When it comes to traveling to Indonesia, the first thing we think of must be Bali, its aura is unparalleled. Veteran veterans have added popular islands such as Yogyakarta, Lombok, and Java to their travel lists, but Sumatra, a term that only appears in middle school geography, feels far away from us.
Sumatra, the sixth largest island in the world and the second largest island in Indonesia, is the prototype of the "Golden Island" in many adventure novels, mysterious and full of unknowns. Gourmets may think of Mandheling Coffee from this name; fans of DISCOVERY may think of Sumatran tigers, tropical virgin forests full of vitality, and those stretching and overlapping mountains with scattered peaks.
As an independent administrative region, Sumatra Island's capital, Medan, is the third largest city in Indonesia. It faces Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia across the sea. Because of its geographical proximity, some customs are similar, but the local area still retains many of its own unique customs. Medan gathers a large part of the population of Sumatra, with well-developed industries and undeveloped tourism industry. Few Chinese tourists set foot here, and even Europeans and Americans who have traveled to all corners of the world are rare. This time I have the opportunity to come to this little-known niche destination and unveil its mystery for everyone.
Things to know before you go:
【visa】
Chinese citizens entering Indonesia from the five international airports in Jakarta, Bali, Medan, Surabaya, and Batam are visa-free, and entering Indonesia from the four seaports of SRI BINTAN PURA, BATAM CENTER, SEKUPANG, and TANJUNG UBAN can also enjoy visa-free entry. Policy, the stay shall not exceed 30 days.
【transportation】
Domestic flights to Medan usually have to transit through Jakarta, Indonesia. The Cathay Dragon I chose this time can fly to Hong Kong from dozens of cities in China, rest in Hong Kong, and then transfer to Medan, the capital of Sumatra, within 4 hours. It can be reached, very fast and convenient, which is much more comfortable than long-distance flights to Indonesia or multiple transfers. Flights from Hong Kong to Medan depart on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and flights from Medan to Hong Kong depart on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. There are three round-trip flights a week, and luggage is checked through at one stop. With a passport and visa, you can stay in Hong Kong for 7 days without any formalities. You can spend a few days in Hong Kong with a connecting flight, eat, eat, buy and buy, and travel to two places in one trip.
【communication】
I bought a local phone card in Indonesia and brought roaming treasure. The local card will be faster in the city, but it will be almost slow in the mountains. The advantage of roaming treasure is that it can also work in Hong Kong, and there is no need for any conversion across borders. Of course, you can also use China Mobile/Unicom directly.
【currency】
Indonesia's currency is called Rupiah (Rupee/Indonesian Rupiah), abbreviated as Rp.
Exchange rate: RMB: Indonesian Rupiah ≈1:2000
Now domestic banks have supported the direct exchange of RMB into Indonesian rupiah. You can exchange some before traveling, or bring some US dollar cash to the local exchange. There are many ATMs in Indonesia, but there are not many UnionPay in Sumatra. It is safer to use Visa and MasterCard.
When I arrived in Indonesia, I became a millionaire. When I first arrived, I found it very troublesome. If I am not good at mathematics, it is easy to make mistakes. Later, I found out that if you remove three zeros from the Indonesian rupiah and divide it by 2, you will get RMB.
【language】
The official language is Indonesian, and Javanese and Marathi are also popular in Medan. Anyway, we can't understand it. It doesn't matter that the general service staff can speak English.
【climate】
The seasons in most parts of Indonesia are divided into rainy season and dry season. The dry season is from April to early October, and the rainy season is from October to March of the next year. Generally speaking, the dry season is the best time to travel in Indonesia.
【Safety】
Not long after I came back, an earthquake and tsunami occurred in Indonesia. It is true that natural disasters are frequent in this country, which will cause casualties, and may also lead to the closure of the airport and the cancellation of planes, etc., which will affect travel. .
However, the locals in Sumatra feel relatively simple and friendly to tourists, and generally do not have to worry about safety issues.
Travel account:
Day 1: A day to fly in the sky
The first day was basically spent on the flight. Cathay Pacific’s in-flight meals have always been the highlight, and even the economy class is served with Haagen-Dazs ice cream. This time I was in business class. The stewardess started serving breakfast when I flew from Beijing to Hong Kong. I chose Hong Kong-style slippery beef rice. It tasted so healing just after returning from abroad. The return trip from Hong Kong was also in the morning, and I ate an authentic Cantonese dim sum set meal on the plane. It can be said that Cathay Pacific, which is based in Hong Kong, really cares about the food, and the service and smile are equally exquisite and perfect.
