Today, I stumbled upon the vibrant Batak village and rejuvenating hot springs at Lake Toba. An unexpected start to the day as I woke up at 8 am, realizing a glitch in my planning – I had mixed up the dates. Swiftly deciding to depart Lake Toba that very night instead of extending my stay, I jumped into action after a quick shower.
Leaving my apartment, I marveled at the stunning view of Lake Toba just outside. Grabbing my camera, I ascended the stairs to the lobby, capturing picturesque shots of the surroundings. The contrasting weather from yesterday heightened my disappointment at having only one day to explore Lake Toba.
Mass Cottages
Initially, I had reservations about staying at this accommodation yesterday evening, as my preference was Hariara’s on the island. However, the girl who primarily managed this place proved to be incredibly helpful. Upstairs at the reception, I arranged for breakfast and inquired about a moped, a bus ticket for the evening, and the status of my laundry, which I had handed over the previous night. The girl’s warmth and friendliness extended beyond, providing valuable insights into my journey, including details about the last ferry, bus timings, and noteworthy attractions on Samosir Island.
On the flip side, her younger sister had quite an attitude. She constantly wore a scowl and exuded a grumpy demeanor. I handed her 100,000 IDR, about six euros, for the motorbike, fuel included. It’s funny that as I rewrite this in 2020, I vividly recall the challenging sister but not as much the kinder older one. What does that say about me? Haha!
Touring Samosir Island
As I left Mass Cottages at around 10 am, the open road on my moped made me feel liberated once more, reminiscent of my rides on Pulau Weh and Pulau Langkawi. It became clear that I truly enjoy exploring places on a moped. During the journey, I made several stops to capture picturesque moments in the rice fields. The hot springs awaited on the northern part of Samosir Island, nestled on the mainland next to Lake Toba. Samosir turned out to be larger than I anticipated, and the distance to the hot springs seemed to be around 50 kilometers.
During the initial leg of my journey, I made frequent stops, captivated by the sight of numerous Batak houses and churches. The Toba Batak people, belonging to one of the many Batak tribes in central Sumatra, inhabit the region between the Islamic communities in east Sumatra and the western Aceh province.
An hour into my journey, I spotted a prominent mountain on the mainland in the distance, adorned with two sizable grey patches. Little did I realize at that moment that these grey patches would soon become my destination.
Twenty minutes later, I traversed the canal that divides Samosir Island from the mainland. The distinct scent of fumes indicated my proximity to the hot springs. Pausing intermittently, I snapped pictures of the picturesque surroundings, capturing glimpses of Lake Toba and the mainland.
A Boiling River in Lake Toba
Initially, I passed the hot springs by driving through the town. Upon ascending a hill (as seen in the last picture above), I opted to turn back. As luck would have it, my motorbike stalled near a small restaurant. Two other tourists had just arrived and were parking their motorbikes. I approached them, inquired if I could join, and they graciously accepted.
The dynamic duo consisted of Jay from Scotland and Oli from Hawaii. As we ascended the gray, rocky surface together, Oli’s fearless and confident demeanor caught me by surprise. She navigated the slopes with remarkable enthusiasm, and I found myself both surprised and inspired by her courage. Meeting Jay and Oli changed my perspective; otherwise, I might not have considered venturing all the way up. Amidst the boiling river, I spotted around ten pipelines, conveying hot water for the hotels and swimming pools downstream.
Navigating the terrain proved challenging as there wasn’t a defined pathway, requiring some climbing in certain sections. Oli, with her seasoned traveler background, mentioned her familiarity with such situations. Both Jay and Oli currently reside in Taiwan, where they work as English teachers. Jay is also pursuing further education in English while in Taiwan.
As we neared the origin of the scalding water river, heightened vigilance became necessary. The rocks emitted significant heat, and steam vents dotted the landscape. In certain spots, the water boiled, presenting a novel experience for me—something I had never witnessed in nature with my own eyes before.
Oli advised us to walk and grip the cooler white rocks whenever possible to minimize heat exposure. Eventually, we arrived at the conclusion of our trail, where a petite hot waterfall cascaded down. Capturing some misty photos, we spent about 30 minutes before deciding to return to the small restaurant.
First Aid at the Swimming Pool
Upon returning to the restaurant, we spotted a pool in the rear. The woman initially quoted an exorbitant 50,000 IDR per person. However, upon sensing our hesitation, she eventually lowered the fee to a more reasonable 10,000 IDR per person. This episode underscores the importance of haggling in Indonesia.
The agreed-upon price seemed reasonable, and within ten minutes, we were in the refreshing swimming pool. Fed by the same hot springs we explored earlier, the water’s temperature was delightful—I absolutely enjoyed it. However, Jay somehow injured his knee in the pool, leading to a significant bleed. Oli quickly tended to the wound, and I rushed to the nearby restaurant to request bandages. Returning with the only available option, small bandages, Oli astounded me by fashioning an improvised bandage for Jay’s knee using her sarong. With our patient taken care of, we decided to share lunch together.
