Medan Travel Forum

Hi,
I need to know how much transportation cost from Medan to Lake Toba if i take a hotel taxi eg: Grand Angkasa or Garuda Plaza?
What is the recommended hotel in the lake toba to rent? How much the price?
I'm going to visit Lake toba next month around 13 August 2007.
Thanks in advanced.

Hi,
You will probably have to pay about 300,000 plus the petrol costs. Travel time will be close to 3.5 hrs and then you will need tyo take a ferry to Samosir Island where all the accomodation is. You will also need to know for sure where you want to stay so the ferry can drop you off there.
You could check with a friend of mine Ajad who works in a travel agency in Medan about the costs of taking a travel car to Lake Toba.
http://forum.indahnesia.com/topic/4514/0/recommended_travel_agent_in_medan.php
I know the company he works for Narasindo Travel organise travel for travellers to Bukit Lawang, Lake Toba etc.

I really loved staying at Romlan in Sept 2006.
Here are my photos I took of my trip last year.
http://travel.webshots.com/album/558520497nMwmhx?start=48
Price for the western look room was 35,000 rupiah with hot water and for the Batak house with cold water it was 25,000 rupiah.
If you would like to see the island call into Jenny's restaurant http://travel.webshots.com/album/558520497nMwmhx?start=60 and see her husband Rinto- he should be able to organise transport for you.
Rinto's mobile no. is +6281397914229 If you contact him tell him you got his no. from Pamela from Australia.
He was my guide in Jan 2004 when I took 3 Indonesian friends with me to Lake Toba. That time we all stayed at Anju Cottages which was very nice but I prefer the setting of Romlan and the delicious food served there.
In Jan 2004 we hired two guides with bikes and one bike and travelled around the island for the day. Had a fantastic time and that night the guys Rinto and Daniel cooked fish I had bought fresh from the fish ponds and we sat by the edge of the lake, eating and afterwards the boys serenaded us with songs until the early hours of the morning- such great memories.
Pamela.

THanks Pamela. I'll contact them next week... :)

Helloo there, From Garuda Plaza Hotel in Jalan Sisingamangaraja you could find a travel agent CV. CITRA NASIONAL , at the same lane with Masjid Raya, exactly in Jalan Sisingamangaraja No. 64.with phone Number +62-61-77247036.
The travel agent provide a Transportation From Medan to Prapat (at the edge of Lake Toba) by a mini van (in Indonesia recognized by TOYOTA KIJANG) which loads 8 passengers. I take this transportation when I was visit Lake Toba in Early June 2007, the fare from Medan to Parapat is Rp. 70,000, (seventy thousands Indonesia Rupiah) per one passenger. It take about 4 hours to reach Prapat with a short stop for lunch and a short stop for an afternoon coffee time at one spot of Toba Height where we can enjoy a gorgeous LAke Toba a while moment. Ask the driver to deliver you to your adress destination in Prapat.(see my transportation tip in my North Sumatra page)
There are so many Accomodation in Prapat with vary in price, some hotel in Haranggaol street allowed you to check the condition and then do a bargaining for the room rate , so not to worry for an accomodation.
You could go to Samosir island by boating 30 minutes by commuter boats from TIGA RAJA SEA PORT ( Tiga Raja is a Local Market ) with the fare only Rp. 7,000 (seven thousands rupiah) to TUK TUK and tell the boat crew to Stop at the Port in front of CAROLINA HOTEL or at the Port near SILINTONG HOTEL where you could stay at this two Hotel or you could choice so plentifull another accomodations nearby. Have a nice Journey to Parapat/Lake Toba

Thanks meiyergani ..that's really good guide.. will contact the travel agent.

Hi again,
You could always get the local bus takes 4 hrs and only costs 18,000 rupiah- could be a little more now. I got a local bus from Prapat about 18th September last year, it cost 18,000 and took exactly 4 hours to the bus terminal in Medan.
Wow, 70,000 to go down to Lake Toba now. That is quite expensive compared to the mini bus to Kutacane Aceh - 7-8 hrs long and only 50,000/person.
Anasilk, you certainly have lots of options now to choose from.
Pamela.

yeah Pam..really thanks for all the heads up...
actually i did call CV. CITRA NASIONAL just now before went back to home, and they said the price around 70k rupiah from medan to parapat.
i think i will take that, coz i will travel with family members.
i didnt know this forum earlier, and really thankful and glad with all the supports given by members.
Keep it up guys...
THanks again all of you !!! :-)

where can i get Halal food in Samosir? or Parapat?
Any preferable or recommended place?

