Jalan - jalan : Medan Danau Toba


Hello!

Happy New Year 2013!!
My family during Medan Trip

Ok for this entry, just to make it different, I want to write in English. Therefore, if my language not good, sorry ya!! Huhu...ok, just to share my good experience travelling trip to Medan, Indonesia last July.
For your information, this is my first time family trip going abroad - and we all going to Indonesia. But, why Medan?? 1st reason because of the price. Less than RM1k per head, you can get all in package including flight, hotel, guide and meals.

Beside that, I already bought Air Asia ticket during promo time. Price is less than RM60 per head. Still cheap right??! Haha, therefore, my advise if you want to get cheap flight, always browse Air Asia web site. Normally you need to buy 1 year before travel, but still ok lah..at least you can save your money before travel.

Medan located at Sumatera Island, one of biggest island beside Borneo and Java. Medan is a gate for Danau Toba ( Lake Toba). Medan also is third biggest city in Indonesia. Like other cities in Indonesia, Medan also famous with shopping, and I will share my experience to all of you in this entry.

Day 1 : Medan city
Our room  in Medan

We heading to airport at 5am, early in the morning. Then, take a morning flight, depart to Medan around 7am. Flight duration only 1 hour (actually less than that). Around 7am ( 8am Malaysia time) we safely arrived in Medan.

Medan airport actually very small, and it is similar to Kuantan airport. The different is because Medan airport is an international airport. We met our tour guide, Pak Adi and take a breakfast in the city. FYI, this is my first time organize my own family trip to outbound ( i mean Medan), and total of us is 10 persons. But to get cheaper fares, I need to buy ticket separately. Pak Su & Mak Su ( my uncle & his wife) depart from Penang. So we meet in Medan airport on day 1.

In mean time waiting for my brothers - their flight arrive Medan at 2.00pm, we went for shopping 1st. Talk about shopping, Medan also famous with shopping. But most of the items are telekung, kain batik, kain pelikat and jubah. It is not like Bandung, which is famous with trendy fashionable items. Medan also famous with traditional cakes such as brownies & ambon.

At 2pm, we come back again to Medan airport and fecth my 3 little brothers. Then we heading for lunch in the city. Our lunch is Nasi Padang, and of course the famous dish is Ayam Pop ( actually it is ayam kampung goreng). Then, we went to hotel for check in.

Our hotel located in the city centre, near supermarket and not far from Merdeka Walk. After get some refreshment, at 7pm we went out for dinner. Before dinner, Pak Adi bring us to Factory outlet, this is only one factory outlet in Medan. This outlet not really big as in Bandung or Jogja, but you still can get cheaper price for clothes and jeans.

We had dinner at Krakatau restaurant. The food really nice & good; i love the rice basket .. :-)

Day 2 : Medan - Brastagi


Brastagi - at my hotel


Morning! After breakfast, we check out from hotel. Today, we went for city tour 1st, then lunch and straight away going to Brastagi. First, we went to Pasar Ikan. Why pasar Ikan?? Actually no fish here. haha. I still don't know why this place called Pasar Ikan ( or Pajak Ikan in Indonesia). Maybe long time ago, it is market place and sell wet food - maybe...hehe.

In Pasar Ikan is a place for women. Because here you can buy tudung, telekung, kain batik, kain pasang and many more. But I'm not really like Pasar Ikan, because the enviroment too hot and not clean. The enviroment similar to Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman Kuala Lumpur. So hot and very hactic! If you come here, please bared in your mind, bring more moneys if you like to buy Telekung or Muslim dress. Most of things sold here are Muslim dress, and it is not like Bandung . Dont expect too much ya!

Before proceed for lunch, we stop at Maimoon Palace. It is palace, but the size not like a palace. Oklaa...just a group photo. Nothing special here... :)

After lunch ( actually I like this restaurant - its ayam bakar very nice!), we heading to Brastagi. What is so special abou Brastagi? Actually it is only small town located in highills of Sumatera. The enviroment like Cameron Highlands but it don't have any tea plantation here. The journey from Medan to Brastagi about 3 hours non stop. The road quite narrow, and the weather quite cold. We went to Pasar Buah first, that called fruit markets. I'm not into this market, there are so many horse pooo....dirty and not clean. Hehe.

According to our guide, most of people are from Batak. And they are non muslim. So, be carefull if you want to try any street foods here. Beside it is Not Halal, the foods is not really clean. Then, we checked in hotel and spend the whole night at the resort.

Day 3 : Brastagi - Danau Toba

After checkout, we went to Danau Toba. Another 5 hours journey! Hehe. Danau Toba is one of the biggest lake in South East Asia. Believe me! You can see the lake from the hills and view is so awesome! We stop at one waterfall area called Sipiso Piso. It is very unique waterfall because the water flow from the top of the hill. Even though you cannot find where is source of the water. Maybe it is come from underground water at the hills.