The business class is very spacious, and even a star with long legs like me can be fully stretched out. The seat is very ergonomic, and it is very comfortable when it is adjusted to the Z shape. Wearing earphones, watching movies and listening to music in a relatively private space, I still feel very comfortable. I feel like I will be in Hong Kong soon.
After landing, I soaked in the Cathay Pacific lounge for two hours, took care of some work, ate and drank, and the time passed quickly. You can also choose a flight with a short interval. Hong Kong transit is very convenient, and a small partner with a 40-minute transit time is ok.
Cathay Dragon has 6 VIP lounges in Hong Kong, the most favorite is the newly opened Yuhengtang, where western food, noodle stalls, lounges, and teahouses are set up separately. The exquisite design and comfortable and tasteful furnishings are impressive. The feeling of stepping into old Hong Kong through time.
There are many types of meals. I ordered a bowl of net red dan dan noodles with small wine. The combination of Chinese and Western is the taste of Hong Kong. There are business, viewing and even shower areas here. Each part is huge. After taking a bath and exhausting the journey, you are ready to board the plane.
It was already midnight when I flew to Medan, Indonesia, and I stayed at the airport hotel Horison Sky Kualanamu for one night.
Day 2: Love Lake Toba,
Check out early in the morning and set off from Medan, passing through countless barren villages and steep mountains, but who would have thought that there is Toba Lake, the largest lake in Indonesia, hidden in the middle of the Mada Plateau in Sumatra Island, and opened more than 3 When I arrived at the shore of Lake Toba in an hour, I felt a bit like entering a paradise.
Vast and deep, the blue is intoxicating, and the surrounding green hills are green with distinct layers and emerald green. The blue of the lake and the green of the mountains and trees complement each other, and the gorgeous color saturation is pleasing to the eye. I can't wait to take a boat in the lake.
There are many magical legends about Lake Toba. According to legend, a long time ago there lived a young man named Doba who lived here by fishing. He caught a large golden carp of unusual beauty, and to his surprise, the fish suddenly spoke and begged Dopa not to eat it. After taking in the carp, it was like a "snail girl" came to Duoba's house. Someone would always tidy up the house and prepare sumptuous meals for him.
It turned out that the big golden fish turned out to be a fairy. Later, Duoba, who had been in love for a long time, married the fairy and gave birth to a son named Samoseh. When teaching his son a lesson, Duoba unscrupulously leaked the secret that his wife was a "carp". The sad tears of the carp goddess surged out, submerged everything here, and became Lake Toba, and the son who fled to the top of the mountain turned into a small island in the middle of the lake—Samosir Island.
The real reason for the formation of Lake Toba is closely related to the super volcanic eruption 75,000 years ago. The mouth is still sleeping under the quiet lake with a length of 100 kilometers, an area of about 1145 square kilometers and a depth of 650 meters, but it has long lost its former manic atmosphere.
What's even more amazing is the "small island" called Samosir by the locals in the middle of the lake. It is an island in the middle of the lake with an area larger than Singapore. Some people translate it as "Xia Mengshi", which shows how wonderful and romantic it is. What a poem like a song. Looking at the lake, you can see the beautiful scenery of mountains and rivers connected with blue waves. The boats carrying tourists docked on the shore, and disappeared into the holiday cottages hidden in the tropical rainforest in an instant.
A lake as wide as the sea and a huge island in the middle of the lake. The mysterious ethnic groups living in the surrounding area have undergone the baptism of history. In addition to their own traditions, they have also accepted different religious cultures from the outside world. The mosques, churches, and Buddhist temples on the shore coexist harmoniously. Like the locals, you can overlook the mountains, or go boating on the lake, and be intoxicated by the scenery of the lake and mountains.
Slow down your pace on the lake and enjoy a rare pleasant time. It's hard to imagine that the calm lake was originally a volcano. People here are good at decorating their lives with colorful colors. They like to install magic robot cats among the big trees, and plant flowers on the hillside to symbolize love. Romantic love expresses yearning for love.
The most famous local Arabica coffee beans are one of the three native species in the world. We walked into a coffee plantation and followed the local coffee experts to visit the whole process from picking to drying, peeling, roasting, grinding, and finally tasting The coffee brewed by experts is full of aroma and flavor.
