Places of Interest - Indonesia

Samosir Island:

In Lake Toba you will find the peninsula "Samosir" that was created about 30,000 years ago as a result of a volcanic eruption. There are not many cars and the most common way to explore the island is by (motor)bike or moped. You can also rent a boat to sail around the island. The more active travelers can rent a canoe or make a hike.

Ambarita:

Ambarita is about 10 minutes away by moped a bit north of Tuk Tuk. The small village was formerly the place where the Batak Toba king lived. It is also best known for the cannibalism that was carried out here until well into the 19th century. The first king was Laga Siallagan. You can view one of the traditional Batak houses inside. When a Batak was captured from another tribe or when someone from their own tribe had committed a crime, the leaders of the village gathered around the 'round table' (the circle with stone chairs and benches) and talked about the fate of the perpetrator. The perpetrator himself was thrown into the cell under the Batak house in anticipation; this cell had many similarities with the stables where the cattle were kept. When the prisoner had committed a serious crime, the death penalty followed - decapitation. Magic played a big role in the Bataks, so the magician/medicine man first came to pass the magic out of the perpetrator. After the decapitation, the Batak King drank the collected blood and the other tribesmen were allowed to divide the body among themselves. They saw the perpetrator as an animal, and animals were kept to eat. It was not until the end of the 19th century, when Christianity was introduced and accepted by the Bataks, that cannibalism was stopped.

Simanindo:

At about an hour's drive with the moped from Tuk Tuk you will find the village Simanindo (about 18km north from Tuk Tuk). This is a tourist attraction because of the former residence of the Simanindo King named Rajah Simalungun (converted into Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo). Again you will find several graves of the Simanindo Kings. Because the kings were Christian, you see various Christian elements on the graves. The main attraction is the traditional Batak dances that take place twice a day. At 10.30 and 11.45 in the morning you can attend such authentic Batak dance in the village (Rp.30,000). The museum is open daily between 10 am and 5 pm and costs Rp.5,000.

Pangururan hot springs

Pangururan is the capital of the crater island of Samosir. This is the only place on Samosir that is connected to the mainland via a bridge. To visit the hot springs you will have to cross this bridge and go to Mt. Belirang on the main land. Because of the acid sulfur you can hardly find vegetation around the springs. The real sources are too hot and too toxic to bathe in, but the lower springs are suitable for bathing. There are several baths, including a special bath for foreign travelers. 

Other attractions:

The Mount Belirang hot springs.