Indonesia was the final country in Southeast Asia that I visited before I headed to New Zealand. After over seven months of relatively stress-free solo travel with no major issues along the way, I expected my parting destination to go without a hitch.
In reality, Indonesia turned out to be the most complicated leg of my journey. Money drama, health woes, visa issues, and a broken phone. Minor to moderate hiccups in between these to keep me on my toes.
My bank card only worked with two Indonesian banks which posed a challenge further flung areas like Bukit Lawang, Amed, and the Komodo Islands.
I spent a grand total of 35 nights in the country which meant I had to go through the lengthy process of getting an Indonesian “visa on arrival” for an additional 5 nights in the country. If you know anything about Indonesian visas, you’ll know that this entails no less than three trips to an immigration office.
A health complaint meant I spent more time navigating the hospital scene in Yogyakarta than the temples.
Not forgetting that Indonesia marks the spot where my first bout of food poisoning occurred. Of all the places for it to happen, rather than striking while I was conveniently located next to one of Bali’s hundreds of pharmacies, it happened in one of the most remote places I visited: Samosir Island.
Samosir is an island within a lake on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The island within a lake features two further lakes: plus plenty more delicious sites.
While this is a post about the island (on a lake on another island), it’s also about the irony of getting food poisoning at the site of the largest volcanic explosion on earth.
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Lake Toba & Samosir Island
Lake Toba (Danau Toba) and Samosir Island (Pulau Samosir) are located in North Sumatra. This is Indonesia’s westernmost isle and the sixth-largest island in the world.
Lake Toba is a ginormous lake that fills the caldera of a supervolcano. Continuing the theme with superlatives, it’s the largest volcanic crater lake in the world and one of the deepest. At 1,130 square kilometres, it’s around the same size as Singapore.
Mount Toba has erupted three times with the most recent taking place 80,000 years ago. That was the largest volcanic eruption that the world had ever experienced and as a result, the 505-metre-deep Lake Toba was formed.
Samosir Island is at the heart of Lake Toba. Formed by a resurgent dome, Samosir Island is an island within an island within a lake. There are two further lakes on the island within a lake. Registering 630 square kilometres, you can probably guess that Samosir is the largest island within an island.
The island appeals to nature lovers with its Sumatran tropical pine forests, volcanic climate, and lung-cleansing fresh air.
Getting around Samosir Island
Hiring a motorbike and driving yourself around the island is the best way to experience Samosir Island. It’s possible to drive around the island in its entirety by following the main road, Jl. Pulau Samosir, which runs around the perimeter of Samosir.
Dozens of smaller tracks dissect the island if you’re feeling more adventurous and are spending more than one day at Lake Toba.
For the most part, the main road is paved and in a good state for driving. However, there are segments where the conditions are challenging with huge potholes, loose gravel, and steep sections. It’s a narrow and winding route in places with no road markings. Traffic is minimal beyond the villages although you’ll need to exercise usual caution.
While driving around the island, I didn’t actually notice any other tourists. Friendly residents of Samosir would call out greetings and occasionally beckon me over to ask where I was from and what I thought of the island and Lake Toba.
At one point, a flock of young schoolboys flagged me down. After a round of high-fives, all three of them clambered on the back of my bike for a joyride down the hill.
Samosir’s landscapes
The landscape of Samosir Island is earnestly beautiful, pure, and diverse – it changes with each bend in the road. Patches are lush, fertile and green, nourished by the volcanic land. Agriculture is rife and the island produces its own fruits, vegetables, and coffee. Mushroom production is particularly of note but we’ll get to that later.
Long, slender waterfalls tumble down the roadside cliffs. Strips of the road are surrounded by dense alpine woodland that made me think of somewhere like Canada or Austria rather than tropical Indonesia.
As mentioned, there are even two lakes on Samosir Island; Lake Sidihoni on the west and Lake Aek Natonang on the east. You can visit these with your motorbike although the latter is easier to reach when pushed for time.
Lake Toba’s water remains toasty thanks to the volcanic setting, so it’s gorgeous for a post-adventuring dip. There are beaches dotted around the periphery of the island and many of the guesthouses offer direct water access.
Towards the end of my drive around the island, the skies clouded over but I went for a paddle and sheltered in a deserted beach shack on a quiet sandy beach. The air on Samosir Island is clean and the atmosphere is laid-back. It’s the perfect antidote to the likes of Jakarta, Medan, and Bali.
Batak culture
Lake Toba is famous for its ethnic Batak culture and heritage. Toba Batak people descend from neighbouring Asian countries including the Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam, and southern India and China. Batak history traces back for thousands of years worth of kingdoms and dynasties.
With the exception of Bali, Indonesia is a predominantly Muslim country. However, the Tiba Batak people of Samosir follow a branch of Christianity which means you’ll find churches rather than mosques on the island. Plus, the Batak people consume alcohol and typically drink a fermented palm liquor called tuak when they’re in the mood to celebrate.
