Toba Lake : The Largest Lake in Southeast Asia

Incomplete feel if you visited the North Sumatra did not stop for a moment to Lake Toba, volcanic lake which is the largest lake in Indonesia, and even Southeast Asia. Exotic charm vast expanse of the lake like a sea with shady trees and hills, charming. The lake, measuring 1700 square meters with a depth of approximately 450 meters and lies 906 meters above sea level, in the middle of the lake there is Samosir Island became the object of not less interesting excursions.

During his visit in 1996, Prince Bernard of the Netherlands even expressed his admiration for the beautiful panorama of the lake. "Sell me name to this lake. I can not describe how beautiful Lake Toba, "he says enthusiastically.

There are seven districts around the lake, namely Simalungun, Toba Samosir, North Tapanuli, Humbang Hasundutan, Dairi, Karo, and Naidoo who has a wonderful natural panorama and a tourist destination location. Generally, tourists enjoy the beauty of Lake Toba Parapat in Simalungun and Tuktuk Siadong on Samosir Island.

It is estimated that Lake Toba explosion occurred at about 73 thousand-75 thousand years ago and is a super volcano eruption (super volcano) the most recent. Bill Rose and Craig Chesner from Michigan Technological University estimate that volcanic materials spewed out of the mountain as much as 2800 km ³, with 800 km ³ of rock Ignimbrite and 2,000 km ³ of volcanic ash which is expected in the wind to west for two weeks.


Volcanic dust in the wind has spread to half the earth, from China to South Africa. Explosion occurred during the week and throw the dust up to 10 km above sea level.

This incident caused mass death and, in some species, also followed by extinction. According to some DNA evidence, this eruption also reducednumber of of people to about 60 % of the total human population of the earth at that time , which is about 60 million people . The eruption was also contributed to the occurrence of ice ages, although the experts still debate.

After the eruption, the caldera formed which is then filled with water and became what is now known as Lake Toba. Pressure upward by magma that has not come out cause the emergence of Samosir Island. While enjoying the beauty of this lake, you might not imagine that the charm of the place comes from the catastrophic volcanic eruptions that brought fear and horror at the time.
Travel overland to Lake Toba, precisely to Parapat, takes four to five hours from Medan. Available bus or travel directly to Parapat. The route through the Lubuk Pakam, Cliff High, and turn toward Siantar. Alongthe trip , wewere treated to a panorama of palm oil and rubber plantations .

For a place to stay and stay longer to enjoy the beauty of Lake Toba, there are many hotels and inns. In Parapat, there are at least 900 hotel rooms of all types, ranging from four star to homestay, in Tuktuk also not different. Both in Parapat and Tuktuk, tourists can instantly enjoy the lake from the rim. Rates for hotels in Parapat Tuktuk and varied, according to typical tourists who come. Starting from Rp 30 thousand to USD 500 thousand per night depending on the type of hotel.

A travel companies even offer to enjoy the beauty of Lake Toba from the air, ie use paragliding. Every tourists are given the opportunity to fly using the paragliding from the mountains Tongging, Karo District, North Sumatra. For tourists who want to try paragliding will be accompanied by an experienced instructor, but of course determination can fly or not depends on weather conditions and wind.

Not only that, enjoy the beautiful sunrise and sunset you can enjoy from the coastal lakes. From the Karo highlands on the north, the lake looks elongated beauty viewed from Sikodonkodon. However, there is only one resort here. On the west side, views of the lake and the island of Samosir can be perfectly seen from the Tele. There is a viewing post at an altitude of about 1,000 meters from sea level to enjoy the sunset on Lake Toba.

Continue Reading...

Sipiso-piso Waterfall

Sipiso-piso waterfall located in the District Brand, Karo District, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Districts are located about 24 km from City Kabanjahe, the capital of the Karo Regency.

