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| Natural Wonder of North Sumatra |
Toba is a place to come and sit back, relax and absorb some beautiful pristine scenery. As you sit and take in the view of the picturesque mountains set against the cool clear lake, you will feel the worries of the world melt away. As the lake sits 900 meters above sea level there is a cooler climate here making a refreshing break from the heat, humidity and pollution of the city.
Get Around Lake Toba
Feel the wind in your hair and do as the locals do by hiring a motorbike to explore this beautiful part of the world. If you’re on , take the day to explore by taking a drive on the road running around the edge of the island. Although rough and unpaved in places, this road offers some spectacular views of the lake from the highest points on the island. If you’re staying in the popular village of Tuk Tuk on Samosir, the best way to get around is to walk, or wander, down the main street at a leisurely pace.
Get There Lake Toba
Parapat, the town by Lake Toba, is 176 km from
and can be reached in under 6 hours by public bus which has two routes: Medan-Parapat or via Medan-Berastagi.
Travel agents in Medan can also organize a rental car plus a chaffeur for you. Medan is an international gateway. A number of airlines fly daily between the Kualanamu Airport Medan and all major cities in Indonesia and international flights also go from Medan to Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
Once you arrive in Parapat, you can catch the ferry to Samosir Island. The ferry goes every hour and a half. The two landing points on Samosir are the traditional village of Tomok, or Tuk Tuk, where the islands hotels and restaurants are concentrated. If you are coming overland from the south via and Tarutung there is a public bus available.
Experience Lake Toba & Samosir Island
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| Pulau Samosir Danau Toba |
As you step down the ferry at Tomok you will be greeted by a row of souvenir stalls selling an array of Batak handicraft, from the traditional hand-woven ulos cloths to Batak bamboo calendars and all kinds of knick-knacks. Further north of Tomok is a small peninsula, known as Tuktuk Siadong, or simply Tuktuk, best loved for its sandy beaches and beautiful lush scenery. Here the soft lapping blue waters of lake Toba blend with the green pastures. Although offering beaches and opportunities for watersports, yet the air here is cool as it is located high in the mountains. Therefore, Tuktuk become a favorite with tourists, so here you will find a plethora of small hotels and homestays, restaurants and handicrafts galore.
Get There
The town of Parapat is around four to five hours from by private car or rented vehicles. You can also take the train that serves Medan-Pematang Siantar, then board a bus from here to Parapat, which takes around 2 hours.
Tourist buses also take passengers from Medan to Parapit via Lubuk Pakam, Tebing Tinggi, to Pematang Siantar. Along the route enjoy the panorama of palm oil and rubber tree plantations. From Parapat, ferries take passengers to Tuktuk to the pier located near major hotels.
The Sigale-gale, Life-sized Puppet Show on Samosir
There are many versions of the story behind Sigalegale. Some others believe, that the origin of the puppet was linked to a local legend that tells of a childless woman named Nai Manggale. The legend adds that as she lay dying on her deathbed, Nai Manggale asked her husband to have a life-sized image made of herself to be called si gale-gale and to have a dirge played in front of the puppet. Unless this was done, her spirit would not be admitted to the abode of the dead, which would in turn force her to place a curse on her surviving spouse. Hence, to avert the misfortune, the Sigale-gale was created.
Apart from the legend, in the Toba Batak tradition, Sigale-gale was shown at funeral ceremonies to revive the souls of the dead and to communicate with them. Personal possessions of the deceased were used to decorate the puppet, and the priest would invite the deceased’s soul to enter the wooden puppet as it danced on the grave. To watch the performance, visitors are asked to pay Rp 80,000 per person. Today, vistiors can see four dances in one show, starting with the Early Gondang, Gondang Somba, Gondang Mangaliat, ending with the Gondang Sitiotio.
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