We live in the Samosir Villa Hotel on the island. From the cruise ship ashore, you can see the hotel built against the mountain. The cornices and bucket arches with local characteristics are surrounded by a blue swimming pool. You can enjoy a whole day without going out, the key is that the price is not expensive, a few hundred yuan.
Day 3: Walking into the "cannibal" tribe
Lake Toba and Sumatra are known as the "secret land" of Indonesia. There are many ancient and mysterious tribes living here. They not only have unique primitive religious beliefs, but also many strange and even sensational customs. One of the most mysterious is the Bataks BATAKS who have lived on Samosir Island in Lake Toba for generations. We arrived at the Huta Bolon village where the villagers performed the traditional Mangalahat Horbo dance.
The most terrifying label of the Batak people was "cannibal". Unofficial history records that they would divide and eat prisoners of war, criminals and other living people in ceremonies and banquets, and would even dedicate the most powerful body parts of the eaten people to chiefs and nobles in the tribe. Many tribes of the Batak firmly believe that "cannibalism" is a normal means of drawing power from others.
It was not until more than 200 years ago that the Dutch colonists legislated against the bad habit of cannibalism and enforced the relevant laws with violence. The Batak people gradually changed their original customs of cannibalism and gradually integrated into civilized society.
Modern Bataks still live on the shores of Lake Toba. Of course, this has become one of the most famous tourist attractions in Sumatra, and tourists don’t have to worry about the danger of being swallowed by “cannibals”. We cruised on the lake, and the churches, mosques, and Buddhist halls on the shore complement each other and live in harmony, which seems to be uncommon in Indonesia.
Walking into the Batak village, the most eye-catching thing is these rows of ox-horn-shaped wooden houses with strange shapes, like a boat waiting to be launched. The tip of the boat is uniformly facing the north, and the bow is the door. The Tucker Tribe is also known as the "Houseboat Tribe".
The Batak people live in the mountain rainforest, advocating tattoos, and still retain the remnants of the patriarchal clan. They live in a mixed village of 6 or 7 households. They mostly raise buffaloes, chickens and ducks, and grow rice, corn, potatoes, coffee, crops such as tobacco and rubber.
The local Bataks now display their mystical primal powers through ritual dances. They believe that all animals, plants, ancestors and even inanimate things have souls and can be driven by wizards. Exorcisms, divinations and future predictions are performed through unique rituals and spiritual sessions.
Most of the villagers are very simple. In the small village on Samosir Island in the center of the lake, the villagers attract tourists with handmade wood carvings and fabrics. Every wooden statue is different, and the price is also very different. When tourists pass by, they will hawk in a low voice. When you walk away, they will be very shy and lower the price. Remember to bargain appropriately. Originally The price is already very cheap, please help these helpless villagers.
This day we lived in INNA PARAPAT by Lake Toba. The house in the resort was built like a Batak boat house. You can enjoy the misty lake and mountains from the guest room. The ferry terminal is at the entrance of the resort. It is very convenient to roam the volcanic lake. , The wonders of ancient and modern times are like a passing cloud.
Day 4: Colorful Medan
I drove back to Medan in the morning, it seemed a little faster than when I went there, and I arrived at noon.
Indonesia is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country. After North Sumatra was incorporated into Indonesia in 1950, Medan has always been the capital and economic center of North Sumatra, and it is also the financial and commercial center second only to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia.
It is said that the name Medan Medan comes from Medina, the holy city of Islam. In this charming city that blends multiple cultures, you can see many ancient buildings with a strong Islamic style, Dutch-style buildings, and buildings with a variety of design styles. However, from the perspective of the hotel, the whole city is still somewhat old.
It is not considered a tourist hotspot. The adults and children here still maintain their enthusiasm and curiosity for foreign tourists, and they all want to show their happiest side when facing the camera.
In the 19th century, there were two sultanates in Sumatra, Indonesia, the Aceh Sultanate and the Deli Sultanate. Medan preserves a complete and magnificent royal palace - Maimoon Palace (also known as Maiman Palace ISTANA MAIMOON). This resplendent royal palace of the Sultan was built in the era of Makmun Sultan of Deli Sultanate and is now the capital of Medan. The landmark building has become one of the most popular local attractions.
The entire palace complex covers an area of 2,772 square meters. The design and construction were led by the Italian designer Captain Teal. The construction began in 1887 and was completed in 1891. Although it is not very large, it is very distinctive.
