Medan Trip ~ Toba Lake, Aek Sijornih Waterfall, Poncan Island (20 Sep - 27 Sep)
Hello Guys,
Sorry for the inactivity..
it is because i had to do my college assignment (Internship report & final thesis)
I'm at 7th Semester (last semester of college) which everybody knows it's Hell Top Floor
I'm at 7th Semester (last semester of college) which everybody knows it's Hell Top Floor
and now my assignment is halfway done.. and i'll just leave it and continue my blog first
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| Medan |
This time i go to Medan with my friend Johanes Stevn (ig: @johanessteven) & his family
The main purpose is, his mother is going to a school reunion party at Samosir Island, Toba Lake,
and visiting their hometown at Sibolga City, Padangsidempuan City and Medan City.
Well, i'm just coming along with them while enjoying the wonder of Indonesia 😋
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| Johanes Steven (ig: @johanessteven) |
I mostly captured video, and jo accidentally deleted our photo & video from his gopro
well, i guess it's on my own then.. i'll try my best to give the detailed photo and commentary.
Ok, let me tell the summary of our trip, where we go, what we do ...
- Day 1 (20 Sep) Fly to Kuala Namu, Medan (at 12 AM Midnight, we took a car ride to Toba Lake (5 Hours Trip)
- Day 2 (21 Sep) Reach Toba Lake, and stay at Hotel Silintong, at Samosir Island
- Day 3 (22 Sep) Go to Sibolga City (a 6 hours car ride from Samosir Island)
- Day 4 (23 Sep) Go to Poncan Island and take a car ride to Padangsidempuan City (3 hours car trip)
- Day 5 (24 Sep) Go to Aek Sijornih Waterfall, and explore Padangsidempuan
- Day 6 (25 Sep) Fly to Kuala Namu, and we go to Thamrin Plaza Mall at Medan
- Day 7 (26 Sep) Spending a whole day at Centre Point Mall, Medan 😓
- Day 8 (27 Sep) From Kuala Namu, Fly to Hang Nadim Airport, Batam
And here's the whole story
Day 1 (20 Sep)
at 1PM I've finished packing my luggage, saying good bye to my parents, and Jo (Johanes) come and pick me up..
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| At Hang Nadim International Airport, Batam |
But suddenly the flight was delayed till 7PM
so we wait there like crazy person..
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| Delicious Roti'O |
And i try this Roti'O (Rp 11,000/each at Airport, Regular Price must be around Rp 7,000, at local mall)
It was very delicious and addicting.. i buy 3 Roti'O to eat because i'm hungry and craving for food
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| Boarding the plane |
After waiting, at last the flight is ready, and when we board the plane (Lion air), we only get what we called a "Nasi Kotak" (Rice box filled with side dish like chicken meat, vegetables) and it was a horrible 1 hour flight.
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| Jo's first time on a plane |
Then we reach Kualanamu Airport at Around 9PM, after we take our luggage, we go to eat at nearest restaurant (it happens to be A&W). so we go eat something to fill our empty stomach to brace the night.
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| Photo of Kualanamu Airport (Taken from Google) |
Time flies by and each of Jo's mother's friends come and they meet up, while we sit and awkwardly smile...
They all come from various location such as Sibolga, Jakarta, Mataram, and many other location, and to join the reunion
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| Istana Sultan Serdang Statue at Kualanamu Airport |
Day 2 (21 Sep)
It was midnight, After waiting all of their friends to come and gather, time is already pointing at 12PM, so we start our trip to Toba Lake by Taxi and a few cars. We all agreed to drive together and closely, but ... unfortunately .............
Our Driver is really "Supir Medan", and by "supir medan", i mean a really really Fast and Furious Crazy Driver
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| Illustration of Fast and Furious Driver |
Soon after we get in the car.. he immediately go and did not wait for other friend.. so we told him to stop and wait for our friend but he insisted not to wait and makes an excuse, he said if he park for too long, the parking fee will be very expensive. so we agreed. but he takes us to a strange place, where there are a lot of people like him.. standing in the dark area and quiet place in the parking lot, and asking money from us
but the driver said he will return our money after payment later. so we did pay them
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| Illustration of a Night Trip |
Then we start our horrifying night trip, i can't sleep with this crazy man as my driver. strangely, this midnight, there are so many Truck, carrying soil, sand and trash passing by. and this driver keeps cutting lane, driving very fast and scary. For 5 hour, i can't sleep and praying i did not die that night because of this scary driver. The road to Toba Lake is curvy, dark and damaged road. after a night long praying and not sleeping. the nightmare is finally over
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| Toba Lake & The Ship (7AM) |
We've reached Toba Lakeside!! but we're 1 hour ahead of our other friends (our driver drives too fast, i mean REALLY REALLY FAST!!!!) it was 5 AM in the morning when we reach there. So we come and sit at nearest coffee stall and drink some tea and coffee to warm our self. It was very cold there because Toba Lake is surrounded by mountains, so the air is very cold here.
