Lake Toba Tourism Information
One of the icons of Indonesia’s tourism is Toba Lake. As the largest lake in South East Asia and the deepest lake in the world (450 m), Toba Lake has attracted visitors from all parts of the world to witness its magnificent beauty. What makes the view becomes even more picturesque is how the lake is surrounded by natural pine forests and majestic mountaineous regions. In the middle of it, lies a wedge shaped island known as Samosir Island.
Toba Lake is located at a city known as Parapat in North Sumatra province. It is the homeland of Batak people. For them, the lake is not merely a well-known natural beauty but also a sacred place in their tradition. They believe that it is the residence of the seven goddesses known as Namborru. As a result, before a special event would be commenced there, the local community would always hold a ritual that includes praying and giving offerings at the lake vicinity areas in order to get a blessing from the goddesses.
How to get there: From Kuala Namu International Airport (KNIA), you need to head to Parapat. There are several alternatives to get there.
By private cars or travels: -At the airport, you would find plenty of counters where you could either rent a whole car (it can take up to 7-8 people) or ride a travel to Parapat. The cost for renting a whole car would be quite costly but it usually comes with a driver that would also act as a guide. The journey would take around 3-4 hours depending on traffic and weather condition.
By public busses: -From the exit door of KNIA, you would notice a train station across the street. Once you do, turn right where you would see a ‘BUS’ signage. Afterwards, look for DAMRI bus heading to Amplas Bus Station. Then, let the driver know that you would like to get off at Simpang Kayu Besar. There, you could find Sejahtera Bus or lots of travel (smaller buses) heading straight to Parapat.
By train and public bus: -From the airport, take the train to Medan Central Station. Once there, grab the regional train heading to Pematang Siantar (±2.5 hours). From the city, grab another public bus heading directly to Parapat (40 minutes). This method would be the most tiring out of the three. However, you would have additional chance to enjoy the street culinary experience at Pematang Siantar like bakmi keriting (curly noodles) and the popular Kok Tong coffee.