But, same like Brastagi, the area is not clean. No proper toilet, I strongly suggest to Indonesia Goverment to take note about that. Then we heading to Parapat - small town located at Danau Toba and have lunch there. The food very nice, because they serve padang food. Then, we going to Kampung Tomok located at Samosir Island. Can you imagine, in this super huge lake, there are one island same size like Singapore? Yes, it is located at Danau Toba. Subhanallah... what I say, the view very nice! Indonesian - please take care this God Creature!

The lake, the weather....fuhh.. Oh ya, you need to take a boat if you want go to Kg Tomok. Oooppps...Kg Tomok actually is one of the oldest village in Samosir. It belongs to Batak people. You can go for shopping here and take time to learn about the history of Batak people. Very nice experience.

Then...we check in at Toledo Inn. The resort located not far from Kg Tomok and the resort facing the lake! If you dare, you can take a bath in the lake...hehe. After check in, we spent time ( with my brothers and sisters) to cycle around the island! Don't forget your camera!


Day 4: Danau Toba - Medan - KL

Lake Toba

Breakfast and check out! It is time to go back to Kuala Lumpur. Again, we need to take a boat to Parapat and take a coach to Medan. Total journey time almost 6 hours! Fuhhhhhhhhh

In the way going to Medan, we stopped at Permatang Siantar to buy some candies - that called Ting -ting, Tong-tong...what a name! Acctually it is foods make from peanuts! Simple name, better taster and the price moderate laa.... suitable if you want give it as souvenirs.

We had our lunch at Simpang Tiga Restaurant ( famous in Malaysia ), and then heading to Medan airport (around 3pm - fuuhhh). Alhamdullillah after a long jorney, we safely arrive KL around 8pm.

Overall Medan trip is quite nice and suitable for those who are really go for budget holiday. Why? The cost to Medan is much cheaper than you go Bandung or Bali. And the flight journey only take less than one hour. But please take note below if you want consider Medan as your next destination:

1. Food is OK laa..but be carefull about Non Halal food esp when you are at Brastagi and Samosir.
2. Take note toilet is not proper from Medan to Danau Toba. It is better you throw unecessary things before you go for long journey,
3. Tips is every where. Bring small notes and give ar around 1000rupiah as tips.
4. Bargain is really important! Esp when you want to buy in a bundle.

So, if you grab a cheap flight to Medan, don't forget to enjoy the best trip and I believe when you arrived in Danau Toba, you will say WOW! Superb God Creature!

Thanks and enjoy the pic!

Want to explore Medan & Lake Toba?? Please email to rentaka.travel@gmail.com. I will personally assist your request!

Mak Su at Pasar Ikan


With my brother, Raja Azriq at Istana Maimon

Another group photo at Maimoon Palace

One of best restaurant in Medan.

At Brastagi Fruit Market



My Mom at Brastagi

Sipiso Piso Waterfall



On the boat to Samosir

Wonderfull Lake!

At my resort - Toledo Inn

My Sister at Danau Toba lake
rajaazrul



Comments

Penawaran tarif hotel murah terbaik di medan visit: http://www.goldenelevenhotel.com
LeeZ said…
Hi, I plan to go to Medan in April...do you have the HP no. to your guide/supir?
Raja Azrul said…
Hello Leez,

You want guide only or including tours (coach, meals, etc)? Please email me details to raja.azrul@gmail.com
LeeZ said…
thanks, i dah email u
syamsmentari said…
Ada halal food tak at the Brastagi Hotel tu?
Raja Azrul said…
Syam:

Halal Food memang ada kat Brastagi, jangan risau! Tapi jangan beli makanan kat tepi jalan. Takut tak bersih, dan juga tak halal.
Anonymous said…
I sent email tadi
Anonymous said…
Salam. Hotel rate n selesa kt medan hotel apa ye.
Raja Azrul said…
anon : banyak, ada novotel, hyatt, holiday inn dan banyak pilihan. Masa saya pergi saya tinggal di Grand Sakura.
Unknown said…
Asalamualaiku Raja Azrul,March 2014 saye dan family akan bercuti ke Medan.rombongan kami seramai 24 orang dan belum ade pengalaman ke indonesia.boleh beri cadangan aktiviti,hotel yang sesuai untuk keluarga yang besar,pemandu pelancong dan kenderaan yang sesuai.kalau boleh saye nak tahu camne nak booking hotel online sebab penerbangan kami dalam pukul 7:00 a.m atau 8:00 a.m.
Raja Azrul said…
Wslm,

Pada pandangan saya, lebih baik saudara membuat tempahan dengan mana-mana agensi pelancongan di Malaysia. Jadi dari segi bayaran dan pengurusan akan lebih mudah.

Jika saudara ingin atur sendiri, Medan ada banyak hotel seperti Grand Sakura, Novotel dan mcm2 lagi. Boleh search guna booking.com.

Untuk jadual perjalanan dan pemandu pelancong, kebanyakan boleh ditempah semasa anda tiba di Medan.

Tapi pada pandangan saya yang pernah bekerja di agensi pelancongan ini, lebih baik saudara membuat tempahan dengan mana -mana agensi pelancongan di Malaysia.

Jika ingin saya aturkan, sila email ke rentaka.travel@gmail.com

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