Image Credit: Random Rant Archive (Lake Toba, Samosir)
Lake Toba is a large natural lake in North Sumatra, Indonesia, occupying the caldera of a super-volcano. It is the largest volcanic lake in the world.
Samosir Island is surrounded by Lake Toba making it an island within an (Sumatra) island. I visited Samosir Island during the long weekend of Chinese New Year in February 2019.
About the Destination
If you are looking for an excape from the urban life and enjoy Nature and Tranquility, Lake Toba may be what you are looking for – it is a laid-back place.
Getting There
Airport to Parapat town
I took the flight to Kualanamu International Airport (KNO), Medan. Many of the passengers landing in Medan goes to Samosir Island.
There are many bus, mini-van and private-car service providers to Parapat town. Parapat is located on the edge of the Lake Toba, which is the transit point to Samosir Island. Parapat town is about 170 km from Medan.
There is a trade off between the fares and travel duration. Bus fare is about IDR 35,000 – 40,00 but there is a waiting time for passengers to fill the bus. Private taxi is IDR 400,000 and no waiting time. Take your pick.
I took a mini-van (Alice Transport) that seats 6 persons. The ticket was priced at IDR 90,000/person (back in 2019).
Travel Duration: 4 – 6 hours (depending on traffic conditions)
Parapat Ferry Terminal To Samosir Island
The mini-van dropped the passenger at Tiga Raja habour, from where the ferry leaves for Tuk Tuk, Samosir. Tuk Tuk is where the tourism is concentrated in Samosir. The ferry leaves about every hour between these two places.
Check the ferry timings below and plan your arrival to Tiga Raja accordingly.
After boarding the ferry, there were locals selling local snacks. I tried the steamed peanuts and really loved it (recommended, unless you have allergy to it).
Getting Around
The best to navigate around is on a Scooty or rent a car to move independently. Always check with the hotel/guesthouse you are staying for the arrangement.
I paid IDR 150,000/day for a Scooty and the owner of Hotel Tuk-Tuk Timbul was kind enough to let me use his spare one.
Scooty rentals are also available at shops along the roadside.
Things to See and Do
Other than sipping your favourite drink and enjoying the view of Lake Toba, Samosir Island provides a lot of scenic views and cultural heritage.
1. Efrata Waterfall
It’s a long ride from Tuk Tuk but worth it. The amount of water flowing was very strong and the air was filled with water droplets.
There is plenty of open parking space. Inside the entrance gate, there is a small store for light refreshment.
Entrance fee: IDR 7,000 (in 2019)
2. Kolam Renang Horas Warga (Hot spring)
There was a small entrance fee but if you eat and drink from the restaurant near that, there is no charge.
The hot spring water is channeled through a pipe that flows into the pool from top of the wall. The place was a bit run down but good enough to take a dip.
The place is open from 5am–11pm (daily). Make sure you carry a towel from the hotel for hot spring and Efrata waterfall.
Entrance fee: IDR 5,000 (in 2019)
3. Tomb of King Sidabutar
The tomb belongs to King Sidabatur, who is believed to be the first man to set foot on the Samosir.
At the front of the tombstone, the head King Sidabutar is carved. At the rear end is Anteng Melila Senega, a lady who the king is said to have loved, without her reciprocating his affections (Sigh!).
The tomb is above the road level and I had to walk up a slope. It goes through a small sheltered lane with rows of small shops on both sides selling souvenirs.
At the entrance I was offered a local guide but I declined as I had already read about the place beforehand.
But I had to wear a sash, which was provided, on my shoulder. This is required as a sign of respect at the burial ground.
The pointed roof tops there is evident of Batak architecture.
Entrance Fee: IDR 5,000 (in 2019)
4. Batak Museum
The museum is less than 100m from Tomb of King Sidabutar.
The museum is small with a decent collection of artifacts, ornaments, crafts etc., all housed under a traditional house with Batak architecture.
Don’t expect a lot as it is a small collection. But it was a short time well-spent learning about the Batak culture.
Entrance Fee: IDR 10,000 (in 2019)
5. Sopo Guru Tatea Bulan
The place has statues of descendants of Siraja Batak. The statues of male and female are in their traditional attires, which is very different from the other parts of Indonesia.
The venue is on a hill-top and I could see Limbong Valley and Sagala Valley from there.
Though there is nothing much to see there, the beautiful landscape views from the hill-top is to be admired.
6.Take a Day Trip exploring the views of Samosir Island
I took a day off to ride along the perimeter of Samosir Island. It was a random ride and made lot of pit stops to eat along the trip and take pictures.
I came across beautiful landscapes, went down valleys and up steep slopes, and rode along the perimeter of the island
For most of the ride, Lake Toba kept company with me. At the end of the day, it was quite tiring but a worthy experience.
I also came across girls outside homes weaving their traditional dresses. This practice is very similar to the tribes on the northeastern hills of India.
To view the locations of places I visited, check the map.
Eat
Jenny’s Restaurant
It is a family run restaurant just by the roadside. I was passing by that place on the scooty and the smell of BBQ seafood made me stopped there.
I ordered grilled fish and (mini) lobster (there was a separate menu for that). The spicy sauce of the lobster was great, so was the grilled fish marinated in some local spices.
The fish are caught fresh from the lake are definitely finger licking good (Colonel Sanders, take note!).
Other Eateries
There is no shortage of good local food in Samosi. Most of the restaurants are small and family-run business.
In some eateries, I would go and grill my own food while conversing with the family members.
Drink
Samosir may be a very laid-back place but there are some watering holes to chill after a tiring day of exploring the island.
Below are some of the hangout places around where I was staying, but very limited.
1. Casa Di Manurung Bar & Restaurant
The bar is nice and very spacious in the midst of the surrounding paddy fields. They have live bands performing both in English and local songs.
I was there on a Monday evening and it was not crowded. There is a dart board to play with friends too.
They also seem to provide transportation from and to hotel. I guess, one can drink till they drop, without the worry of how to get back to hotel
2. Brando’s Blues Bar
It has a cosy interior of the timber. The bar is just along the road and at walking distance from Jenny’s restaurant.
The bar has the feel of a Reggae environment with live music on most nights. There is also a pool table and a good way make new friends
3. Bamboo’s Cafe
The Cafe is next to Lake Toba with a beautiful view of it. It is worth going there for a drink and enjoy the view
The exterior of the Cafe is nicely covered in a thick camouflage of vegetation.
Check the locations of the Restaurant and Bars/Cafe from the map below for reference.
Things to Carry
- A good camera for capturing the view of Lake Toba and the landscape
- Light warm clothings as it is pleasantly cool in evenings
- A wind-breaker jacket if you plan to ride a scooty
- Lots of sunscreen – the pleasantly cool weather is very deceptive
Stay
Most of the hotels and resorts are located in Tuk Tuk along Lake Toba and accessible from the lake. The ferry from Tiga Raja terminal drops the passengers just outside the hotel.
As the ferry approached Samosir Island, I noticed passengers telling the ferry conductor the hotel they are staying. Accordingly, the ferry stopped just outside the hotel.
I stayed in Hotel Tuk-Tuk Timbul and my room was just outside the lake. I enjoyed the beautifulLake Toba view every morning with a hot black coffee.
Book Hotel and Flight
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