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Lake Toba was probably the place we connected with least during our time in North Sumatra.
That’s not to say it isn’t beautiful. It absolutely is. The enormous volcanic lake, green hills and traditional Batak villages make this one of the most distinctive landscapes in Indonesia. But after spending five nights on Samosir Island we came away with mixed feelings.
For some reason, the atmosphere just felt a little off to us. We also found people noticeably less friendly than elsewhere we’d travelled in Indonesia, where we’d become so used to incredibly warm and welcoming interactions.
We’re still glad we visited, though. Lake Toba gave us a completely different experience from Bukit Lawang and Berastagi and introduced us to the culture and traditions of the Batak people.
Getting to Lake Toba from Berastagi
After hiking Mount Sibayak in Berastagi, our next stop was Lake Toba.
We travelled by road from Berastagi to Parapat, the main gateway for reaching Samosir Island. From there, we took the ferry across Lake Toba to Samosir.
The ferry journey is a lovely introduction to the lake. Once you leave Parapat behind, you begin to appreciate just how enormous Lake Toba actually is, with mountains and green hills surrounding the water in almost every direction.
Most travellers staying on Samosir head to Tuk Tuk, where you’ll find plenty of guesthouses, restaurants and accommodation along the lakeshore.
Where We Stayed on Samosir Island
We stayed at Tabo Cottages in Tuk Tuk for five nights.
It’s a well-established place with gardens, a pool and a lovely setting beside Lake Toba. There are different accommodation options spread around the property, and it’s an easy base for exploring this part of Samosir.
There’s also a strong German influence, including plenty of German food on the menu, which wasn’t necessarily what we expected to find in the middle of Sumatra!
The location worked well for us because we could spend quieter days around Tuk Tuk and explore parts of the island on foot, while also arranging a tour to see some of the places further into Samosir.
Exploring Samosir Island
We spent one day taking a tour further into Samosir and up into the hills.
Getting away from the lakeshore gives you a completely different perspective on the island. The roads climb above Lake Toba, opening up views across the water, surrounding mountains and villages below.
The scenery was probably what we enjoyed most about our time here. Lake Toba is beautiful from the water, but seeing it from higher up really gives you a sense of the scale of the lake and the volcanic landscape surrounding it.
If you’re staying around Tuk Tuk, we’d recommend spending at least one day exploring beyond the immediate area rather than staying beside the lake for your entire visit.
Walk from Tuk Tuk to Huta Siallagan
Another day, we explored independently on foot.
From Tuk Tuk, we walked towards Ambarita and Huta Siallagan, a traditional Batak village and one of the better-known cultural sites on Samosir Island.
The village is known for its traditional Batak houses and ancient stone chairs, which were historically used for meetings and judicial proceedings by local rulers.
The walk itself was part of the experience. Rather than simply travelling directly to the site, we could see more of everyday life on Samosir along the way.
We also passed some of the distinctive Batak tombs and graves found around the island. Batak burial traditions are very visible on Samosir, with elaborate tombs appearing beside roads and around villages. Some are surprisingly large and ornate, while others are older and rather eerie.
After exploring Huta Siallagan, we didn’t particularly fancy walking the whole way back, so we hailed one of the local motorbike taxis for the return journey to Tuk Tuk.
Batak Culture on Samosir Island
One of the most interesting aspects of visiting Lake Toba is learning a little about Batak culture.
Traditional Batak architecture is immediately recognisable, particularly the houses with their dramatic curved roofs. Around Samosir, you’ll see both preserved traditional villages and Batak architectural influences incorporated into newer buildings.
Huta Siallagan gives some historical context to what you’re seeing elsewhere around the island, while the tombs, villages and traditional houses make Batak culture a visible part of travelling around Samosir rather than something confined to a museum.
This was quite different from the other places we’d visited in Indonesia and was one of the reasons we were glad we’d included Lake Toba in our North Sumatra route.
How Long Do You Need at Lake Toba?
We stayed for five nights, which gave us plenty of time.
That allowed us to spend a day touring further around Samosir, walk to Huta Siallagan and still have time to simply enjoy the lake and our accommodation.
For most travellers, we’d say 2-3 nights would probably be enough to get a good introduction to Samosir Island without rushing.
If you want to explore much more of the island, spend time hiking or simply want somewhere to stay for a while beside the lake, you could easily stay longer.
For us personally, five nights was enough.
Getting from Lake Toba to Medan
Our departure from Samosir was unfortunately not quite as straightforward as our arrival.
We’d arranged a shared taxi back to Medan and arrived at the departure point around 30 minutes early, only to be told that our taxi had already left.
When we questioned what had happened, the man we were dealing with became extremely rude and started shouting at us. It was completely unlike the interactions we’d had almost everywhere else during our many travels in Indonesia.
Eventually another man came and helped us and we made our way onwards in another shared taxi, but it wasn’t a particularly pleasant way to finish our time at Lake Toba.
If you’re arranging a shared transfer back to Medan, we’d make sure you confirm the departure arrangements and pick-up point beforehand. If you have a flight to catch, we’d also leave yourself plenty of extra time rather than relying on a tight connection.
Our Mixed Feelings About Lake Toba
It’s difficult to explain exactly why you connect with some places and not others.
There wasn’t one particular incident that shaped our opinion of Lake Toba. Even before the unpleasant experience when we left, we simply hadn’t felt as comfortable here as we had elsewhere in Indonesia.
We found interactions generally less warm than we’d experienced in other parts of the country, and the atmosphere never quite clicked with us.
That’s obviously a very subjective experience. Another traveller could arrive the following week, meet completely different people and come away feeling entirely differently.
And none of that changes the fact that Lake Toba itself is spectacular.
The scenery, Batak villages, traditional architecture and enormous volcanic lake make it a fascinating place to see while travelling through North Sumatra.
Is Lake Toba Worth Visiting?
Despite our mixed experience, we’re glad we went.
Lake Toba is unlike anywhere else we visited during our time in Indonesia, and Samosir Island offers an opportunity to experience Batak culture alongside some genuinely beautiful scenery.
But we also wouldn’t pretend we loved somewhere simply because it’s a popular destination.
Of the main stops on our North Sumatra route, Bukit Lawang was somewhere we could happily have stayed longer, while Lake Toba was somewhere we were ready to leave.
That doesn’t mean we’d tell other travellers to skip it. Lake Toba is absolutely worth seeing and you may have a completely different experience from us.
For our trip, though, three or four nights would probably have been enough.
