Things to Do at Lake Toba, Indonesia

Batak Culture, Attractions, and Activities on Pulau Samosir

Lake Toba in Sumatra, Indonesia, is the world's largest volcanic lake, and also one of the best places in Asia to chill out for a few days or longer. There may not be an abundance of things to do at Lake Toba, but the atmosphere is so pleasant that you probably won't even notice! Motorbike or private car is the best way to visit several small sites in one day.
Pulau Samosir, a newly formed island inside the lake, is blessed with great scenery, friendly locals, and a pleasant vibe.

 Visit an Ancient Batak Village

 

 Perhaps most famous of the things to do at Lake Toba because of the accessibility, the ruins of an ancient Batak village along with stone chairs and head-chopping block can be found in the nearby village of Ambarita.

The stone chairs were used for meetings by the local king, and both a torture stone and chopping block were once used for brutal executions.
Ambarita is located three miles northwest of Tuk-tuk along the main road. The stone chairs are not on the main road, ask in town about how to get there. or call me David in +6281265888869.

Tomb of King Sidabutar

Just three miles southeast of Tuk-tuk in the village of Tomok are more stone remains and ancient tombs. The site is small but interesting, however, you must negotiate a labyrinth of tacky souvenir stalls to visit the site. Find the ruins by taking a right from the main road in Tomok through the narrow alley lined with souvenir stalls.
Most people find the carved man on the front of the largest sarcophagus strangely out of place!

 Drive Around the Island
Circumnavigating the whole of Pulau Samosir may require a very early start, however, riding along the lake on a motorbike is a very enjoyable way to see everyday village life. Old churches, volcanic scenery, and daily life keep every mile you drive interesting enough to see what's around the next bend.

Visit the Hot Springs

The hot springs are located on the side of the island opposite Tuk-tuk, outside of Panguruan -- the largest settlement on Pulau Samosir. While the hot springs are interesting to see, the sulfuric smell is noxious and the water is too hot to enjoy.

See a Lake Inside of a Lake

Tucked away in the island interior west of Tuk-tuk is Lake Sidihoni. Interestingly, there are very few lakes within lakes in the world.

 want to visit the places of interest? contact me at witindavid@gmail.com phone number +6281265888869. or Blackberry PIN 2772c4a5