Danau Toba Things to Do

4 more images

The garden of Eden is an example of “agrowisata” (rural tourism), a for of tourism which is appreciated a lot by Indonesian coming from big and crowded cities and enjoy the countryside and enjoy some attractions at tourists spots. The young guys who drove me on their bikes around Parapat took me there and I enjoyed my visit here, walking in the forest, reaching a small waterfall, looking at birds and insects, and have an insight of Indonesian conception of tourism.
Taman Eden is locaed 15 km from Parapat on the road to Balige (South of Lake Toba), and is indicated on the road side (picture 1). Do not expect to visit the rain forest in its primitive state, it is here equipped, the visit is made easy and the entrance and trails are well decorated (picture 2), and note the small blue signs, we will tell about a special one few lines down. Walking on the trail to the waterfalls you can enjoy nice vistas on paddy fields from inside the forest (picture 3).
This forest is maintained by lots of people, coming to plant themselves trees, other give money to the association running the park, and signs with their names are erected next to trees they contributed to plant, and other even plant in the name of people in whom they have faith, from whom they hope some change in the world affairs (picture 4): yes even Obama (who spent part of his childhood in Indonesia) has his tree here!
The walk in the forest takes you to the waterfalls, and just before you can enjoy the refreshing view of the river (picture 5).

Lumban Julu, 15 km from Parapat, main road to Balige.
Entrance: 1500 rp
Open all day, every day; it was very quiet when I visited, had to call an employee to be sure I can visit. . . .

4 more images

Do not expect to see the Niagara Falls, the falls here are quite small, the river is small, but in the forest it is nice to find this spot after a half hour hike. The waterfalls are in two main steps and fall in a shallow pond where it is even possible to have a bath (picture 1) (without soap! Of course). A closer look at the falling water on picture 2.
On the way back, you can enjoy the light in the leaves when the sun passes through the canopy (picture 3), observe strange fruits on some unknown (to me!) trees (picture 4). As we are in humid environment, don’t be surprised to see dragonflies, like the one on picture 5; If you like nature, despite it is a bit laid out here, Taman Eden is a nice place to visit for a few hours; there is much more to do apparently, according to the website, and this probably takes place in the tourist season (school holidays, here).

4 more images

The chances of meeting a tiger, elephant or leopard are very low, but tiny animals make nature wonderful too, and it is fun to observe; as we are near a lake, there are lots of dragonflies, and they are very aesthetic, (picture 1).
Looking at the light playing in the bougainvillea is a nice activity too (picture 2), but there must be sun, so best is early morning for that , as in February, the clouds accumulate quickly against the mountains. Morning is also the best time to see butterflies like this one on picture 3. The dragonfly of picture 4seems quite common around Lake Toba, but I do not know about this colourful but very shy bird (picture 5).
I spent some time looking at the animals, plants and flowers; this “tip” is just an introduction to the travelogues.

4 more images

Who did not dream of a “heavenly” life on an island, in warm climate, eating coconuts and bananas, working just what is necessary, making love all day, taking care of kids, fishing, sleeping. . . . peace, peace, peace. . . . Hah! That is only dram and not exactly realistic; Bougainville and Cook who were fascinated by life in Polynesia or Hawaii, knew real life could not be that! Ah of course, here the water is a lake, but the principle is the same. So, I dreamed and looked a bit at local life, and I found it peaceful, quiet, just appealing, it was difficult to come back on earth sometimes. . . . . Imagine, transporting coconuts in your canoe (first picture) and laughing loud at beauty of life. . . . , (and remembering old funny songs like : Coconut Woman; well, OK, not exactly Indonesian. . . :))), catching some fish to bring back for dinner for the family (picture 2). . . . I would like that. . . for some time! When going out on the lake, you need to protect from the sun (picture 3).
I would like to go out late evening (picture 4), and when the sun sets, feel lost and alone in the world (picture 5).

4 more images

The pillars of this house (picture 1) represent lizards above human heads, as you can see on picture 2, where a woman is sitting in typical pose; this is on the right side of the house, on the left side is a man (picture 3); below are painted heads. I do not know what that means, what is behind these décor; we have seen the gables of houses with the head of the snake, the breast on the facades of houses, here, lizards (crocodiles?). Cosmological order is here, religious symbols, and avoiding to write stupidities, I only keep admiring the carvings, paints, all the symbols, and dream a bit, try to figure out for myself what that could mean and do some research in books about the Batak.
You can see the lizards almost everywhere, like here (picture 4) in Tuktuk, at the entrance of a tourist resort, or on shrines you find in the countryside, like here, (picture 5), in the hills above Tomok.

