Must see attractions in North Sumatra

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Famous for its steamy sulphurous fumaroles, Gunung Sibayak (2094m) is one of Indonesia’s most accessible volcanoes. Getting to the summit for sunrise is a…

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Housed in a striking traditional building, this museum has a well-presented collection ranging from early North Sumatran civilisations and the Hindu,…

The grand, 30-room Maimoon Palace was built by the Sultan of Deli in 1888 and features Malay, Mughal and Italian influences. Only the main room, which…

Located 5km southeast of Tuk Tuk, near the Tomok ferry terminal, is a complex of royal Batak tombs and houses. At the entrance you'll pass sarcophagi of…

Located between Berastagi and Danau Toba, this impressive, well-tended palace complex sits on the edge of the village of Pematang Purba. It was the home…

While today it's one of the most active volcanoes on the planet, remarkably Gunung Sinabung lay dormant for over 400 years until its dramatic eruption in…

The most visited of the villages around Berastagi, Lingga, a few kilometres northwest of Kabanjahe, has just a couple of traditional houses with…

Amid the fertile rice fields between Simanindo and Pangururan are these large multistorey graves decorated with the distinctive miniature Batak-style…

At Samosir’s northern tip, in the village of Simanindo, 15km north of Tuk Tuk, there’s a beautifully restored traditional house that now functions as a…

Definitely not your everyday church, St Francis of Assisi is built in a monumental Karo Batak style, with a traditional multitiered pointed-roof design…

In the village of Ambarita, 5km north of Tuk Tuk, is a group of 300-year-old stone chairs, where important matters were discussed among village elders…

These narrow but impressive falls cascade 120m down to the northern end of Danau Toba, 24km from Kabanjahe and about 300m from the main road. It's worth a…

The charming village of Dokan is around 16km south of Kabanjahe. Some half a dozen traditional houses can be found here and they're all occupied, which…

The home of a famous Chinese merchant who died in 1921 – formerly the wealthiest resident of Medan – this mansion mixes opulent Victorian and Chinese…

On the road leading into the village of Lingga is this interesting little museum inside a traditional building with displays on Karo culture and artefacts…

Around 4km north of the Tugu Perjuangan war monument, tree-shaded Gundaling Hill provides a unique vantage point from which you can see both Gunung…

Set up inside the old Catholic church (c 1956), this centrally located museum has beautifully presented displays on Karo culture and crafts, including…

One for advocates of religious diversity and quirky architecture, this surreal Catholic church combines Hindu and Islamic architecture styles with a…

The impressive Grand Mosque was commissioned by the Sultan of Deli in 1906. The Moroccan-style building has a grand entrance, towering ceilings, ornate…

Located 6km east of Berastagi, this gleaming golden Buddhist temple is a replica of the famous Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar. You'll need to arrange…