If you are in Medan, North Sumatra's provincial capital, then you have to travel about 2 hours by bus or car to Kabanjahe, the capital of the Karo Regency. Kabanjahe located in the southern highland tourist area famous, namely Berastagi. Every 45 minutes bus routes depart from the terminal Kabanjahe downtown Medan. Bus fare depends on the type of bus you choose, certainly the most expensive economic bus. Arriving in Kabanjahe, you still have to travel 24 km to the north, the route to Lake Toba. With the quality of paved roads, you can get to tour the Village Tongging Sipiso-piso Waterfall in 30 minutes by car or bus.

Lodging would be important for tourists. When traveling in Sipiso-piso Waterfall and willing to spend the night, then you can find lodging in the village of Kabanjahe Tongging or in the City, the capital of the Karo Regency. Also, if you want to find a memento or souvenir for the family at home, then go just a variety of souvenir hawkers Tanah Karo in this tourist area.

Continue Reading...

Incense Road and the sunset at The Sibolga Beach

From Tarutung Sibolga is down the road towards incense. Referred to as the incense road because the road was once used by the Dutch to send the incense from the Silindung to Sibolga. The road was small and curved-bent. Ass deer we have not participated turn, deer head was headed in another direction. Caution Do not look to the left side. For a gaping chasm and essentially invisible will make horror. From one of the hills, you can see the city in the valley Tarutung beautiful nan.

If you are a fan of durian, along the way will be found full of durian tree with hanging fruit. We stopped at Adian Koting to try delicious durian Koting. Although the friend from Medan warned that durian durian Sidimpuan Koting not as good, we still try. Delicious.
From Adian Koting, roads continued to decline until we witnessed Sibolga of the hill. We stop and capture this beautiful scenery. Sibolga in the foreground alongside a vast sea which is guarded by small islands. I'm afraid will not get the sunset in Sibolga. Because the time is showing 17:30 when we entered the city. Mr Sitorus, our driver, explaining that the sunset at the new Sibolga happened at 18.30. Yeah, right. Once inside the hotel, I immediately ran towards the beach. Waiting for sunset. The combination of the sun shyly behind thin clouds, black islands and fishing boats back and forth showing the heavenly atmosphere. Extraordinary beautiful.

Continue Reading...

warmth in the cool water source heat Sipoholon

One of the attractions in North Tapanuli, precisely in Sipoholon is a Hot Water Bath. Sipoholon hot springs are warm in the coolness. Sipoholon located between Siborong-borong and Tarutung City.

Source water was really beautiful eyes. There is a small cave near the main water source. In this cave we could see the stalactites that are still active and hot water flowing at the bottom. Apart from being a tourist, this location is also a sulfur mine. Communities around Sipoholon collect sulfur for sale.

You can swim in the pool that has been provided. Once satisfied bath Sipoholon do not forget to enjoy coffee and a tasty peanut Sihobuk crisp and crunchy. You can enjoy coffee and beans Sihobuk in shops right in front of a hot water bath.

Once satisfied to enjoy the hot water and nyeruput Sipoholon black coffee, we headed to Kampung Hutagalung. In Kampung Hutagalung is no restaurant in the middle pond that serves fried duck sauce. Previous message if you have not waited long wish. Because at this restaurant, the new duck was captured when there are guests who book. So you can wait for about 1.5 hours until ready to serve. Duck sauce is fried duck meat fried and then covered with sauce. So it's not like the sambal fried it in Java. Sambal fried duck served with sliced ​​cucumber and tomato. Very simple. But the pleasures do not ask.

Additional Information:
Hotels in Tarutung:
1. Safari Hotel, tel (0633) 21,629 Rate: 200,000 IDR / Night
2. Bali Hotel, tel (0633) 21,854 Rate: 175,000 IDR / Night

Hotels in Balige:
1. Ompu Herti Hotel tel (0632) 322466 Rate 200,000 IDR / Night
2. Tiara Flower Hotel, tel equal to Ompu Herti 350,000 IDR / Listings
3. Mezra Hotel, tel (0632) 322141 Rate 200,000 IDR / Night
4. Cottage tel 081397294746 Siliwangi Rate 600,000 IDR / Night
5. Lake Resort Sentosa Tel (0633) 42 666 Rate 310,000 IDR / Night

Hotels in Sibolga
1. Hotel Prima Indah Telp (0631) 22 797
2. Hotel Wisata Indah Telp (0631) 23 688
3. Poncan Marine Resort (0631) 23 278

Continue Reading...