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| Inside the Big boat |
After 1 hour, our friends have come and we have to board the Boat to go to Samosir Island, carrying our car. The Boat is very Slow and we wait till 11AM to get on board. Yeah it was a boring trip, and what we do the most is waiting, sitting and scared to death..
The boat trip took 45 minutes. which is a painfully long and we still need to drive from the port to our Hotel at Silintong Hotel (15 minutes ride)
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| Silintong Hotel (resort?) |
After we've reached the hotel, me and Jo shared a room and we rest for a while and preparing to go swimming at the beach. Yeah, i did bring my mask and snorkel. We explore around the hotel and catch few great sighting. most of the things here are green and natural. After enjoying the scenery here, we have prepared our swimming equipment.
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| Me and Jo at the Ship dock |
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| The View of Toba Lake (just some water and land) |
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| Hotel Silintong's Beach |
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| Some statues beside the hotel |
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| Me in the grass field of Hotel Silintong |
The weather was good so we can swim without afraid of sunburn. the water was very cold and the wind added more chills. I only swim at the shallow area because the people there warned us not to go to deeper side, so i'd obey the locals. One thing i discover about Toba Lake was water is freshwater 😅. Not a shocking discovery though but i just wonder, if all people here throwing any kind of trash to the Lake and polluted the water, why it is still stale not salty. Okay, back to swimming, there are nothing much to see here. the water was cold and there are so many sea-moss in the beach ... i can't bear to swim anymore ..
Back at the Hotel, we are washing ourselves from the moss and water. After resting for a while, the reunion party almost began. so we go to the main field to see the how is the party held. They sang 'Bataknese' Song (the one that has "ke kanan ke kanan, ke kiri ke kiri" one) and a lot of songs from the 80's. because their party was so long, and we haven't eaten yet, we decided to try local food stall, Toba's Roast Pig or "Babi Panggang Khas Toba". Which is very good and price also reasonable. Around Rp 25,000 per plate of Roast Pig you can eat and satisfied of the signature 'Saksang' sauce.
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| Illustration of BPK |
It was good food, good atmosphere, friendly locals. After we're full, it's time to head back to Hotel's field and they are still dancing to their song. Me and Jo go to Light up Flying Lantern he brought here. It was a struggle lighting up the lantern in a windy night. i counted 5 lantern failed to fly and fall to the lake... After lighted 10 lantern, it's getting late and we go back and get some rest...
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| This pic of Jo's Hair will give you nightmare |
Day 3 (22 Sep)
It's a beautiful morning.. after eating breakfast, we took a boat ride around Toba Lake
from the boat, we can see a breath taking view. and we also went to see the Hanging Stone or "Batu Gantung"
Legend said, the stone was an incarnation of a woman named Seruni, who fell into the hole on the cliff and turned into this hanging stone.
After that, we also visit Souvenir stores at Tomok Pier, i buy a few of Toba's Batik Shirt for my friend. Everything there was super expensive, even though i've already said i'm a local people, don't charge me high, but they still don't let me bargain the price, so guess what. do not buy there 😆
Then we go back to our Silintong Hotel and prepare to take a car ride to Sibolga (6 hours trip) there is a bridge that connects Samosir island with Mainland. So the boring trip begins. After 1 hour, We've reached Tele Watchtower or "Menara Pandang Tele", there is a tower at the top of the hill here. So we hangout a bit here and take a couple of photos.
The entry price to the tower is Rp 2,000 / person, we can see Toba Lake from a different perspective and taking a picture here is very cool.
After a while, we are back again on our car trip, this time i can sleep because the driver are better and more careful. Because of the road is zig-zag here.. my friend, Jo become carsick and vomit a couple times. smelling the vomit, makes me wanna throw up too, yuck
at 1 AM midnight, we reached Sibolga and checked in at local hotel.
Day 4 (23 Sep)
Woke up in the morning at 7AM because i heard the kindergarten near our hotel is teaching the kids using Chinese language, i was surprised because the Teacher is not a Chinese but can actually speaks it (the accent is wrong though). After we've showered and prepared, we go to Breakfast and walk around Sibolga, Jo's mother's hometown,
we also walk around to see Sibolga's city, jo's mom's school, and any place she know
After all people is ready, we go to Hotel WI to take a boat to Poncan Island.
