continuely get work and traumatise female travellers.

Always best to contact a recommended guide before you arrive in BL.

Do NOT leave it to chance and wait until you arrive and then unwittingly chose one of the suspect ones.

No point in putting up photos of the bad ones because they regularly changed their appearance - long or short hair, beard or moustache or clean shaven.

Usually they have at least 2 names and they pick and choose which name they use.

I have personally experienced the 2 name situation and when you ask around no one knows them because they are known by the other name.

In the next day or two I will write another post with recommended guides in Bukit Lawang.

Check out my photos above as these guides are still all operating today and are reliable honest and respectful.

Pamela.

Edited: 8 years ago
Medan
Level Contributor
1,067 posts
27 reviews
39 helpful votes
8. Re: Bukit Lawang - do not use the guide named Tambrin
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what would bukit lawang be without you pamela :p

cheers for the effort

Australia
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2,017 posts
1 review
4 helpful votes
9. Re: Bukit Lawang - do not use the guide named Tambrin
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Travellers,

An update on Tambrin, who also calls himself Tambar and the lastest name is Tom which is disgusting seeing there is an amazing responsible honest good guide in BL who has a similar name.

This Tambrin guide just ripped off more travellers in the past week so please be aware of him.

And do not go trekking with him as my unsuspecting traveller did because he touches the animals and feeds them both HUGE No Nos whilst trekking.

Pamela.

Toronto, Canada
Level Contributor
37 posts
26 reviews
42 helpful votes
10. Re: Bukit Lawang - do not use the guide named Tambrin
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We did use this guide and it was fine - we took a day jungle trip in April. The only thing is he never show us his license but I guess we were so excited to see the jungle we forgot to ask. I read this review after my trip so didn't see the warning. However, after our trip to the jungle we talked to other guides in Bukit Lawang and were told that make a loud noise in the jungle to attract orang-utans or feed them was unappropriated behavior. Any knowledgeable guide knows that. They are living in the wild and we should respect that. My recommendation to other tourist - please make sure you check the license of the guide and think twice before you do anything in the wild to protect the environment.

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