Beautiful Valley in western Sumatra

Imagine West Sumatra who passed the equator, there are tropical forests with high rainfall, with the Bukit Barisan Mountains and Mount Singgalang around Bukittinggi. Many valley or gorge and the lake is very attractive for tourists. Natural beauty plus the cool air Bukittinggi region, in colonial times used to attract the Dutch officials to stay there. Even now Bukittinggi become a major tourist destination for foreign tourists and domestic.

Some people argue that the natural beauty of the valley or gorge far more beautiful when viewed from above. In fact looks beautiful from all sides. At the bottom of the valley is usually flowing river and the land more fertile, while the winding valley cliffs towered from the constant erosion by wind and rain naturally, thus forming a variety of shapes and colors. A stunning panorama.


Anai Valley

When we travel the road the Padang-Bukittinggi, after an hour journey by car, towards the City of Long Long, winding road going up the mountain slopes covered with lush green trees and lush as a nature reserve. At a bend in the left edge of the road, there are theme parks Anai valley waterfall. Looks beautiful. Water falls from the middle of the valley wall is overgrown with dense trees, hanging on the walls of the valley.

From the ticket booth at the peak of view we can look at broad valley toward the valley floor. Visible Anai Valley with lush green trees and on the valley floor Anai River flows. It's a very beautiful natural scenery.

Canyon Sianok


In the city of Bukittinggi itself there Panorama Park and Japanese hole. From there, travelers can view Sianok canyon. Tertihat valley walls from afar. Unmatched lovely. No wonder the world travelers came to it want to watch and capture the natural feel very elegant.

Sianok canyon touted as the "Grand Canyon" of Indonesia, but was actually more beautiful. Because of its location in the tropics, more Sianok canyon walls varies between rock walls and tropical forest trees and plants berjuntaian. All that is not located in the valleys of stone in Arizona there. Sianok canyon closely with various legends. Sianok own means quiet, perfect for tourists to enjoy the break. Many inns around the Panorama Park. Tourists can look at the natural beauty of the cliffs as high as 100-120 meters, which is basically about 200 meters wide and can be traced. It is said that over 15 kilometers.

In the Garden there is a hole Panorama Japan, which the Japanese colonial era is a tunnel for the purpose of defense. Now the place has been revitalized, so that the visitors can go down into the tunnel at the end to directly view Sianok canyon from the valley floor.

Valley Harau


From Bukittinggi leads to the West, we can take highway Pekanbaru-Bukittinggi. After passing Payakumbuh take the road intersection to the left, we headed Harau Valley District who entered regency. Approximately 1.5 hour car journey from Bukittinggi.

Valley wall Harau long stretches, interspersed with a few charming picturesque waterfall. The valley is almost vertical cliff a variety of shapes and colorful moss because of rain and running water from the top of the cliff.

Valley area of ​​300 hectares is a nature reserve, well preserved. At the base of the soil fertile valley spread out the rice fields, a panorama of exotic region. Actually, the natural beauty of the Valley Harau divided into two areas, called Sarasah Bunta with four waterfalls, and Roots Barayun with a waterfall. In the wet season waterfalls jumiah increased to 12 pieces. At one area, guests can scream out loud, his voice echoing, and echo occurs.

In addition to sightseeing redundant, Valley Harau a sports arena rock climbing, which is popular with rock climbers and foreign national. Much information about the Valley Harau on the Internet and have a website to read international sportsman rock climbers.

Continue Reading...

9 Most Beautiful Beaches on the island of Bangka

1. Parai Beach:
is located in the beach area Matras. This beach is often used as a tourist attraction and is famous for its granite rocks of various sizes. Facilities available include hotels, outbound as well as water sports games.


2. Matras Beach:
The beach is popular among the people of Bangka, because the coastline is flat and the source of fresh water flowing toward the beach, make this beach location is perfect for a picnic and swim.

