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Travel Medan, Lake Toba, Indonesia

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SUSgogo2
post Feb 23 2012, 03:25 PM

gogo2
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From: Penang


QUOTE(stimix @ Dec 30 2011, 09:36 PM)
Yes I wanted too but i was told the entrance ticket already ~ 300K rupiah liao...We did saw abit of Tmn Simalem from the way [passing thru Telukbeua Volcano towards Sipiso-piso..I know it's nice but price & time...If I decided Tmn Simalem, I probably reaching Prapat almost nite liao & no need to eat lunch. Even without Tmn Simalem. I arrived at Prapat ~ 3pm and having super late lunch..damn hungry haha


Added on December 30, 2011, 10:07 pmOk add abit of my 5th -last nite b4 flying bck early on day 6..

We started early bcos already booked the taxi (Avanza) at Prapat for 525K negotiated kaw-kaw from 600K due to Christmas.. sad.gif No choice, beh tahan after experiencing cheap-ken squeezed bus ride from Medan to Berastagi  biggrin.gif 

On the way back, we passed by a famous Batu gantung very close to Prapat..well i just snapped that batu from far..seeing locals snapping like hell..me dunno anything..Only when I check wth my driver later, i was told of special legend behind that stone. it was actually a body of a girl committed suicide decades/century (?) ago due to family wanted her to marry her mentally sick cousin when she already havung affair wth her love one..After I zoomed closer..YEAH.. that small human sized hanging ock really look like a girl wth long hair hanging upside down  shocking.gif

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So, we took the taxi and we requested him to stop at that ting-ting-tong-tong-teng-teng shop...He actually din know where is this shop located but only know a famous chinese biscuit factory called "Paten"..So he did stop at this paten and yes..It's that Teng-teng=tong=tong shop  rclxms.gif ..Not cheap liao..1 box 17K.. sad.gif
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Bcos we spent so long at the shop ~ 30-40 min, the driver getting restless and start his engine..damn from a well batak driver now became rempit...certain road can speed till 120km/hr wor..wth heavy 1 way traffic sumore...after another stop for him to take late brunch near bengkel - Sei Serdang...We arrived at our hotel ~ 4/5hr from where we started in Prapat..fuuuuuu....normal bus travel i remembered last time - 6-7hrs!!

My Swiss Bellin or formerly myhotel (The big dark buiding on left) - Darm..the int deco of the room is so nice really boutique quality...well worth the RM120 i paid for.. rclxms.gif ..Too bad the hawker food at the back of the hotel is really cut throat - rp25K for a bakmi pangsit (Wantan mee0>.damn...Later that nite I got sick probably due to food poisoning
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Nearby my hotel in Chinatown..The most iconic tower in Medan- the dutch water tank:
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Also the famous Medan' Yap Ah Loy..ehh..Ah Fie house..The Kapitan who built Medan from a small town till his RIP. If not because of him, Medan will not be as it Today as the 3rd largest city in indon.. And also of him, Medan chinese still speak Penang Hokkien & also Mandarin (To my surprise0 till Today.. This is the only indonesian Chinese where i heard Penang Hokkien been widely used and even the locals Malays/Batak also can speak Hokkien to me  shocking.gif
Also in Medan, is the only city i can see lotsa chinese..everywhere..I was told >20% of medan ppl are Chinese. And even the becak guy also confirmed to me medan is a huge chinatown--well dirty chinatown for sure haha
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The largest Mall in Medan- Sun Plaza - This is the 1st time i saw a 4 storey ACE hardware- the largest ACE I ever seen  shocking.gif .. The mall itself is reasonably huge - probably ~ Old wing of IOI Mall
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The end  biggrin.gif
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Nice collection of photos and stories. Hopefully the volcano won't erupt first.
SUSgogo2
post Feb 23 2012, 04:22 PM

gogo2
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From: Penang


QUOTE(stimix @ Feb 23 2012, 03:29 PM)
You mean Sinabung? Actually that Sinabung beside Sibayak is a sleeping active volcano for the past 400 yrs until suddenly erupted 1.5yrs ago..I think a mth or 2 b4 Merapi Volcano in Jogja haha..When I was there in Dec, sleep again..

Sibayak pulak.. keeps on active and wth non-stop gas eruption years after years but no major eruption wan till we can go so near within 1 ft away from the smelly sufuric gas eruption haha
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Haha..i never go volcano before. Next week 3rd March 2012, I'll be to Medan/Lake Toba joining Firefly tour (RM700 per person for 5day 4 night). From all your photos and description from others, seems like a nice place... can't wait to go...

