LAKE TOBA

Lake Toba is situated in North Sumatra and is one of the highest island lakes in the world.
One has to travel about one hundred and seventy – six kilometers from Medan to Parapat, the main town of Lake Toba. The journey is a long and difficult one. The road is very bumpy and very traveler usually complains of the bad road. On the way to Lake Toba a traveler can see many rubber plantions, rice – fields and nipah palms.
It is said that this is the richest rigion in North Sumatra province because rubber, oil palm, robacco and tea are grown here. Some petroleum is mined here too. There are a few hotels on the shore of the lake. The whole lake can be seen from the windows of the rooms. There is an island in the middle of the lake. The island is Samosir. Every traveler who spends the night in one of the hotels will go on a cruise to Samosir. Here one can observe the way of life of the Bataks, a small village on the island. Here is found the ancient tomb of King Sidabutar who ruled the island about three hundred years ago. They usually some Batak carvings from one of the souvenir shops.
In another village called Ambarita, chairs and tables carved from rocks can be seen in the front yard of one of the traditional houses of the Bataks.
People say that in the olden days these chairs were the seats of the king and his court when they discussed matters concerning government, the right time for harvesting and the execution of prisoners.