NINNA.ID-It was a great honor for me trusted by Panorama to guide a family from Holland to explore North Sumatra for 8 days and 7 nights.
The family said it was their first time exploring North Sumatra. They knew about Bali and some of them already visited Bali. They said that Bali is over tourism.
They do not like crowded places. They want to visit quiet, beautiful and should be ecotourism.
These Dutch tourists move to Indonesia hoping to escape the heat of their country in the summer, but they got a surprise, Medan temperatures can hit as high as 30 degrees.
Although the temperature hot for them, we spent first-day Medan city tour visiting Tjong A Fie, and walked around Merdeka Walk, to Tip-Top Restaurant and other places.
See Orang Utan
On the second day, they visited Bukit Lawang to see Orang Utan, and Monkey and trekking in the Jungle.
Though the roads were a bit bumpy, the journey was well worth it.
Then when they arrived at Rindu Alam Cottage, they relaxed, spending time near the forest area.
The next morning at 7.30 they were ready for Jungle Trekking, to see Orang Utan and Monkey.
The most precious moments they see the Orang Utan, playing and feeding the monkey with the fruits served by the guide to us. But they prefer giving some of the fruits to the monkey.
I was so happy to see thed smiled and laughed at the time. They were satisfied with the tour although it was quite a warm day.
On the fourth day, we headed to Berastagi, to explore Berastagi Fruit Market, Gundaling, and Hot Spring.
At the time of the day, the market was crowded. Farmers from the hill went down to the city to sell their crops.
Luckily, they love spending time trekking in Sibayak. They also love the local guide.
They walked for hours but because we had the least time left, we had to rush to visit Dokan Village, Sipiso-piso Waterfall, and headed to Samosir Island crossing by Ferry Ship.
Sibayak Mountain
Sibayak is an active volcano in Karo Regency, North Sumatra. This mountain, nicknamed the "King Mountain", has a height of 2,094 meters above sea level which is friendly for beginners to climb because the distance to the peak that relatively short, only about 2 hours.
So, it is suitable for doing “Tektok” climbing or speed hiking on this mountain.
The key to the beauty of this mountain which is its attraction is the peak area. The highest peak of Mount Sibayak is called "Takal Kuda" which means "Horse Head".
Not without reason, the name is based on the shape of the peak which resembles a horse's head. When at this peak, climbers can see the view from a height and also the enchanting Mount Sinabung.
[caption id="attachment_32223" align="alignnone" width="1600"]
We took photo together before heading to Sibayak Mountain[/caption]2014 World Monuments Watch
Dokan is Karo village in the highlands northwest of Lake Toba. The Karo people are one of six ethnic groups in the central part of the North Sumatra province.
Dokan is among the many ethnics comprising the exceptionally diverse Indonesian nation.
For the villagers, the buildings serve as a material link to the traditions and principles of their ancestors, providing a continuity of values across generations.
Karo designs are expressive of cosmological beliefs, a way of living, and spiritual convictions. They were built with local materials and constructed using pile construction and disproportionately large, sloping roofs.
www.wmf.org said Dokan was included in the 2014 World Monuments Watch to protect the few Karo houses that remain standing in the villages.
As in the case of the neighbouring Karo community Desa Lingga, included on the 2012 Watch, Desa Dokan existed as small, traditional villages, predating the Dutch colonial era.
Until the nineteenth century, the Karo region was heavily forested. However, land clearing in the twentieth century has brought significant deforestation, threatening architectural forms that use large hardwood beams that are no longer available.
In addition, the craft skills needed to maintain the historic buildings are not passed on because many of the younger Karo people are migrating to the cities.
Those with means who remain in the village often replace traditional, multifamily dwellings with single-family homes of modern construction.
In cases of limited resources, families cannot afford to repair and maintain the traditional clan houses.
While the historic buildings are no longer the preferred choice of residence for the Karo people, the heritage they represent still inspires a strong sense of pride in the community and the villagers use the structures for ceremonies, gatherings, and rituals.
For my guests, visiting this village is worth it. They felt like getting into the story hundreds of years ago. The people were living the traditional way.
People there were friendly. Most of the kids there say hi to my guests.
I invited them to practice English with my guests. And without waiting for long, they just got along with my guests.
They played football for around 15 minutes. I bought some snacks for the kids to show my appreciation because they treated my guest very well.
Sipiso-piso Waterfall
After that, we headed to Sipiso-Piso waterfall. Just around an hour and a half from Dokan, we arrived at Sipiso-piso waterfall.
Set in the beautiful highlands of North Sumatra, the stunning Sipiso-piso Waterfall is located on the North side of Lake Toba, 24 km from Kabanjahe.
I told them that Lake Toba was listed as Geopark in June 2020. Sipisopiso Waterfall is one of many geosites.
It is a trace of a normal fault which is part of the caldera collapse (above), and a panoramic view of the landscape at the northern tip of Lake Toba.
Because of the cool climate, my guests felt so happy because that is what they sought during their visit. They took many photos and went down to see the waterfall closer.
Exploring Samosir Island
From Sipiso-piso we were heading to Samosir Island. We use a Ferry Ship to Samosir. It was afternoon when we arrived in Samosir.
The next morning, we visited Parbaba Dolok Village where we had a coffee tour package. The owner of Pardosir Farm picked us up using a pick-up truck.
There we enjoyed see scenic view of Lake Toba from Parbaba Hill, explore authentic Batak Village, and explore an organic Coffee Farm. We also got much explanation about coffee from seed to cup.
Our tour at that time was different! It was different from the other day. Especially we can see the beautiful landscape of Lake Toba from the hill.
We also visited Tea Plantation in Sidamanik, Simalungun Regency. Lake Toba has the second-largest tea plantation area in Indonesia.
It is named Sidamanik Tea Plantation because it is located in Sidamanik District, Simalungun Regency. Simalungun is one of seven regencies crossed by the waters of Lake Toba.
[caption id="attachment_32045" align="alignnone" width="1280"]
The history states that this tea plantation was opened during the Dutch colonial period in Indonesia. Sidamanik Tea Plantation was founded by the Dutch East India Company (Dutch: Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie. Abbreviated as VOC)
VOC is a trading association from the Netherlands that monopolized trade activities in Asia.
The Tea Plantation was first established in 1917.
It was established in the territory of Partuanon Sidamanik or Oppung Nai Horsik Damanik. The tea factory was built in 1927. However, the factory began operating in 1931.
I shared the story about this tea plantation with my guests because they are from the Netherlands.
They were surprised when listened to the story. They were happy.
It also triggers them to taste the tea. So, I took them to a café named Tea Garden in Sidamanik. There they can taste the original tea from Sidamanik. And they bought a pouch which can they show to their relative.
They Love These
During their holiday 8 days 7 nights here, they love the most:
They fell in love with Lake Toba. Lake Toba area: Karo, Dairi, Simalungun and Samosir Regency. They visited 4 regencies during their vacation in North Sumatra.
They love visiting Dokan Village. They loved to see the old house and interact with the local people. Say hello, play football, and get involved with the community that made them feel special.
Boris, one of the guests said, “ It was special. There is no other factor more important than they were treated well and felt welcome by the local people”.
They also love visiting the plantation—coffee and tea. They said this activity especially visit to Pardosir Farm gave more information about the local people and how they earn money.
Boris and his family members hope that soon they will come back to visit Lake Toba.
“I must visit Lake Toba again! Because my vacation in Lake Toba is too short. I want to explore more.” Boris said.
I was so happy he said so. I suggested him if he wants to get cheaper price, he can do backpacking as what common tourist do in TukTuk Samosir Island.
Writer: Damayanti Sinaga
