THE EXPANSIVE BLUE that is Lake Toba, located in the midst of mountains, is an
aweinspiring spectacle for all who visit it. They are mesmerized by the exotic
view of the lake.
The lake has an area of 1,130 square
kilometers and is not only the largest lake in Southeast Asia but also the
world’s largest volcanic lake. The beautiful panorama makes the lake, which is
located in seven regencies and towns, a favorite among local and international
tourists. Zulkifli Fahmi, 42, a local visitor from Dairi, said he and his
family visited Lake Toba almost every month. The teacher was full of praise for
the lake’s beauty.
“It’s soothes the mind to see the
beautiful lake; it gives me comfort,” Zulkifli told the Jakarta Post at Taman
Simalem Resort, which offers views of the hills and mountains surrounding Lake
Toba in Karo regency, on July 15.
Tourism Minister praised Lake Toba,
saying it had a temperate climate, was highly popular and admirable. Arief said
the government had designated Lake Toba as one of the tourist mainstays because
of it strong allure.
“Lake Toba has a beautiful nature
and an interesting history, especially on how it was formed as the result of a
massive volcano eruption thousands of years ago that created this caldera. The
nature itself is already a strong draw,” Arief said during a working visit to
Medan.
Arief added that the culture of the
Lake Toba area was also rich and had a strong character. Like culture-rich
Bali, the Toba area has a deeply rooted Batak culture.
“That is another strength that Toba
has. So, we want to empower this culture so that it becomes stronger and can
lure more tourists to Lake Toba,” said Arief, stating that Lake Toba had tourist
spots that had the potential to compete, with those in other regions.
The Tourism Ministry has released
the Top10 list of tourist sites around Lake Toba. They are:
Tomok
Tomok is a traditional village
acting as a gateway to Samosir Island. It is here that the large sarcophagus of
king Sidabutar can be found. Tomok has long been a tourist village on Samosir.
There are three interesting tourist attractions in TOmok village, the
Sigale-Gale statue, the burial ground of former Batak kings and the Batak
Museum.
Holbung Hill (Teletubies Hill)
Holbung Hill is in janji Marhatan
village in Samosir regency. The hill is also known as Teletubies Hill. Many
international tourists visit the hill to go trekking. The top of the hill can
be reached in 10 to 15 minutes and offers an enthralling view of Lake Toba.
Situmurun Waterfall, Binangalom
Situmurun Waterfall is also known as
Binangalom Waterfall because the watger flows from Binangalom village in lumban
Julu district, toba Samosir regency.
The waterfall is special as the
waterfalls directly into Lake Toba. The sensation of swimming against the
current can be experienced at the waterfall.
Iman Sitinjo Tourist Park
Iman Sitinjo tourist park is located
in the hills of Stinjo district, Dairi regency. The place combines the concepts
of religious tourism and nature tourism. Aside from showcasing several spots of
officially recognized places of worship, the place offers a beautiful panorama
of the lake.
Beautiful Simarjarunjung Hill
As the name suggests, the hill,
which is situated on Jl. Simarjunjung, a road crossing from Parapatto Merek,
Karo regency, offers natural beauty. It offers a vantage point to view the
lake.
Simarjarungjung Hill is managed in
the same way as Kalibiru in Yogyagkarta, complete with tree house.
Paropo Beach.
Paropo is a village on the shores of
Lake Toba. Besides being a popular camping area, the village, which is situated
in Silahi Sabungan district, Dairi regency, is ideal for fishing.
Taman Labirin, Taman Simalem Resort
Taman Labirin is a mainstay of Taman
Simalem Resort in karo district. The tourist destination offers a challenge to
visitors to find their way out of a 500-square-meter labyrinth.
From here tourists can also visit
the pearl of Lake Toba and enjoy the lake’s panorama from an elevation of 500
meters, a truly instagrammable spot.
Huta Ginjang
Huta Ginjang is located in Muara
district, North Tapanuli. The place can be reached in 15 minutes from Silangit
Airport, Huta Ginjang is situated on a highland. From here, visitor have a
beautiful view of Lake Toba.
Most people visit Huta Ginjang Hill
either in the morning to catch the sunrise or in the afternoon for sunset. The place
also has a pine forest and is popular for paragliding.
Sipinsur Park
Sipinsur is an ideal location for
relaxation. Visitors can feel their exhaustion and stress ebbing away when they
spend time in the park. Sipinsur Park is situated in Paerung village, Humbang
Hasundutan. Here, visitors can stroll amid pine trees and enjoy the
invigorating breeze.
Lae Mbilulu Waterfall
Lae Mbilulu Waterfall, located in
Pakpak Bharat regency, has an elevation of around 40 meters, its pool a depth
of 5 meters and an area of 60 square meters. To the right and the left is
enchanting greenery surrounding pristine water.
Of the 10 tourist destinations
around Lake Toba, Taman Simalem Resort is the only one to have won a 2017 Indonesian
Sustainable Tourism Award (ISTA) in the environmental preservation category
from the Tourism Ministry.
Taman Simalem Resort general manager
Eddy Tanoto said the national level award was the first one it received from the
Tourism Ministry since the establishment was opened in 2008.
Eddy expressed pride in the achievement
because the 200-ha agriculture and eco-themed resort was the only one in North
Sumatra to have won second place in the environmental preservation category.
“We won the award thanks to the
support from the community and the governments of Karo gegency and North
Sumatra province,” Eddy stated.
A tourism player, Tandeanus Sukardi
from Erni Tour, praised the development of tourism at Lake Toba over the last
few years. Tandeanus likened Lake toba to a shining pearl. Tandeanus said many
international tourists visited the lake and enthused about their experience.
“I often take groups of
international tourists to Lake Toba, especially to Taman Smalem Resort,” said
Tandeanus, adding many of the tourists hailed from Singapore, Malaysia and
European countries. [Sources from the Jakarta Post, August 2018|words by: Apriadi
Gunawa]