2011 - Beauty house "Medan + Lake Toba + Brastagi Trip"

@lready stop for so long time... almost 2 years.. i have started my own blog again... :)

Year 2011, lets start with our Beauty House 1st trip which we had went to Indonesia, famous attractions "Medan + Lake Toba + Brastagi - 4D3N". This trip is the most relax trip i never have. We had booked our air ticket while Air Asia having promotion on that time. Some of us get the cheap ticket but some are not, mine is RM213 for return ticket which including airport tax RM25 exclude luggage fee.

After research and survey by Jocely and discussion within members, we had booked the private tour package with Blue Forest Travel Sdn Bhd (www.blueforesttravel.com) (http://www.blueforesttravel.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=288:4d3n-medan-lake-toba-budget-tour-package&catid=22:medan&Itemid=51 - 4 star hotel package) (private tour - additional RM80 each for 6 of us) - total RM 595 per person which include tipping for driver guide(RM40) and agent collection fees (RM30) but exclude Indonesia airport tax (75,000 Ruppial per person).

Day 1 - 10/3/2011 (Thursday)

Our flight at 7.40am (LCCT), we have to check in before 45 minutes. Breakfast we had taken at Taste of Asia, only 2 choices either nasi lemak or fried mihun. some of us have choose fried mihun as our breakfast (RM7 per plate), felt expensive and just normal taste...

Transit time for the flight is around 50 minutes, but due to the delay of flight, around 8.15am Indonesia time we reached Polonial International Airport. Our tour guide, Jonggi Turnip, a handsome cute man, was waiting at outside with the name plate of Jocely. :D But caution with one thing, do not let unknown people help you carry bag, because they are asking for money after help you carry the bag. After get to know with our tour guide, is time to start our journey to 1st destination - Lake Toba. :D It takes around few hours to reach there. On the way there, we were visited patent shop for buying local food, the so call "Ting Ting, Teng Teng, Tang Tang, Ping Ping, Pong Pong, Ak am, Tung Tung......" funny name.. haha.. actually is some kind of snack. 17500 Ruppiah per box (RM6).

Lunch we having at Local Restaurant which they said is famous - Restaurant Garuda Siantar, local food, spicy. We had extra order a famous drink - Avocado + chocolates juice which just 10000 Ruppiah, pure and delicious. :D After lunch, we had visited Guan Yin Temple which just build up.

It takes around 2 - 3 more hours just reached Lake Toba, the weather is comfortable and cool wing. We checked-in Inna Parapat hotel at around 5pm. Free & Easy... the hotel is just at the side of Lake, have nice view there, but think this month is low seasons, did not meet many other tourists, we very obviously is the outsider at there. This hotel is consider quite old, the facilities and quality in the room is not really satisfying but the view is nice. After settle down, we walked around the hotel and go to buy souvenir at shop, nothing much can buy and all seems the same.

Dinner we having in hotel, food acceptable and we realized that the papaya and pineapple taste is different with our Malaysia's Papaya and pineapple, we are wondering 0.0? after dinner just 8pm local time, nothing to do.. we are started our games "99".. mm...

Day 2 - 11/3/2011 (Friday)

After have breakfast at hotel, 8am we take a boat ride across crystal waters of Lake Toba to Samosir Island, which is the fifth largest lake island in the world. It is a large volcanic island in Lake Toba, were formed after the eruption of a super volcano some 75,000 years ago.

1st destination in Samosir Island is Ambarita, which is an ancient Batak tribal village. Known for its ancient court yard in a beautiful setting of traditional Batak houses, they have their own Batak calendar which have 30 days for each 12 months and also other tribal implements.

2nd destination will be Tomok Village

may refer other blog which have nice photo and explanation :

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/venoth/77/1296749016/tpod.html

After Samosir Island, we have return to Parapat to have our lunch at "Hong Kong Restaurant". Delicious food and very full.. : )

Continue our journey to another destination - Brastagi, which is a lovely town located in Karo Highlands, 70km from Medan. It is main plantations and various kinds of flowers, vegetables and fruit, especially famous for its Marquisa passion fruit. The altitude of 1,300 meters gives it a cool and comfortable climate, look alike with Malaysia Cameron Highland. There is 2 active volcanoes close to Brastagi. Sibayak, 2100 meters high and fairly easy to climb and a great place to view sunrise. Sinabung, 2400 meters high, quite steep and difficult to climb. * hope to hike there for next time. :)

Before reached Brestagi, we went Simarjarunjung for enjoyed the ginger tea (not nice as what we expected) and pisang goreng in cool climate.

After that, went to Sipiso - piso waterfall on the northern edge of Lake Toba. The waterfall is 120m high and is formed by an underground river which flows out into the Toba Caldera. 40 minutes from Brestagi.

Grand Mutiara Hotel was the accommodation that we stayed in Brestagi (http://www.grandmutiarahotel.com/), is really a nice place. Highly recommended.

We have our dinner at hotel also, we "booked whole restaurant".. due to low season and weekday, there seems like no have other tourist. Papaya and pineapple still the same taste as 1st night we ate. After discussed, we came out a conclusion, papaya and pineapple that plant near volcanoes will have different taste. Please correct me if we are wrong. :)

Day 3 - 12/3/2011 (Saturday)

Breakfast at hotel and visit Central Fruits Market, try the baked corn which recommended by local travel magazine, but not nice as what they wrote, is salty and dry, at that time, we are missed Cameron Highland Sweet corn. sweet sweet sweet...Sugarcane juice is highly recommended, is so delicious - pure, natural and sweet, just around RM2 a cup. miss it now.. : )

Before reached our hotel, we had visit Graha Bunda Maria. "when the visitor starts his tour, the shrine will begin narrating the Biblical history of Salvation starting from creation until the Second Coming of Jesus through its structure, ornaments and paintings." wrote by Fr. James Bharataputra S.J. The uniqueness of this shrine lies in the originality of its Indo-Mogul architecture, in its ornaments and display of colours done by amateur hands and above all in its Biblical content.

Lunch at Grand Seraton Seafood Restaurant, chinese food. so so.... pineapple still the same taste but papaya taste is almost the same taste with Malaysia Papaya. haha.. maybe Medan located near Malaysia.

Next, Maimoon Palace which located in Brigjen Katamso Street, Medan. Sultan Deli had established this palace. The designer was an Italia architect, and finished in 1888. The unique interior design of the palace, mixing elements of Malay cultural heritage, Islam, Spanish, Indian and Italian design.

(http://www.indonesia-tourism.com/north-sumatra/maimoon_palace.html)

Before check in hotel, is shopping time, we had requested Jonggi to drop us at the shopping mall which consider high class in the medan - SOGO till 6.30pm. The feeling at the shopping mall like shopping at Jusco, We had teatime at QQ cafe if no mistaken, crowded of people.

Buffet Dinner having at Grand Angkasa International Hotel, very grand restaurant and different choices of dishes. Chinese food, Japanese food, local food, desserts, fruits, salad, ice cream...

Check in hotel at Asean International Hotel, in the central of Medan. Easy accessible. http://www.aseaninterhotelmedan.com/about.php Comfortable room and with complete facilities. Recommended.

Day 4 - 13/3/2011 (Sunday)

Last day in Medan, Free & Easy. Have a nice sleep and breakfast in hotel. Little choice and the hygiene level was quite low. After checked out at 12pm, we have to wait till 4pm to go airport and get 5.55pm flight. McD is located beside hotel, we spent few hours there.

Reached Malaysia around 8pm, that was the end of our Indonesia trip.... will continue with our second trip next year... :D

~~ THE END ~~