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FireFlyz | 23
worth checking out is the Museum Huta
Bulon Simanindo, traditional house of
Batak, which showcases a fascinating
display of the Batak culture. As you walk
further inside, you will come to the 300-
year old stone chairs of Ambarita. This is
the spot where village matters, judgments
and executions were discussed by the
village elders. You will also see the Huta
Siallagan, the killing stone used as an
ultimate punishment for the wrongdoers
in the village.
Gastro heaven
The food in Medan has a wonderful mix
of flavours and cultures. The cuisine here
features food that is rich with savoury
spices. The richness of the coconut milk
used in the cooking lends a unique taste
to the food.
SPLASH!
Rafting at Sungai Bingei is considered one
of the most exciting things to do in North
Sumatra. Namu Sira-sira Langkat, which
is about an hour’s drive from Medan, is
the place to be for this. If you are looking
for white water rafting you will never
forget, a tailor made experience can be
arranged. There are also other activities
offered such as camping, paintballing
and eco tours.
I had an amazing time on my trip and
was awed by the natural beauty and the
humbleness of the people that I met. I
will definitely have to go back sooner
rather than later.
tion that occurred 69,000 to 77,000 years
ago and was a climate-changing event. It
is the largest known explosive eruption on
Earth in the last 25 million years.
Parapat is a small town located at the
edge of Lake Toba. The local restaurants
there offer a selection of Batak, Minang
and Padang cuisine. I checked into the
Danau International Cottage, a perfectly
cosy, chilled and spacious place to stay
after a long day of travelling. Due to
the geographical nature of the area, the
climate was cool enough to have a good
night sleep without air-conditioning.
Samosir Island
Samosir Island is located in the middle
of Lake Toba. It is the center of the
Batak culture and many traditional Batak
houses are preserved on the island. There
are amazing landscapes, especially at the
peaceful villages of Tuktuk and Tomok
and the simple lifestyles of the Batak
people are worth seeing. If you see the
locals passing by, you can greet them by
saying ‘horas’, which means ‘hello’ in
their language.
Samosir Island from Parapat is about
a 40 minute ferry ride. The island is also
accessible road from Pangururan at the
northern part.
Chairs of judgement
Tuktuk is one of the more famous sites
at Samosir Island. One of the attractions
Goreng Pisang with cheese... yummy
Satay served differently
Thorny delights... Durians
Splashing good time
Chairs of judgement