danau toba abig quiet lake

Picture credit: newsevenwonder.com

Lake Toba is a volcanic lake which size is about 3000km2 at North Sumatra, Indonesia. From Medan It takes About 5 hours to drive with cars. is the largest lake in Southeast Asia. It was created by the eruption of a super volcano 75 thousand years ago At The middle of this lake there is an island Named Samosir Island. With tuk tuk village on it. If we descend from the mountain we see the lake glittering in all its beauty. Tuk tuk village is the tourist destination of the area. Different with bali lake toba is a place where we can go back to nature, enjoy the cool air, a dive in the lake, the relaxed atmosphere, go to the hot springs in, and the local Batak culture. Since long time ago Lake Toba has become a must destination in Indonesia

To reach tuk tuk. You can ride bus and bemo from Medan to Parapat, and then continue use ferry to tuk tuk. From parapet to Tuk Tuk, it takes about half an hour. The ferry the ferry will drop us off at any hotel, and then moves along the coastline to drop everybody at their desired destination. The good things about hotel in this area, you get a clean room, shower, great view, and hospitality with a low price. Doesn’t it sound tempting?

Sometimes there is a traditional dance performance in one of the restaurants of Tuk tuk. After the dance there is a singing performance. Some men or women are putting all their energy in a few nice songs. Then the dancers invite the audience to swing with them. So they can actually dance enthusiastically.

To explore Samosir Island you can rent bicycle or motorcycle. You can enjoy a great view while riding the bicycle or motorcycle. Passing many traditional houses. Also many impressing grave towers with on top of them a miniature traditional house. One of place to visit in tuk tuk is the historic town of Ambarita. Before enter it you will pass wall around the historic center via a small gate. Then have to fill in our names in a guestbook, and pay a small fee. Then a guide will usually come along offering his services. Usually we can decide the payment afterwards. There are a few traditional Batak houses in a nice row. They have the traditional shape that resembles the traditional shape of the Minangkabau houses, or these of the Toraja people in Sulawesi. They all had the horns of the water buffalo for inspiration. One of the houses doubles as a small museum and the guide explains some tools there.

After Ambarita, there is a place called Tomok. Main attraction in this place is the grave of the king, actually there are more graves, a little further is a large doll on a stage. The story goes that a former king was so sad for the death of his son, that he ordered a dancing doll. The dancing of dolls became a tradition at funerals.

Exploring the other side of the island. The mainland will come in sight. You may see a large white spot on the crater edge draw your attention. It almost seems like a ski trail, A little further you will arrive at the village where the island is connected to the main land by a small bridge. In fact, the bridge was only needed since the Dutch dug a canal to separate the island from the main land in 1906. Next after it there is a hot springs. The closer you get, the more you will realize the white spot is where you will find the hot springs. If you want to enjoy the water from hot spring you can enjoy it at almost all restaurants around the hot spring. Since almost all of them has a pool with the water from the hot spring. But if you want to find the hot spring from the source you have to climb up, until you reach a restaurant that only lets you through if you order something. Here is a pool as well, but also a natural bath in the rocks. And as you climb up, you will reach the actual source of the hot springs. In some kind of white moon landscape there is a stream of hot, yellow water. It is boiling up from the rocks, many people said the water near the hot springs contain sulphur that able to cure skin disease.

Samanindo. Here is the Batak museum of Samosir located. You can find a dance exhibition if you are lucky. This dance exhibition is usually became the most attracted thing. The dance usually held in an open terrain, in front of a scale model of a traditional Batak house a group Batak people dancing. The dances usually indicates multiple dances, but with little variation. They usually let or ask the tourist to join them. And then when a dancing doll enters the scene, making more moves than the dancers themselves. The tourists are supposed to give a donation to the doll, which is rewarded with a loud “Horas”. And that is the most exciting part of the exhibition.

If you have seen most of Toba Lake you can try some course here such as cooking traditional batak cuisine or wood carving as alternative activities. Almost in all tourist destinations in Samosir Island you can find a souvenir stall which sells many things, such as clothes, or handicraft from the batak culture with cheap price.

So why don’t you put toba lake in your vacation destination list????