Viewed from the outside, this castle-like complex with a golden tone is not only very bright but also quite spectacular under the blue sky and white clouds. The onion roof is very Islamic. Outside, there is no courtyard wall. There are stalls selling goods, and people dressed in ancient costumes taking pictures. There is a farmer's market next to it, and even some window sills of the palace have freshly washed clothes to dry.
It turns out that after more than a hundred years of changes, some descendants of Sudan still live in this palace, so unlike ordinary museums, only a part of it is open to the public for tourists to visit, while the rear wing of the palace is still inhabited by descendants of Sudan, which seems to be Bustling, bustling, very grounded.
In the square in front of the main entrance of the Maimoon Palace, there is a round platform for sacrifices. Like the palaces of many Southeast Asian countries, visitors need to take off their shoes after going up the steps to enter the outer corridor on the second floor, and then enter the meeting hall of the palace. Tourists can visit the meeting hall and side living room on the second floor of the palace and take pictures at will.
When you walk in, you will find that the entire building complex actually combines Chinese and Western multi-ethnic architectural styles and decorative elements. In addition to the Islamic style, we will find that it is a fusion of traditional Malay and European architectural styles, and even Indian and Chinese. All decorative elements can be found here.
The area of the meeting hall is not very large, about 300 square meters by visual inspection, and the high dome is covered with exquisite patterns in four colors of red, yellow, white and black. The throne of the Sultan is equipped with a golden curtain, which is shining and resplendent under the illumination of the huge chandelier in the hall, showing the royal style and glory of the Sultan. This is the favorite place for local Indonesian tourists to take pictures, and almost everyone will take a picture.
In addition to the throne of the Sultan, some royal furniture and costumes, personal photos of the Sultan and photos of the Sultan's royal family are displayed in the meeting hall. Everywhere you can see tourists dressed up as princes and nobles taking pictures with great interest. There are a lot of photographic costumes available for rent in the palace. Tourists only need to spend 20 to 100 yuan to rent a variety of local costumes, dressed as Local nobles of different identities took pictures here.
There are many Chinese living in Medan. In the history of our country, in order to escape the war and seek a livelihood, ordinary people had three relatively large-scale and spontaneous migration waves: going west, crossing the Guandong and going to Nanyang. Among them, Xiananyang is also called "Guofan", mainly from Guangdong and Fujian, and the destination is Southeast Asia. The Nanyang Islands in modern times were once a place of suffering and bitterness for the Chinese.
The Chinese in Medan have been economically powerful since ancient times. It is said that most of the wealthy Chinese families in Jakarta come from Medan. The Buddhist temple built by the Chinese is the largest temple in Indonesia. It has not only become a local scene, but also a platform for the new generation of Chinese to spread Chinese culture. Many Chinese children study here, and many Muslims also come here to visit and take pictures.
Walking in the streets and alleys of Medan, you can often meet descendants of local Chinese who speak Hokkien, Cantonese, and even fluent Mandarin.
On Ahmad Yani Road, I saw Qinghetang, the former residence of Zhang Ahui, the light of Indonesian Chinese. Zhang Ahui's real name is Zhang Hongnan, nicknamed Yaoxuan, from Meixian, Guangdong. "Zhang Ahui" is just what the locals call him. Zhang Hongnan was once the richest Chinese in Medan and Southeast Asia, and was hailed by the local Chinese as the pioneer of "building a Chinese society in Medan, Indonesia".
According to records, Zhang Ahui’s elder brother, Zhang Yunan, was highly valued by Zhang Bishi, a wealthy businessman in Dapu, Guangdong. He then went to Nanyang with the development of Zhang Bishi’s career. . At the age of 18, Zhang Ahui came to Medan with his elder brother. With his intelligence, diligence and family connections, he seized the opportunity of the great development of the Medan planting industry and quickly established his own business empire, which not only attracted a large number of people who went south More Chinese laborers have accumulated a lot of wealth.
Zhang Ahui has a very good relationship with the Sultan of Medan, so his business has been taken care of by the Sultan in many ways. Due to his status as an official and businessman and his high popularity, Zhang Ahui was also entrusted with the important task of managing Chinese affairs by the Dutch colonial authorities. He was not only the Chinese mayor of the Dutch colonial authorities, but even the only Chinese among the nineteen members of the colonial authority's parliament. However, although the two brothers surnamed Zhang are well-versed in the business and political circles, they act very low-key. Until now, very few people know that Zhang Ahui is also one of the shareholders of Changyu Company.
