Lake Toba - The Most Beautiful Volcano Lake

Lake Toba is a volcanic lake with a length of 100 kilometers, 30 kilometers wide and reaches a depth of 505 m. The lake is located in the center in the province of North Sumatra, Indonesia, with the altitude of 1000 meters above sea level. With an area of ​​1707 km ², this lake is the largest lake in Indonesia and Southeast Asia and the largest volcanic lake in the world. In the middle of this lake there is a volcanic island called Samosir Island.

Lake Toba is formed by a large eruption around 73000-75000 years ago. This eruption was the largest explosive eruption of the earth within 25 million years.

This incident caused mass death and the extinction of some species also followed. The eruption also caused the ice age, although experts still debate it.

After the eruption, the caldera formed which is then filled with water and became what is now known as Lake Toba. Pressure upward by magma that has not come out cause the emergence of Samosir Island.

Lake Toba is an amazing natural wonders on the island of Sumatra. Hard to imagine to find another beautiful place to visit in North Sumatra. Cool refreshing atmosphere, expanse of clear water turning blue, green mountains and stunning scenery is a small fraction of the images offered by this giant lake.

The area around Lake Toba has landscapes of lush pine forests and there are also some very stunning waterfalls. Around Lake Toba, you will also find sulfur hot spring.

For people of Batak, Toba Lake is believed as the residence of Namborru (seven ancestral goddess of Batak Tribe). So, if they want to perform the events around the lake then they have to pray and ask for permission first from Namborru.

And about how Lake Toba performed, Batak tribal folklore tells that Lake Toba originated from the river turned into a lake. Want to know the story, please go here, The Origin of Lake Toba.

In the middle of the lake there is Samosir Island with an area of ​​approximately 640 km ², which is nearly proportional to the area of Singapore.

Samosir Island, a volcanic island in the middle of Lake Toba, is largest island within an island, and the fifth largest lake island in the world.

This island has become a tourist destination for a long time, but the preservation of its natural is still good because customs are still holded firmly.

There are two beautiful lakes in Samosir,  named Lake Sidihoni and Lake Aek Natonang.

On this island, you also can find misty mountains, crystal clear waterfalls to swim, and farming communities. Batak hospitality will lure you wherever you go because you can immediately find a new friend here.

Tourist center on the island of Samosir is in Tuk Tuk, a village where the ferry from Parapat anchored. In addition by the ferry boat, Samosir Island can also be reached by road via Pangururan, a place where Samosir Island and Sumatra Island is connected. 

Parapat is not a separate thing from Lake Toba. Located on a peninsula that protrudes into the lake, Parapat offers spectacular scenery of Lake Toba. Parapat inhabited by tribe of Batak Toba and Batak Simalungan, which are known as cheerful and sociable nature people.

For tourism, there is Lake Toba Festival which is performed annualy.

The festival raised local culture which is packaged professionally. One of the attraction is Carnival Sigale-gale. This event is very unique and colorful and will attract the attention of tourists, local and foreign.

Carnival Sigale gale will take the route as far as 4.5 kilometers. Starting from the football field in Ambarita to the open stage at Tuktuk in Samosir Island.

In this carnival, tourists are treated to a performance art Batak tribe, also equipped with Gorga (sculpture), Gondang (art music), Mask Batak, Tandok (woven art), and of course, Ulos (the art of weaving), which became an icon of the Batak fashion. Batak Culture Carnival is displayed with professionals and displays Batak culture as part of the national culture of Indonesia.

Another interesting event in Lake Toba Festival is Lake Toba's World Drum Festival. Based on data, there are only a few regions in the world which makes gondang (drum) as the melody in a traditional music performances. In Indonesia, there are also a few tribes, one of them is the tribe of Batak.

Besides cultural arts performances, also featured a variety of sporting competitions. Not just the local competition, but even that would be an international competition.

The goal is to promote Lake Toba, in addition to the tourist destinations of the world, as well as one of the water sports arena in Indonesian. Some sport contested such as, swimming, marathon, Solu Bolon, a traditional rowing race boat used in Lake Toba, and paragliding in accuracy landing category. Believe it or not, the area around Lake Toba, referred to as one of the best paragliding spots in the world.