A Video of Foreigners Competing at Panjat Pinang Went Viral on Social Media

Share:

Recently, a video went viral on social media; in the video, several foreign nationals who are visiting Bukit Lawang, Bahorok District, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra Province seem to be enjoying the celebration of the 78th Indonesian Independence Day and decided to take part in the panjat pinang competition.

In the video uploaded by the wijayaguesthouse TikTok account on Friday, 18 August 2023, the foreign tourists looked enthusiastic, especially when they saw that the tree trunks that they were going to climb in the panjat pinang competition were already covered in oil and even very slippery to hold.

Before starting, the foreign tourists first undress and raise their pants to their upper thighs to make it easier for them to move when climbing the areca nut later.

A Video of Foreigners Competing at Panjat Pinang Went Viral on Social Media
Source Tiktok

The video shows that the atmosphere of the competition to commemorate Indonesia’s independence looks so lively and exciting. Foreign tourists who do not participate in the areca climbing competition choose to sit around the field to watch their friends compete to climb the pinang.

When the competition started, the foreign tourists seemed immersed in the atmosphere of the competition. They tried to win the panjat pinang competition, even though they had never done this kind of competition before.

@wijayaguesthouse Mau Heran Tapi Ini Bukit Lawangg 🤪 #17agustus #keseruan17an😁 #Bukitlawang #tourist #bulemerakyat #fyp #fypシ゚viral #buleviral #xyzbca ♬ suara asli – Wijaya_Guesthouse_Bukitlawang

At first, everything went smoothly; the participants got on each other’s shoulders one by one. However, in the middle of the panjat pinang competition, the foreign tourists seemed tired of carrying the weight on their shoulders. Before they even had a chance to try to climb up, their foundation had already collapsed.

Not only the panjat pinang competition, but Wijaya Guesthouse also held a tug-of-war competition to celebrate Indonesian independence at their guesthouse this year. They also uploaded the Tug of War video on their TikTok and got many views, although it’s less viral than this climbing arena video.

Interested in this topic? Check out our other articles from Social Expat: 

Content Writer

Being in love with writing at a young age, Anasya is eager to play with words and touch hearts. She’s been a content writer for a little over four years and officially be part of Social Expat in March 2023. Her perfectionism drives her to give her best on every project she handles.

Related News

Foreign tourist arrivals to Bali declined in January 2026, according to data released by the Bali Provincial Statistics Agency (BPS). The agency recorded 502,205 international visitors during the month, a decrease of 12.30 per cent compared to December 2025. The Head of Bali Provincial BPS, Agus Gede Hendrayana Hermawan, said January is typically lower than […]

Gili Trawangan, an island off the coast of Lombok, Indonesia, has been named the world’s best swimming destination for 2026 by Forbes. As reported by Forbes on 26 February 2026, the island achieved the highest composite score of 78.6 out of 100 in an assessment conducted by British luxury villa specialist CV Villas. The study […]

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has confirmed that a total lunar eclipse will be visible across Indonesia on Tuesday, 3 March 2026. The phenomenon can be observed from all regions, including Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku and Papua. According to the 2026 Almanac released by BMKG, the peak of the […]

I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport has confirmed the cancellation of 15 international flights following airspace closures linked to the escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Gede Eka Sandi Asmadi, Head of the Communication and Legal Division at the airport, said the cancellations were recorded as of Monday, 2 March 2026, at […]

Expat Events

Indonesia Visas

Expat Event

Unofficial Networking Event
200,000
Social Padel House
Social Networking
150,000
Kita Bar Park Hyatt

Indonesia Guide

Just For Fun

Write For Us

Exclusive Promotions

Event Gallery