3. Beach Mouse:
This beach is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island of Bangka, because of its remote location and a lot of big rocks are beautiful here.


4. Uber Gulf Coast:
Sloping beach with the waves rather large and surrounded by volcanic rock that is unique and beautiful

5. Cape Coast Penyusuk:
Asir white, unique scenery with white sand beaches of the original stones decorated by the artistic granite and crystal-clear sea water

6. Beach Romodong:
surrounded by hundreds of small islands. One of the best beaches and unique in Indonesia

7. Sand Beach Rice:(Pasir Padi beach)
is a coastal village located in a New Light, Sungailiat District. This beach is often dubbed as Surgakarena Coast beauty

8. Layang Beach:
Kite Beach is one of the many rocky beach on the island of Bangka, we can enjoy the sunset at this beach.

9. Beach Bedaun
This beach is a beach that has a size typical batu2 Bangka Island pantai2 larger than others, so that objects can make the stone objects are very beautiful landscape photo.

Continue Reading...

Songket Cloth

Songket is a fabric that belongs to the brocade family of textiles of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. It is hand-woven in silk or cotton, and intricately patterned with gold or silver threads. The metallic threads stand out against the background cloth to create a shimmering effect. In the weaving process the metallic threads are inserted in between the silk or cotton weft (latitudinal) threads.

Etymology

The term songket comes from the Malay/Indonesian word sungkit, which means "to hook". It has something to do with the method of songket making; to hook and pick a group of threads, and then slip the gold threads in it. Some says that the word songket was derived from songka, a Palembang cap in which gold threads was first woven. The word menyongket means ‘to embroider with gold or silver threads’. Songket is a luxury product traditionally worn during ceremonial occasions as sarong, shoulder cloths or head ties. Tanjak or Songket headdresses were worn at the courts of the Malay Sultanates. Traditionally Muslim women and adolescent girls wove songket; "some boys and men are also weaving today". Traditionally-patterned Sumatran textiles embody a system of interpretable emblems.

History

Songket weaving is historically associated with areas of Malay settlement, and the production techniques could have been introduced by Arab and Indian merchants.[citation needed] It is not certain as to the songket's place of origin, however according to Kelatan tradition this weaving technique came from the north, somewhere in the Cambodia-Siam region and expanded south into Pattani and finally to Kelantan and Terengganu[citation needed]. However, Terengganu weavers believe that Indian traders brought songket weaving teachnique to Palembang and Jambi where it probably originated during the time of Srivijaya.

In Indonesian tradition, songket is associated with Srivijaya, a wealthy 7th to 13th century maritime trading empire based on Sumatra, due to the fact that Palembang is the famous songket producer in Indonesia. Songket is a luxurious textile that required some amount of real gold leafs to be made gold threads and hand-woven into exquisite fabrics, hictorically the gold mines are located in Sumatra hinterland; Jambi and Minangkabau highlands. Although gold threads was found buried in the Srivijaya ruins in Sumatra, along with unpolished rubies and pieces of gold plate, there is no corroborating evidence that the local weavers used gold threads as early as 600s to early 700s CE. Songket probably developed in later period somewhere in Sumatra.

Much documentation is sketchy about the origins of the songket but it is most likely that songket weaving was brought to Peninsular Malaysia through intermarriages between royal families. This was a common occurrence in the 15th century for sealing strategic alliances. Production was located in politically significant kingdoms because of the high cost of materials; the gold thread used was originally wound with real gold leaf.
Songket as king's dress was also mentioned by Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir writings 1849.

Production centers
In Indonesia, songket is produced in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Bali, Sulawesi, Lombok and Sumbawa. In Sumatra the famous songket production centers is in Minangkabau Pandai Sikek area, West Sumatra, and Palembang, South Sumatra. In Bali, songket production villages can be found in Klungkung regency, especially at Sidemen and Gelgel village. While in the neighboring island of Lombok, the Sukarara village in Jonggat district, Central Lombok regency, is famous for songket making. Outside of Indonesia, further production areas include the east coast of the Malay Peninsula especially in Terengganu and Kelantan, and in Brunei.

Continue Reading...