This is one of our impromptu trip, was just decided 1 week before Eid Fitri. Hubbie suggested we flew to Medan on 2nd day of Eid to visit Reyhan (his litlle brother) in Medan before he comes back for good to Jakarta.

Ticket to Medan during Hari Raya Festive is expensive 🙁 I couldn’t find hotels wcich were still available in Tuktuk (Samosir island) so we tried Taman Simalem resort. They still have room at their lodge accommodation called Tongging point. They hav e 4 beds inside each of the room and the bathroom is outside. There is one communal bathroom (separated for female and male) for each floor. This kind of arrangement reminds me of a hostel. But Tongging Point lodge is too expensive for Hostel standard. The room is 2.4mio/night inclusive of breakfast and dinner for 4 people. Dinner was held at the restaurant and it was set on the table like proper dinner and yummie too. We had barbeque on the first night and steamboat on the 2nd night.

Medan is famous for its culinary…but coming there on Hari Raya Festive is big mistake. Most restaurants were closed and the traffic jam going to Lake Toba was really bad. It took us 6-7 hours from airport to Taman Simalem with some stop for lunch and snacking at Brastagi

Quick stop at some random restaurant which sells soto medan for breakfast

Break in Brastagi

The lodge Tongging Point

Inside the bedroom

The bathroom is super clean. They provide amenities too.

The hotel

The view of Lake Toba from the resort is amazing. The lake looks misty…reminds me of Milford Sound in NZ

About Taman Simalem Resort: http://www.tamansimalem.com/

pearl of Lake Toba, still in Taman Simalem

Vast ground in Simalem resort

Hiking activity in the resort

Lake Toba in the afternoon

Air terjun sipiso-piso

Back to Medan, stop by to eat Durian

We hired a car to take us to Taman Simalem.

We wanted to visit Samosir island during the day but the road was congested so we decided to stop half way. It is indeed a bad timing to go to Medan during Hari Raya Festive and you need to book ahead if you want to stay in Samosir (Tuk-tuk).

I will visit Medan again…next time I want to come back and visit Tuk-tuk and Bukit Lawang and spend few days there.
Tabo Cottages in Tuk-tuk and On the rocks in Bukit Lawang seems a nice place to stay.