Poncan is a great location for a short getaway trip, it has a lot of cottage, playground such as swing, slide for kids, a very beautiful beach sights, but the downside is, it has no underwater sights (no coral and very less sea life), a lot of trash, cottage has no electricity (WHAT?). Below is some photos i snapped from Poncan island
After bored at Poncan island, we go back, have a dinner at local Chinese restaurant and take a car to Padangsidempuan city to Jo's Grandmother's place and we reach destination at 2 AM midnight. The place is a motorcycle accessories shop. After preparation completed, we can finally sleep at 3 AM.
Day 5 (24 Sep)
Today we woke up at 9 AM, and we check around the house, it's actually quite small but have a lot of furnitures and very expensive. they have karaoke room, drone, ps4, massage pad, RC car, bicycle accessories, and a lot of things i've wanted during my childhood.
After admiring the house, we go to the nearest mall, The Sidimpuan Citywalk which is kind of sad, we want to massage there but there is currently not enough staff, and if we want to wait, we have to wait 2 hours. Of course we don't want to wait, So we walk around the mall. There are a lot of Internet cafe here full with kids.
Nothing much to do here actually, so we went back home to gather and start our trip to Aek Sijornih Waterfall. It's like 30 minutes road trip from our house to the waterfall, so it's pretty close. The entry fee is Rp 10,000 / person. It's very fun to see a waterfall like this and we can swim there too
When we reach the pool at the bottom, it's very dirty and mossy !! yuck
Because the pool might never be cleaned. and all rubbish and trash flow to the lower part of the waterfall. Nothing to show in the pool, just like regular swimming pool but mossy and unclear water. I think the waterfall is the most fun place we've gone !!
After playing at waterfall, we all get hungry and go to nearest restaurant to eat and talk. And we go ride horse cart later in the evening. The horse is very pitiful and sad, because the cart-man hit the horse every time he wants the horse to walk quicker. Thankfully we only ride the horse for just about 10 minutes and we agreed not to share video of us riding the horse. After all this torture, we thank the horse and we go back home to rest.
Day 6 (25 Sep)
Today is our schedule to fly to Kualanamu Airport, Medan, so after breakfast, we went to Dr Ferdinand Lumban Tobing Airport to fly to Medan. This is my first time on a Propeller Airplane.
After we reach Kualanamu and picked up by Jo's Uncle, we went to Thamrin Plaza and shopping there. Thamrin Plaza mall is quite small compared to Batam, but with better shops and amenities than Batam's.
Followed by dinner at local restaurant, treat by Jo's Mom's Friend
Day 7 (26 Sep)
Day 7 is only about going to Centre Point Mall a whole day. Nothing much to describe here other than the content of the mall is mostly Branded store such as Charles & Keith, Pedro, Bonia, Etude House, Starbucks, etc.
Day 8 (27 Sep)
Today is a very busy day. we have to catch our flight, while rushing to buy souvenirs and treats for our family and friends at Batam. So, the morning we went to eat Local noodle stall and we went to Wet Market in front of Thamrin Plaza to look for things..
In the afternoon we went to Ola Kisat Roast Pork or BPK. The roast pork is very nice here. if i go to Medan again, i would definitely go eat this pork.
Then we went to Kualanamu Airport and the flight was delayed again.
After reaching Batam.. all we have is the horror of Local Taxi stalking us as we call for Grab-car to pick us. The Grab driver and us make a drama by treating us like we are their nephew and we called him our uncle. We somehow survived the Horror and reach home safely.
That's it, i'm gonna make a Short Highlight Video about our trip to Medan (probably next month), so stay tuned !!
it's gonna be late though, because of this college assignment !!! Arghh dammmmmmmmnnn
Thank you !!
from the boat, we can see a breath taking view. and we also went to see the Hanging Stone or "Batu Gantung"
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| Batu Gantung / Hanging Rocks ? |
Legend said, the stone was an incarnation of a woman named Seruni, who fell into the hole on the cliff and turned into this hanging stone.
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| A more professional photo of Batu Gantung from Google |
After that, we also visit Souvenir stores at Tomok Pier, i buy a few of Toba's Batik Shirt for my friend. Everything there was super expensive, even though i've already said i'm a local people, don't charge me high, but they still don't let me bargain the price, so guess what. do not buy there 😆
Then we go back to our Silintong Hotel and prepare to take a car ride to Sibolga (6 hours trip) there is a bridge that connects Samosir island with Mainland. So the boring trip begins. After 1 hour, We've reached Tele Watchtower or "Menara Pandang Tele", there is a tower at the top of the hill here. So we hangout a bit here and take a couple of photos.
The entry price to the tower is Rp 2,000 / person, we can see Toba Lake from a different perspective and taking a picture here is very cool.
