LAKE TOBA Pearl of North Sumatra

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]