Returning to Samosir Island, we stumbled upon a quaint warung in the little town just across the bridge. Our meal consisted of rice, pork, salty vegetables, and a savory soup. While I relished the soup, the pork was disappointing, lacking flavor and heavy on fat.
Back to Tuk Tuk
I shared with Oli and Jay my interest in visiting the Batak village, and they enthusiastically agreed to accompany me. We embarked on a journey back to Tuk Tuk, the southern part of the island where I initially started, and then continued another 3 kilometers southward to reach the Toba Batak village. En route, we paused at a small farm to capture some photos. Jay, particularly fond of photographing people, amused me with his easygoing interactions with the locals. He conversed with them in English and only took photographs if they seemed comfortable with it. Oli jokingly mentioned that she had set a limit of five stops for his photo sessions that day.
As Jay focused on photographing a local woman in the field, Oli and I strolled down the road to explore its endpoint near the water. From that vantage point, we enjoyed a picturesque view overlooking Lake Toba. Along the shore, we spotted water buffaloes and fisher rafts in the water. Returning to the main road where Jay was still engrossed in photographing the woman, Oli chose not to mention what we had just seen. She playfully explained that Jay, being curious, might want to investigate, potentially extending our stay by another twenty minutes—haha. In total, we spent fifteen minutes in the area.
Upon reaching our destination, the Batak village, we encountered a roadblock due to a traditional Batak wedding in progress. The congested masses made it impossible for us to navigate through with our mopeds, forcing us to make a U-turn.
Toba Batak Village
We headed back to Tuk Tuk to seek guidance, and locals advised us to leave our bikes in front of the wedding venue and proceed on foot from there. Returning to the wedding, we captured some pictures of the ceremony and the bustling Batak village, which seemed incredibly touristy. After paying a small entrance fee, we explored the grounds, discovering a souvenir shop and numerous donation boxes scattered about. A gentleman approached us, offering to share the story of the Batak. Intrigued, I agreed, but when he asked for money, I chuckled and responded with a polite, “No thanks, never mind.”
The stone chairs here are ancient, dating back 300 years, and served as the trial site for criminals. In another section near the souvenir shop, according to Lonely Planet, the convicted would be bound, blindfolded, and subjected to a ritual involving chili and garlic before facing beheading. We concluded our visit with a trip to a small museum, which, truth be told, was not particularly remarkable. Around 3:30 pm, I bid farewell to Oli and Jay as I needed to be back at Mass Cottages by 4 pm. There, I had to freshen up with a quick shower and pack my belongings before departing from Lake Toba.
Farewell Maguire & Jamie
I approached the friendly lady at the reception to retrieve my clothes and place a food order. Informing her that I planned to shower and return for my luggage, I sat down to enjoy dinner around 4:45 pm. Fortunately, Jamie and Maguire arrived at the restaurant just as my meal was being served. I informed them that I intended to leave in 15 minutes, as the last boat was scheduled to depart at 5:30 pm, and my bus would be departing from Parapat at 9 pm.
I’ll certainly miss these two, haha. Their dynamic is a constant source of amusement for me. I find it particularly amusing when Maguire gets a bit worked up due to Jamie’s forgetfulness, especially when he has to retrieve something for her from their room. In those moments, I can’t help but smile at Maguire’s sharp, sarcastic comments. “You walked past the mirror and noticed your reflection, and then you just had to fix your hair instead?” I bid them both farewell, expressing the hope that one day I might visit them in China.
Ferry and Van
At 5 pm, I set out with my 20-kilogram backpack strapped to my back. A relative of the accommodation’s hostess offered me a ride on his moped. Balancing the hefty backpack behind me on a small section of the saddle, I must confess, it was a tad nerve-wracking—haha. But it was the only way to make it to the harbor on time for the ferry.
I reached Parapat at approximately 6:30, and the person at the transport company was already informed of my arrival, courtesy of the receptionist’s arrangement. After settling the payment of 270,000 IDR, I mentioned that I would spend some time at the internet cafe down the street (B Caro, the same place where Maguire, Jamie and I were at two days ago). While unwinding at B Caro, I engaged in conversation with the owner, who shared that a Dutch individual plays a significant role in actively supporting and caring for the Batak community.
Upon my return to the transport company at approximately 8:45 pm, I was informed by the gentleman that there was a traffic delay. Having anticipated the proverbial “Indonesian time,” I was prepared for such situations. It’s always wise to factor these delays into your plans, ensuring they don’t dampen your spirits—just go with the flow.
At around 11 pm, the minivan finally arrived, and we embarked on our journey deeper into eastern Sumatra. Although an exciting destination awaited me, the roads ahead promised to be challenging. The start of a 15-hour van journey had just begun.
