Weaved out of living tree roots, this rickety bridge set just
a few feet above a treacherously fast-flowing river looks like it
could be from a scene in an Indiana Jones
film.
But this unique living tree root bridge called 'Jembatan
Akar' is actually a vital link to connect the residents of two tiny
villages in Pesisir Selatan
District, West Sumatra, Indonesia.
The bridge was created by weaving a combination of roots into
two Kubang trees placed on either side of the Bayang River that
gradually grew strong enough over the course of 26 years for the
residents of of Pulut-pulut and Lubuak Glare to
use it as a crossing.
For more than 100 years, families have used the 30 metre bridge to
reach one another, trade supplies and connect and it is now a
mainstay tourist attraction of the province.
The incredible engineering was captured by amateur
photographer Robertus Pudyanto who visited the villages with help
from the locals.
Robertus said: 'The root bridge is frequently visited by
tourists during the holidays or before Eid as they are considered
sacred.
'They are extremely vital to the villagers and their entire
lives depend on them.
'The creations are remarkable but you have to be careful when
walking on them in the rain as they become slippery - and that's
not good when hovering five metres over a fast-flowing
river.'
