Lake Toba
Situated in the north-central region of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, Lake Toba was formed as the result of a super-eruption some 70-75,000 years ago which, (according to Wiki), is considered to have been the greatest volcanic eruption to have occurred in the last 25 million years! At some 30 kilometres at its widest point and 100 kilometres long Toba is today the largest caldera lake on the planet.
Apart from geological superlatives, Toba today is simply a beautiful chunk of scenery with forested hills dropping abruptly into the still, deep waters of the lake and small villages filling the valleys which divide the plunging headlands. Much of the central part of the lake is occupied by Samosir Island, a resurgent cone formed by subsequent uplift. This picturesque island is the epicentre for tourism on the lake and its shores are dotted with hotels and resorts, with the largest town, Tuktuk, housing the lion’s share.
The boat from Parapat Most visitors arrive by boat from Parapat, the principal town and port on the lake’s northern shore from where a route winds north to connect to the Sumatran capital Medan and its international airport. Heading south down the elongated island of Sumatra, it’s a long, long way to reach anywhere so the lake is geographically rather off-the-beaten-track and despite its stunning landscapes, sees relatively few foreign visitors. We first went there in 1990, when only a few intrepid backpackers made it that far, but even today, while the backpacker hostels have since upgraded to more boutique-style resorts, visitor numbers don’t appear to have substantially increased. (Foreign ones at least as the volume of local weekenders from Medan and the big towns is now more significant.)
Samosir Island The Toba region was traditionally home to the Batak people, famous for their highly elaborate, steep and high-roofed houses as well, perhaps for their rumoured cannibal activities in former times. (It was reported by Marco Polo in 1292, although he did admit it was hearsay and never actually made it to Toba himself; however, a bit of sensationalism never hurt the tourist trade.) Today, most Batak people live in more ‘standard’ style houses, although some of the traditional ones have been preserved for visitors, while in certain remote areas, others are still inhabited. Batak religious beliefs involved animism fused with elements of Hinduism and even Buddhism – influences derived from contacts with early Indian, Javanese and Srivijayan traders and travellers – although during colonial times many were converted to Christianity and numerous churches today dot the lake shores.
Traditional houses at Ambarita Two of our Indonesia group tours, Sumatra to Bali and Sumatra, include visits to Lake Toba with 2-day, 2-night stays at a small resort on Samosir Island. Our programme involves an afternoon arrival with time to relax and explore on your own, followed by a day tour of the island, including visits to Ambarita with its ancient ruins and carvings, a traditional Batak village and the Batak Museum as well as a community weaving centre. The following morning is at leisure, allowing you to explore the scenic island further at your own pace (on foot or by bicycle), before an afternoon boat trip to Parabata and return to Medan.
Oh, and don’t worry – the most recent records of significant tectonic activity date to some 70,000 years ago – so you can sleep soundly.