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| Menara Pandang Tele |
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| Me in front of Menara Pandang Tele Sign |
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| Noname Mountain |
After a while, we are back again on our car trip, this time i can sleep because the driver are better and more careful. Because of the road is zig-zag here.. my friend, Jo become carsick and vomit a couple times. smelling the vomit, makes me wanna throw up too, yuck
at 1 AM midnight, we reached Sibolga and checked in at local hotel.
Day 4 (23 Sep)
Woke up in the morning at 7AM because i heard the kindergarten near our hotel is teaching the kids using Chinese language, i was surprised because the Teacher is not a Chinese but can actually speaks it (the accent is wrong though). After we've showered and prepared, we go to Breakfast and walk around Sibolga, Jo's mother's hometown,
we also walk around to see Sibolga's city, jo's mom's school, and any place she know
After all people is ready, we go to Hotel WI to take a boat to Poncan Island.
Poncan is a great location for a short getaway trip, it has a lot of cottage, playground such as swing, slide for kids, a very beautiful beach sights, but the downside is, it has no underwater sights (no coral and very less sea life), a lot of trash, cottage has no electricity (WHAT?). Below is some photos i snapped from Poncan island
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| Rock Island near Poncan's beach |
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| What is this fish? |
After bored at Poncan island, we go back, have a dinner at local Chinese restaurant and take a car to Padangsidempuan city to Jo's Grandmother's place and we reach destination at 2 AM midnight. The place is a motorcycle accessories shop. After preparation completed, we can finally sleep at 3 AM.
Day 5 (24 Sep)
Today we woke up at 9 AM, and we check around the house, it's actually quite small but have a lot of furnitures and very expensive. they have karaoke room, drone, ps4, massage pad, RC car, bicycle accessories, and a lot of things i've wanted during my childhood.
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| Sidimpuan Citywalk, image from Google |
After admiring the house, we go to the nearest mall, The Sidimpuan Citywalk which is kind of sad, we want to massage there but there is currently not enough staff, and if we want to wait, we have to wait 2 hours. Of course we don't want to wait, So we walk around the mall. There are a lot of Internet cafe here full with kids.
Nothing much to do here actually, so we went back home to gather and start our trip to Aek Sijornih Waterfall. It's like 30 minutes road trip from our house to the waterfall, so it's pretty close. The entry fee is Rp 10,000 / person. It's very fun to see a waterfall like this and we can swim there too
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| the pool at the bottom of the waterfall |
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| We went to the Upper part of the waterfall |
When we reach the pool at the bottom, it's very dirty and mossy !! yuck
Because the pool might never be cleaned. and all rubbish and trash flow to the lower part of the waterfall. Nothing to show in the pool, just like regular swimming pool but mossy and unclear water. I think the waterfall is the most fun place we've gone !!
After playing at waterfall, we all get hungry and go to nearest restaurant to eat and talk. And we go ride horse cart later in the evening. The horse is very pitiful and sad, because the cart-man hit the horse every time he wants the horse to walk quicker. Thankfully we only ride the horse for just about 10 minutes and we agreed not to share video of us riding the horse. After all this torture, we thank the horse and we go back home to rest.
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| The pitiful horse, thank you very much |
Day 6 (25 Sep)
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| Propeller Airlane |
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| Thamrin Plaza |
After we reach Kualanamu and picked up by Jo's Uncle, we went to Thamrin Plaza and shopping there. Thamrin Plaza mall is quite small compared to Batam, but with better shops and amenities than Batam's.
Followed by dinner at local restaurant, treat by Jo's Mom's Friend
Day 7 (26 Sep)
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| Centre Point Mall |
Day 7 is only about going to Centre Point Mall a whole day. Nothing much to describe here other than the content of the mall is mostly Branded store such as Charles & Keith, Pedro, Bonia, Etude House, Starbucks, etc.
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| Branded |
Day 8 (27 Sep)
Today is a very busy day. we have to catch our flight, while rushing to buy souvenirs and treats for our family and friends at Batam. So, the morning we went to eat Local noodle stall and we went to Wet Market in front of Thamrin Plaza to look for things..
In the afternoon we went to Ola Kisat Roast Pork or BPK. The roast pork is very nice here. if i go to Medan again, i would definitely go eat this pork.
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| BPK Ola Kisat |
Then we went to Kualanamu Airport and the flight was delayed again.
After reaching Batam.. all we have is the horror of Local Taxi stalking us as we call for Grab-car to pick us. The Grab driver and us make a drama by treating us like we are their nephew and we called him our uncle. We somehow survived the Horror and reach home safely.
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| we took a Grab car |
That's it, i'm gonna make a Short Highlight Video about our trip to Medan (probably next month), so stay tuned !!
it's gonna be late though, because of this college assignment !!! Arghh dammmmmmmmnnn
Thank you !!
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