4 more images

When you wander around by motorbike, on Samosir or on the mainland near Lake Toba, you come across a lot of traditional houses or villages; the sight of the Batak Toba houses is really a pleasant change of scenery; the houses are very beautiful and having a close look you can see they are very often nicely decorated, sometimes funnily.
The modern Batak Toba houses are as nice as the old ones, I guess; to me they look nice, like this very big one (picture 1) in the village of Ambarita, but it is not for living, it is a community house; on this recent house, the paint is not washed by the rain and you see the décor on picture 2, with , again the breasts. On the third picture, this house not far from Tomok is also nicely decorated. But I definitely prefer the “real” houses, I mean the ones where people live, living houses like the ones on picture 4; a bike, a satellite dish, drying nuts, poultry, . . . . . the village was empty. If you have a close look at the houses, there are sometimes some funny décor next to the traditional sculptures and masks; I like a lot the naïve drawings on picture 5, with hunters, horses, bikers. . . . . It is really worth and fun to take time and look at the houses, they reveal a lot about people, I think. These houses are in Simanindo, on the northern tip of Samosir.

4 more images

The Batak Toba houses are well known with the typical shape of their roof and the picturesque touch they give to the villages.
Travelling around Lake Toba or on Samosir you can see a lot of these houses, in villages, sometimes whole villages still build with these houses and sometimes isolated houses.
The most interesting house I have seen was an isolated house on Samosir, near the crest line on the hills, not far from the village of Parmonangan.
It is not a very spectacular one, but I liked this, lost in the hills on top of the island; the yard is fenced (picture 1), the house has a sort of a “tender” at the back, a storage for food, tools, etc. . and it is of course built on stilts; the stilts are not for flooding but a protection from pests and bigger animals, and the buffaloes or pigs are kept beneath the house.
You notice that the entrance to that house is a stair, a bit back from the façade, and when you enter the house, you have to bend down! Of course, you have to bend down to pay respect to the deities and ancestors just above you when you enter (picture 2).
The deities and ancestors are carved wood low reliefs (picture 3); two are here sitting in typical pose, and the breast, you find in almost all houses; look at the carvings in the wood, how fine it is; and these carvings were painted, but here time made its work. Under the rooftop (picture 4) are also wood carvings, giving character to this house, but I liked most the very simple sculptures near the entrance (picture 5), not very “artistic”, but they express power, strength, pride. An old Batak Toba house. The owners invited me inside for a tea; inside was very simple, almost no furniture in the main room; the bedrooms are at the back; I did not dare make pictures, and. . they spoke Batak, not Malay-Indonesian, communication was not easy.

From Tomok, drive 3 km south, then turn right and drive up the hills; road is not easy, often work places. On the crest, you reach Parmonongan, and at the road junction, turn right (North) direction Simanindo, and drive 3 km on a dirt road, through a forest, then you see a few houses up left on the hill; there is a road crossing, turn left, it goes steep up the hill; on top are a few wooden houses; ask to go to the “old house”; you will have to walk 200m west in high grass and uneven terrain; there you are!

4 more images

The Batak Toba are Christian in majority, and travelling in Indonesia, it is something different from all the mosques we see everywhere! This being said I have no preference for churches or mosques, just like a change from time to time, and churches adapt more easily the local architectural style rather than the mosques.
The church in Parapat dominates the village and harbour, but looks so tiny in front of the mountains (picture 1); the little church of Parmonangan on Samosir is a really simple building, corrugated iron, but the entrance reminds the local style(picture 2). The Protestant Batak church of Tomok (picture 3) is built in “classical” church style, but the entrance is Batak! In some villages you can even see two churches (picture 4), as the Batak have been “Christianised” by a number or missionaries and there are Catholics,
Lutherans, Calvinists, etc. . . and they keep their specificity. The churches just decorate the landscape above the lakeshores (picture 5), and, yes, it is nice to see religious buildings in the countryside, they integrate well here, do not spoil the landscape, participate to beauty in some way. . .