North Sumatera / Mengenal lagi sumatera utara

NORTH SUMATRA

North Sumatra, Indonesia’s most populous province outside of Java, stretches from the Indian Ocean in the west to the Straits of Malaka in the East, and from Aceh in the north to west Sumatra in the south. It is thick with virgin rainforest, jungle covered hills, terraced rice fields, mountain rivers, beautiful waterfalls, and volcanic lakes and peaceful while beaches..

The people of the region can be divided into five main ethnic groups: the Coastal Malays, living along the Melaka Straits, the Batak, consisting of the sub-tribes around Lake Toba and Samosir Island, the Pesisirs along the Indian Ocean coast, the Mandailing of southern Tapanuli, and Nias Islanders off the western coast of the province. These groups each have their own dialects , Religious beliefs, arts, costumes, and cultures. Several ethnic groups live in Medan and other towns of non ¼ Sumatra, title largest of these being Chinese and Indian. Other arts of the archipelago are represented notaly the Acehnese, Lake Toba , Minangkabau and Javanese.

The diversity of arts and cultures make this region a treasure chest for social scientists and culture seeker. Ancient carved stone graves of Batak kings, the megalithic culture of Nias, unique dances, ceremonies, arts and crafts are just waiting for you to discover. North Sumatra is also one of the richest provinces in Indonesia for flora and fauna. And of course the jewel of North.

Sumatra , Lake Toba, the legendary birthplace of the mountain-dwelling Bataks and the largest inland lake in Southeast Asia. The region tiers more than 30% of Indonesia’s export commodities, making it a vital cog in the economy. Tobacco, palm oil , tea and rubber are produced in large quantities, particularly around Medan in the north of the province.

Other Places of Interest:

City of medan

Medan is the capital of North Sumatra province, aMedan’s harbour, Belawan, is the sea link to Penang, Malaysia . Regular flights to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Amsterdam, Viena, and Jakarta are available, as well destinations in Sumatra. trading centre and important harbour. Once part of the Deli Sultanate, the Mesjid Besar (Grand Mosque) and the palace of the Sultan of Deli have been restored there past grandeur.

Crocodille farm

Medan has the largest crocodile farm in Indonesia at Asam Kumbang, 5 km from the heart of the city, with nearly 2000 crocodiles of different sizes and species.

Berastagi

Berastagi is a lovely tourist town in the Karo highlands on the way from Medan to Lake Toba. Berastagi is famous for its flowers,vegetables and fruit, the most of which is the “ Marquisa” passion fruit. The local markets are swarming with activity and scenes from traditional Karo life. Days are extremely pleasantly and nights can be quite cool. Gundaling Hill provides a clear view of Mt. Sibayak and Mt. sinabung volcanoes. There is a pleasant colonial-style hotel with a golf course, as well as arange of other hotels and accommodations.

Lake Toba

Lake Toba is the heart of Batak country, the largest lake in Southeast Asia with a surface area of about 1,145 sg kilometers, and the deepest lake in the world, over 450 meters deep. The town of Parapat is the main tourist resort and lies on the shores of the lake. The Batak Simalungun people of Parapat are happy, easygoing people, known for their lively and sentimental love song

Recreational sports in Parapat include swimming, water skiing , motor boating, canoeing, fishing, and golf. The climate is cool and dry, an ideal place to relax. There is a plenty of hotels, bungalows, villas and guesthouses. Parapat is 176 km from Medan and can be reached in 4 hours by bus.

Samosir island

The island of Samosir, in the middle of the Lake Toba by regular ferries from Parapat. The original home of the fierce Toba Batak, the island has many sites of stone tombs and traditional villages. The villages of Tomok, Tuk-Tuk, Siallagan and Ambarita are noteworthy. Transportation can be arranged through your hotel or rent a motorcycle for a day’s adventure on the island. Accommodations of various styles and standards are readily available.

Sipiso-piso waterfall

Located on the north side of Lake Toba, the 360-foot waterfall is visible from a gazebo near the food and souvenir stands.

Pandaan Beach

A seaside resort with whites and beaches and a fishing village 11 km from Sibolga, Pandaan boasts magnificent views of the Indian Ocean and fishermen sailing to the open sea.The restaurant feature grilled fish as fresh as it gets. Sibolga is the fort town to catch a local ferry to the island of Nias.

Nias island

Just a bit smaller than bali, Nias lies only 125 km off Sumatra’s West Coast. By passing the Indian Ocean, Islamic and European influence that swept thorugh most of the archipelago, the people of Nias have lived for centuries in virtual isolation from the outside world. Australian surfers in search of the perfect wave were among the first to discover Nias. Today they have the Indonesian Open Surfing Championship. Despite a growing infrastructure and tourist industry the traditional culture of Nias has remained quite intact. Villages are laid out around a central plaza and arc still primarily made up of tradition houses. War dances and the famous “Stone Jumping “ are still part of their daily life, but are also performed for tourists. There are daily flight serving Medan and Nias Island.

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