Although the two Zhang brothers are thriving in their careers, they are not only low-key, but also charitable. The municipal buildings, railway overpasses, churches and other facilities funded by them are still in use today. In addition, they also funded Mr. Sun Yat-sen to lead the Revolution of 1911, and Mr. Yixian and Zhang Ahui also inscribed the word "fraternity" as a gift. It is said that when Zhang Ahui passed away, the funeral procession stretched for ten miles.
Today, Zhang Ahui's former residence has become a major tourist attraction in Medan. His former residence was built in 1895 and completed in 1900. It covers an area of 4 hectares and has a total of 40 rooms. It can be described as low-key but luxurious. At first glance, there is no carved beams and painted buildings, resplendent and resplendent, but in fact, the combination of Chinese and Western styles, the details are exquisite, elegant and elegant.
The architectural pattern of the former residence is a Chinese "Hui" structure, with a front ping and a backyard. Although it combines Malay style and Western style, it still reflects the architectural style of Chinese folk houses. The gate facing the street is the gatehouse of an official family in the Qing Dynasty. When you enter the courtyard, you will face a row of two-story buildings behind the flower bed in front of the front. A pair of copper cymbals, with couplets "Western Ming Accumulate Virtue, Jin Jianliu Zheng" pasted on both sides, and a flat forehead "Qinghe Hall" on the door, full of ink and color, all reflect the identity of the owner of the house as Chinese.
The center of the former residence is the courtyard, which is also built according to the Chinese style of "four waters return to the hall". Pass through six carved partitions from the living room. The partitions are exquisitely carved and their artistic attainments are amazing. The main room is still arranged according to the traditional Chinese etiquette, and there is a shrine in the middle for the memorial tablets of the ancestors in the family. Several living rooms are a combination of Chinese and Western. The floors of the rooms on both sides of the main room are all covered with Italian mosaic tiles; on the second floor there is a Western-style dance hall specially used for parties, and you can even see a piano.
I was very lucky to meet Zhang Ahui’s granddaughter on the second floor of the former residence. She is nearly 80 years old. She is a Chinese-Dutch mixed race. She can’t speak Chinese, but she can’t stop talking about the rise and fall of the family. Pointing to the genealogy and old photos on the wall, she told us some interesting stories. stories and interesting people. Seeing things and thinking about people, feeling the struggle of countless Chinese in Nanyang more than a hundred years ago, I can't help but sigh.
The number one food in the world is actually TA
On our planet, people of different regions, different races, different beliefs, different cultures, and different histories all have an instinctive and heartfelt love for food. In the past few days in Sumatra, although there are no earth-shattering meals, two special delicacies are still recommended.
In 2011, CNN once conducted an online selection of "Top 50 Foods in the World", and more than 35,000 people participated in the online voting for this selection. However, unexpectedly, the first place in this selection was actually won by a dish from Indonesia! This dark horse champion dish is Beef Rendang from Sumatra! Is it super unexpected?
The Minangkabau people are a very hard-working ethnic group in Sumatra. Many people live and do business in foreign countries all the year round, and because of this, the unique restaurant of the Minangkabau people - Batang Restaurant has been brought to every corner of Indonesia; People's business territory has spread all over Indonesia, and spread to Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, and has become one of the representative delicacies in Indonesia and even Southeast Asia.
This time when we came to Medan, we went to a local Padang restaurant, just to eat the most authentic rendang beef~ As a foodie, it can be said that we are very dedicated~~
Rendang, in the Indonesian language, means "stewed", so in layman's terms, Rendang beef should be said to be "beef stew" in Southeast Asian taste~ It is said that the cooking process of Rendang beef is quite time-consuming and labor-intensive. The spices that arrived are already too many to count on one hand: coconut, coconut milk, onion, ginger, lemongrass, garlic, shallot, chili, turmeric leaf, coconut oil...simmer over low heat for more than 24 hours, As the water in the soup evaporates, the beef fibers that have absorbed the essence of the spices are soaked in aroma, and the meat becomes soft and palatable.
The cooked Rendang beef, covered with various spices, has a bright red and oily luster, and exudes a seductive aroma, which makes people move their fingers; although it is not to the point of melting in the mouth, it is indeed very delicious. Soft and rotten, with fragrant cheeks.
