Introducing Danau Toba

Toba gets touted as Sumatra’s prettiest volcanic lake, a claim that detracts from its real appeal: the Batak people. Sure there is a backdrop of mountains and a cool, clear lake, but Toba’s relaxed atmosphere remains intact even when the day is hazy or the shorefront overgrown with weeds. And the Batak culture has modernised with grace despite tinkering from missionaries and tourists.

A lot has changed in Toba since its heyday, when Bataks and backpackers found that their common interests of having a good time made a nice little cottage industry. The spring break–style partiers now howl at the moon in Thailand instead of Toba. On weekends money from Medan and Aceh comes to call and a few travellers still pop in with great expectations. But the numbers aren’t enough to hide the obvious: tourism in Toba is almost dead.

This is all the more reason to come, not out of some sort of travelling philanthropy, but because the beaten trail is now off the beaten track. Nice hotel rooms go for a song, the outgoing Batak are genuinely glad to see you and the crowds that make travelling feel like child’s play are being babysat somewhere else.

‘Horas’ is the traditional Batak greeting and it’s delivered with great gusto, as are a few glasses of jungle juice (most Toba Batak are Christians) to warm up the pipes for the music-loving Batak.
Getting there & away
Contents

* Land
* Boat

Land
Bus

See Parapat, the mainland transit point, for information on bus travel to/from Danau Toba.

On Samosir, Pangururan has a daily buses to Berastagi (30, 000Rp) via Sidikalang, which is also a transfer point to Kutacane and Tapaktuan (on the west coast).
Boat

Ferries between Parapat and Tuk Tuk (7000Rp) operate about every two hours from 9.30am to 7.30pm. Ferries stop at Bagus Bay; other stops are by request. The first and last ferries from Samosir leave at about 8.30am and 4.30pm; check exact times with your hotel. When leaving for Parapat, stand on your hotel jetty and wave a ferry down.

Five ferries a day shuttle vehicles and people between Ajibata, just south of Parapat, and Tomok. There are five departures per day between 8.30am and 8.30pm. The passenger fare is 3000Rp. Cars cost 150, 000Rp, and places can be booked in advance at the Ajibata office (41194) or Tomok office (41157).
Getting around

Local buses serve the whole of Samosir except Tanjung Tuk Tuk. A helpful service is the regular minibuses between Tomok and Ambarita (2000Rp), continuing to Simanindo (3000Rp) and Pangururan (10, 00Rp). The road between the neck of the peninsula is a good spot to flag down these minibuses. Services dry up after 3pm.

You can rent motorcycles in Tuk Tuk for 70, 000Rp a day. Bicycle hire costs from 25, 000Rp a day.