Here is the itineary:


DAY 1: ARRIVAL MEDAN – PARAPAT
You will be greeted by your tour guide on arrival at Polonia International Airport in Medan. Stop at licensed
money changer. You will have a chance to visit Maimoon Palace, the palace of the Sultan of Deli, which was
built in 1888. Transfer to local restaurant for lunch. After lunch, proceed to Parapat Lake Toba. Enroute stop at
Patent Shop to buy local food products such as Teng Teng or Ting Ting. Arrive at Parapat, a town on the shore
of serene Lake Toba. Check-in to hotel for accommodation. Dinner at hotel.

DAY 2: Parapat – Samosir Island – Parapat – Berastagi
After breakfast at hotel, cruise Lake Toba by ferry boat for about 45 minutes. Visit Tomok Village to see the
ancient tomb of King Sidabutar, before going back to Parapat for lunch. After lunch, tour continues to
Berastagi. Enroute stop at Simarjarunjung to enjoy ginger tea and fried bananas (personal expenses). Stop at
Sipiso Piso waterfall to see this magnificent 110 metres tall waterfall and an extraordinary view of Lake Toba
from the north side. Proceed to Berastagi. Upon arrival in Berastagi visit the Central Fruit Market to buy
tropical fruits, vegetables and flowers. Check-in to the hotel, where you will be having dinner.

DAY 3: Berastagi – Medan
After breakfast at hotel, proceed to Medan via scenic Sibolangit and Sembahe- about 2 hours drive from
Berastagi. Arrive in Medan where we will visit lovely galleries and batik shops. Lunch at local restaurant. After
lunch, we will visit Pasar Ikan Lama (traditional market) and Medan Mall. Afternoon check-in to the hotel,
dinner at a local restaurant or hotel.

DAY 4: Medan Full Day Shopping
After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a full day shopping at Pasar Petisah (traditional market) and Medan Fair
Plaza or Sun Plaza (branded shops). Lunch arranged at local restaurant. Afternoon back to hotel. Dinner at local
restaurant or hotel.

DAY 5: Medan – Departure
Breakfast at hotel, then free and easy until transfer to airport for your next destination
SUSgogo2
post Feb 24 2012, 03:14 PM

gogo2
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From: Penang


QUOTE(stimix @ Feb 23 2012, 08:44 PM)
Joining tour no choice wan they won't bring you to Sibayak Volcano for sure haha..Brastagi nothing much except that volcano tracking

Furthermore, They even skip few nice places even in Samosir such as the stone meeting chair in Ambarita!.. Long time ago during my 1st trip ~ 1990's The ferry trip include both Tomok & Ambarita
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Volcano tracking got go near volcano into the rim of volcano? I wonder if I can pay someone to bring us to Sibayak while we're in Berastagi icon_question.gif
SUSgogo2
post Apr 3 2012, 02:41 PM

gogo2
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18,672 posts

Joined: Jan 2003
From: Penang


QUOTE(stimix @ Feb 24 2012, 03:21 PM)
But your itineraries already full liao wor?
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Update from my trip:

a) Medan is very dirty and hot. Me and my wife walk from Garuda Plaza Hotel until Tjong A Fie Mansion. Along the way saw the Dutch Water Tank. Ate at Tip Top Restaurant. Then walk at the Fish Market (which does not sell fish but cloths and batik).

b) Journey to Lake Toba is smooth. Riding on bus is comfortable. I don't feel any discomfort that you guys talk about. LOL.

c) Along the way, saw Batak people cemetery is in front of their house

d) there's a Kuan Yin temple in some town before reaching the Batak village.

e) Stop at Tong Tong, Tin Tin..etc... lol... actually name for varieties of peanut biscuit

f) Lake Toba looks great. But since I've been to many places like Grand Canyon etc, I'm not that fascinated. But thinking that it is just a lake on top of volcanoes, it does look great.

g) Visit two village. One got houses to go in and visit. And got stone chair. This place, don't buy stuff. Its expensive. Instead go buy in Tomok Village. Almost all stuff should be around 30k to 50k ruppiah. Dun pay anything higher.

h) Then go to Berastagi. Cooling environment. Got Myammar Temple here.

i) go back to Medan. Got one Church look like Indian temple.

j) the best place to shop for girl is Pasar Petisah. Every girl should come here to shop.

k) the best place for guy to shop is Medan Fair Plaza which has Carrefour and many many electronic shops. LOL


SUSgogo2
post Apr 4 2012, 02:44 PM

gogo2
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From: Penang


QUOTE(gigigaga @ Apr 3 2012, 06:06 PM)
hi gogo2,

do you mind share with me how you take bus from polonia airport to parapat ? how much the fair ? how long the journey took? how the bus conditions?

We are 4 pax going to parapat ? thinking of rent a car with driver going to parapat ? if bus is good ,thinking of going using bus to save cost.

Thanks again.
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Its not public bus. I follow trip one. So its a hired bus. So I dunno the price. But taking bus is really comfortable.

 

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