Danau Toba

Excluding this post i have another 2 pending post which i have to finish before 26th April. We will go back to France for 2 weeks and im scared after we get back from vacation i will be more excited to write about our road trip to Italy instead of continue what i left behind.

Danau Toba trip was during CNY holiday in February and we went there for 4D3N. We landed in Medan and immediately headed to bus station and took bus to Parapat. Journey from Medan to Parapat took 6 hours by bus and we have to plan our time properly in order to be able to catch last Ferry to Samosir Island.

When we reach Samosir island it was already dark, full day already reserved for travelling and we was so tired. We already booked our hotel at Christina which the guy make a mistake by thinking that we cancelled. Fortunately they still have one more room which actually a traditional batak house design and can accommodate up to 5 adults. 

 (nice huh, the only big house at this hotel and facing lake toba)

(our bedroom, Kitchen & bathroom at 1st floor)

 (Nice view from hotel but its raining that day)

(on a sunny day)

(Local people doing laundry by the lake)

We asked hotel staff if we can rent motorbike somewhere and thankfully he arrange everything. Full tank motorbike for one day & nite cost us IDR80,000. 

The scenic view around this island will make you want to stop at every corner and turn you into a cam whore. There are hills and mountain, waterfall, paddy fields, river and churches.

 (simply breathtaking) 

 (they use this for wedding, funeral, event)

(Local batak house)

(Nico always excited with paddy fields but the mountain behind give extra bonus)

 (postcard picture)

 (park ur bike by the road, and this waterfall are 10m away :D)

(One of the jetty where you can take ferry and go around the island)

We was first visit Batak museum and see their traditional dance. We almost missed the show because having breakfast at nearby hotel which took painfully long to prepare our food. The museum was small, only provide basic history of batak people. The show was conduct with few houses as a background. Here you can see inside the house and can purchase clothes which they weave there. 

 (royal tomb, can see similar tomb all over d island)

(tourist can try too)

Local people here are very proud of their hot spring. So we decide to go have a look and maybe take a dip. When we first reach there we stop at one restaurant with hot spring sign. There's a lot of restaurant there with similar look. So we decide to eat something and then check the area. The place was actually look like bathing house, with separate area for men and women and swimming pool in the center. We not really fancy of this and go around to check other places. We end up finding this restaurant called Hot Spring restaurant. The rules to take a dip here is you have to eat and drink at the restaurant. And since we already ate we have to pay IDR5000 each. I just dip my feet in it and its definitely hot, my bf braver than me n take a shower in the hot water. This place also provide swimming pool since the natural area that collecting water are small and limited.

I was quite confused when they told us that we also can make a stop at a beach called Pasir Putih. Since we not at the sea this place is actually just look like one. Locals love to come here on the weekend to relax and picnic with family and friends. There's a lot of water activities involved, food stall, souvenir and toilet available. Its really a different experienced taking a swim with a nice view of surrounding mountain. 

(enjoying durian :D)

On the way back from pantai putih, we saw a row of shop selling souvenir and i haven't bought any fridge magnet yet. We walked around and its kind of annoying since everybody asking you to buy something from them but the best part is you can bargain hard. During weekdays there are not so many tourist and business really bad for this people. So we walk around trying to find something when we end up entering place called stone chair. 

 (also area for kings tomb)

(another batak house)

There's nothing top the feeling as we going up the mountain with our bike and looking at those scenery. Everything seems still and postcard picture everywhere. We just drove and thought that we might end up at the peak but we were wrong. Nico suggest we follow one of the signboard and we finally go through jungle track which lead to another village. We spend one hour on the bike since we cant go fast because of terrible road condition. I get so scared since we didn't know how far we have to go and we already far enough to turn back. I was then remember that batak people was once a cannibal and that was then i started to cry. To make matter worse, its started to drizzling and we only have one rain coat with us. Nico definitely have difficult time trying to be fast on that stony road, trying to get out of the jungle with rain which turn heavy and crying girlfriend on his back. Gosh, i love my boyfriend :) 

When we finally reach the end, we found out that we actually back to that hot spring town. So please dont makea  mistake as us and just take the road from hot spring if you were there. We still glad and laugh it off when we talked about that scary experienced today. 

 (i stop crying when i saw this)