Batak residents of Samosir continue to follow the traditional culture. The Batak culture has left its mark architecturally with saddle-shaped houses, churches, and meeting venues that are scattered throughout Samosir Island. These are distinct with their boat-shaped roofs and you’ll spot them as you explore the island.
Restaurants in Tuk Tuk – the largest town on the island – often host Batak dance and music performances.
Cannibalism
Lake Toba and Samosir Island surprised me with its history of cannibalism.
While cruising around the island, I spotted a sign that read “Cannibal Avenue”. Back at my guesthouse, I asked the manager what the story behind it was.
He explained that the Batak tribes would punish criminals by cooking them up and making a meal out of them. It wasn’t a place that you’d want to make enemies back then! Apparently, the cannibalism culture took place until the 19th century and it’s no longer practised.
I didn’t get much further than that with the discussion but it’s interesting to know.
A tale about mushrooms
My first day of exploring the sights of Samosir Island and Lake Toba was pure bliss. Then I had to go and dampen the experience by eating a pizza.
One of the classic traveller’s tales that comes up among long-term travellers isn’t ‘where’s your favourite place?’. Actually, it’s more along the lines of, ‘so, where was the worst place you got the runs while travelling?’ and it’s such an ice breaker.
After seven months of backpacking in Southeast Asia, I’d managed to keep my own instance of tummy troubles at bay. Then, right after I sailed through my seventh month of perpetual travel, the inevitable happened.
After my long day of exploration around the island, I feasted on a cheesy, carby, utterly delicious pizza loaded with mushrooms from a restaurant in Tuk Tuk.
Driving home through a heavy rainstorm, I nursed a ginger tea to warm up before sinking into bed feeling full and content. The feeling didn’t last – a couple of hours later I woke up to those chills you get right before a thorough purge of the stomach (and the rest).
At this moment, I was so thankful for my private bathroom (no dorms on Samosir Island!). On the other hand, a manual flush toilet and loo roll would have been handy for the hours that followed.
Lake Toba: I’ll be back
Although my island retreat to Lake Toba and Samosir Island ended on a low note, the place left a lasting impression. In a similar vein to my trip to Koh Lipe, my visit didn’t go exactly to plan but that’s the essence of travel.
As with all the places that make an impact on me, it’s somewhere that I hope to return to one day in the future. Although next time, I’ll top up my first aid kit beforehand.
During the boat ride back to Parapet, I remembered how Lake Toba is known for its abundance of magic mushrooms. I’m still unsure whether I’d accidentally ordered myself a “happy” pizza and then had an adverse reaction to them. I definitely didn’t feel like I went tripping, so who knows!
The waiters in the restaurant had giggled a fair amount when I ordered the mushroom pizza and repeatedly checked on my dining progress. But Indonesian waiters are pretty attentive in general – and prone to giggling.
Regardless of happy pizzas, mushrooms, and food poisoning, Lake Toba is one of the best places to visit in Indonesia if you’re after a peaceful escape among nature and small village communities. The air is fresh, the scenery is diverse, and the island community is kind. Stick to Indonesian food and you’ll leave feeling energised and rejuvenated.
How to get to Lake Toba
Lake Toba is located in North Sumatra. You will need to travel overland to Parapat which is where the boats run to and from Samosir Island.
Boats leave approximately every hour and it takes just over 30 minutes to reach the island. The boat stops at various small docks around the island and there is staff on board who will tell you when to hop off based on where you are staying.
When you leave Lake Toba, the boat will collect you from the dock nearest to your accommodation. The guest house team will tell you where to wait and roughly what time to expect the boats.
Buses leave from Medan city and Kualanamu International Airport and take around four hours. Lake Toba is accessible from other popular destinations in North Sumatra such as Bukit Lawang.
I travelled to Lake Toba from Bukit Lawang via a shared car with other travellers which is the most comfortable way to get around. You can book tickets directly with your accommodation.
When leaving, I wasn’t able to find a shared bus due to the low season. I ended up hiring a private driver to drive me to Medan which cost me 300,000 IDR (16 GBP).
Where to stay on Samosir Island
The main town on Samosir Island is called Tuk Tuk and it’s located on the central east coast across from Parapat. Most of the accommodation is clustered around Tuk Tuk and there is a mix of budget guesthouses and fancier hotels.
I took a private room with an en-suite (Indonesian-style bathroom) at Sibayak Guesthouse.
This came with a small patio that overlooked the water. The guesthouse is very simple but I thought it was lovely. The friendly owner was always hanging around to help and they served good food on site (this is not where I ordered my pizza!). If you’re after such luxuries as hot water and air conditioning, then this place won’t be for you.
Another popular alternative among budget-hungry travellers that I heard a lot of good things about is the Reggae Guest House.
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