As the most popular cooking method in Indonesia, rendang is almost becoming a culinary belief in Sumatra. People here can say that everything is rendang, including chicken, beef, buffalo meat, pork, and seafood. Delicious beef rendang with coconut rice, and some achar-achar (it tastes a bit like kimchi), it can almost be said to be an authentic Indonesian taste~
In Batang restaurant, of course, not only beef rendang can be eaten! Batang dishes are rich and varied with fresh ingredients and complete colors, flavors, and they have almost assembled dozens of delicacies for guests to enjoy.
The waiters in the Batang restaurant are also very unique. They will carefully record the dishes you have tasted and show you a list of checked meals when you check out. Isn’t it interesting?
When you come to Indonesia, how can you miss those delicious tropical fruits! The durian, which is called the king of fruits, and even the famous and expensive "Musang King" in China are like cabbage in Indonesia, both in terms of quantity and value.
Good-quality durian tastes like butter, soft and smooth, sweet and delicate. The nutritional value of durian is extremely high, but not everyone can accept it because of its strong smell mixed with sweetness. This is somewhat similar to stinky tofu. The cheeks are fragrant.
Those who love durian will regard it as a beauty and admire it very much, and will fall in love with all desserts and delicacies that use durian as an ingredient. Those who hate durian can smell its strong "smell" from a long distance and avoid it. Therefore, many public places, including hotels and shopping malls, are expressly prohibited from entering durians.
For durian lovers, Medan, Indonesia is simply heaven~ There are many 24-hour durian shops on the streets here. The better the durian shop, the brighter the lights at night, full of diners, and endless streams. This UCOK DURIAN (durian is the English name of durian) is a durian shop that foodies must check in when they come to Medan.
The durians in the store are directly piled up into hills. Customers can pick them by themselves, or ask the staff to help them pick them. But no matter who picks them, as long as a durian is opened and the meat is not good enough, the boss will not hesitate. Throw it away and pick it up again for the guests. The owner of the shop is very kind. He started selling durians from a small cart 30 years ago, and today he has become a well-known No. 1 in the industry.
In Durian Mountain, you will find that there is no scale in this store! Because the durian here is "only" sold: the big one is 50rmb, and the small one is 25rmb, which is only about one-fifth of China. Faced with this price, this style, this quality, I felt heroic in my heart, and I felt like I was eating a food stall.
By the way, let me share the selection skills taught by the boss here, everyone will definitely use it when picking durians by themselves~
The first is to visually inspect the appearance: mature and sweet durians have a well-proportioned and plump shape, with a relatively flat surface and large cone-shaped spikes on the bottom; while those with sharp and thin spikes on the outside are not ripe, not only the flesh Less, the texture and taste are of course much worse~ At the same time, you can also see if there are any natural cracks in the durian. Naturally ripe durians with a fresh and mellow taste usually burst into small cracks. Of course, immature fruits will not have such cracks.
The store sells a mountain of durians every day. Locals of all races and ages come here to have fun after work. It’s as common as going to a bar. Even children love durians so much. Different from the habit of eating durian in other countries, Indonesian Medan actually eats it with satay meat skewers. This kind of meat and vegetable combination tastes good.
Durians are only ripened once a year, and the period from May to September is the time when durians mature naturally, and it is also the best season to taste durians. But eating too much durian can easily get angry, and in severe cases, nosebleeds and constipation may occur. The Medan people's countermeasure is to drink more salt water. In addition, you can eat some cool fruits such as mangosteen and watermelon at the same time to neutralize it. Although mango is also super delicious, but because it is also hot, it is better to eat it with durian as little as possible.
【Tips】
Some cautions for reference
1. Do you need to tip when you enter the customs?
Customs in some countries in Southeast Asia have the bad habit of asking Chinese for tips, but fortunately this time they did not encounter it in Medan. In such a situation, the tour guides of some tour groups ask tourists to prepare $1 in order to calm things down. My suggestion is that you can pretend that you don’t understand and refuse to give it, so as not to encourage unhealthy tendencies.
2. Bring motion sickness and seasickness medicine
Sumatra is located in a mountainous area. There will be many rugged and winding roads to Lake Toba. In addition, there will be bumps when swimming in the lake. If you have motion sickness and seasickness before, you must bring medicine.
3. Mosquito repellent
There are always some mosquitoes in the mountains, especially in humid environments, so bring some mosquito repellent to be prepared.
4. Sunscreen
Tropical, needless to say, even if it is cloudy, you must apply it.