My local friend said that if we take a Bus, the Bus stop at any Town's bus terminal(DeliSerdang, SerdangBedagai, Pematang Siantar) between Medan and Parapat to pick the passengers at uncertain time, sometime it takes long long time waiting for additional passengers at one bus terminal, the bus only cost about Rp. 20,000.
If compare to Commuter bus, CV.CITRA NASIONAL charge too much, but the mini van agent explained us that actually Rp. 70,000 is the cost from "Medan to Sibolga" with an air conditioned van, even we stop at Parapat they charged us equal as to Sibolga, so me and my friend decided to go by this van.
The agent also explained that one van only load NO MORE than 8 passengers and only stop on the passengers request such as time for lunch, a short stop in a coffee shop at Toba Height where the passengers have a chance to see a beautiful Panorama of Lake Toba, or if passengers(excuse me) want to urination.
The agent said that we are not necessary to go to a bus terminal for the departure, by make a phone call, it is the agent service to pick up the passengers from the hotel or from home address and deliver to the passengers address on the destination.
Before my trip to Lake Toba, I went to Banda Aceh the days before and I take the similar kind of van but from the different travel agent, the trip from Lhangsa (East Aceh) to Medan (apprxmtly 200 KM) cost me Rp. 50,000, at that moment the van (air conditioned Toyota Kijang) only loaded four passengers where we tied each others as a new friend and have a chat along the trip and reached Medan in about four hours.
Please do apologize me for this explanation, I mean nothing but just sharing an experiences between the travelers.
Kind Regards for All from Bogor

Hey, no problem. This forum is to post our knowledge and our experiences and your explanation was an excellent one.
Explains very well, why the extra money charged is well worth the price.
I really appreciate your posts and please never apologise for posting such excellent information.
I see you come from Bogor- I love Bogor, that is like home to me.
I usually use Bogor as my base in Inddonesia when I travel there. My friend Adang usually keeps my small excess luggage at his place across the river or if it is my huge suitcase Tanti Wardah from Pensione Firman keeps it there at no charge.
Pamela.

hai there, from Medan here.
It's weird that when you asking about the HALAL food here, but no body give any clue. For me, seemed that they merely lokks like promoting people/places/ any kinda of bussiness that could be connected to each others. Are they ?? LOL
Wondering, are they understand excatly the meaning of HALAL food ???
Anyway, I did taking some exchange collegue, and individual touriss lately, even from malay. So, the information about Halal food perhaps to be so necessary during the trip. Medan, is easily to finf the kinda of food, especially the one with the sign "RM(Rumah Makan) PADANG. Absolutely all of them suitable for HALAL food.
But the story quite change when your vehicle entering the SIANTAR city and SAMOSIR/PARAPAT. The easiest way to figure out the restaurant is to ask any lokals/your driver about rumah Makan (restauant)PADANG whereever you stop/ arrive. In Parapat, along the way to Bukit tinggi road close the terminal PARAPAT (before entering the gate to down the ferry port) there are more than 15 PADANG restaurants(Rumah makan) on your left and right. Just pick the suitable ones for your budget for lunch and dinner(They open mostly 24 hours/7 days).In Samosir, I believe it's kinda of hard to find the HALAL food, as mostly the population is Christian. But, when you brave enough to ask the local(it's fine to make sure by asking them) can you have the HALAL food arround the island(samosir), probably they will said it's ok/halal. Or even they will trying hard to get you one by looking the others places.

In Parapat, Hongkong restaurant(close to the OPEN STAGE- infront the INA PARAPAT HOTEL-goverment owned hotel chain), defenittely chinese restaurant, even most of the guest is group from Malay.
Bon voyage then,....

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http://www.medanonline.net

The Medanese Community Forum

Hi ,i need some information regarding my lake toba trip , im coming to lake toba on this feb 08, i would like to know how to get to lake toba from airport , i will reach airport about 9am , so i plan straigh away go to lake toba , tq

pLEASE rever to my North Sumatra Transportation tip, you could contact CV CITRA NASIONAL and they will pick you up from POLONIA AIRPORT and deliver you to LAKE TOBA