TravelStream™ news feed for member 777jones on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/777jones en-us Copyright ©2010 TravelPod.com Thu, 19 Jun 2008 06:40:55 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/777jones/1/1213870200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/777jones/1/1213870200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/777jones/1/1213870200/tpod.html Thu, 19 Jun 2008 06:40:55 -0400 The Dreaming Island-North Sumatera, Indonesia.

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Indonesia, Indonesia

NORTH SUMATRA
North Sumatra, Indonesia's most populous province outside of Java, stretches from the Indian Ocean in the west to the Straits of Malaka in the East, and from Aceh in the north to west Sumatra in the south. It is thick with virgin rainforest, jungle covered hills, terraced rice fields, mountain rivers, beautiful waterfalls, and volcanic lakes and peaceful while beaches..

The people of the region can be divided into five main ethnic groups: the Coastal Malays, living along the Melaka Straits, the Batak, consisting of the sub-tribes around Lake Toba and Samosir Island, the Pesisirs along the Indian Ocean coast, the Mandailing of southern Tapanuli, and Nias Islanders off the western coast of the province. These groups each have their own dialects , Religious beliefs, arts, costumes, and cultures. Several ethnic groups live in Medan and other towns of non ¼ Sumatra, title largest of these being Chinese and Indian. Other arts of the archipelago are represented notaly the Acehnese, Lake Toba , Minangkabau and Javanese.

The diversity of arts and cultures make this region a treasure chest for social scientists and culture seeker. Ancient carved stone graves of Batak kings, the megalithic culture of Nias, unique dances, ceremonies, arts and crafts are just waiting for you to discover. North Sumatra is also one of the richest provinces in Indonesia for flora and fauna. And of course the jewel of North.

Sumatra , Lake Toba, the legendary birthplace of the mountain-dwelling Bataks and the largest inland lake in Southeast Asia. The region tiers more than 30% of Indonesia's export commodities, making it a vital cog in the economy. Tobacco, palm oil , tea and rubber are produced in large quantities, particularly around Medan in the north of the province.

Medan is the capital of North Sumatra province, a trading centre and important harbour. Once part of the Deli Sultanate, the Mesjid Besar (Grand Mosque) and the palace of the Sultan of Deli have been restored there past grandeur. Medan's harbour, Belawan, is the sea link to Penang, Malaysia . Regular flights to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Amsterdam, Viena, and Jakarta are available, as well destinations in Sumatra.

Medan has the largest crocodile farm in Indonesia at Asam Kumbang, 5 km from the heart of the city, with nearly 2000 crocodiles of different sizes and species.

Berastagi is a lovely tourist town in the Karo highlands on the way from Medan to Lake Toba. Berastagi is famous for its flowers,vegetables and fruit, the most of which is the " Marquisa" passion fruit. The local markets are swarming with activity and scenes from traditional Karo life. Days are extremely pleasantly and nights can be quite cool. Gundaling Hill provides a clear view of Mt. Sibayak and Mt. sinabung volcanoes. There is a pleasant colonial-style hotel with a golf course, as well as a range of other hotels and accommodations.

This relatively unchanged Batak village has traditional ornamentation, and is often visited by domestic and foreign tourists. Visitors can watch young girls and old ladies weaving the beautiful "ulos cloth, their principal means of a livehood other than agriculture. There are monuments of King Taibun and King Manurung, traditional houses, cultural and other historical remain left by Batak Kings centuries ago.

Located some 15 km from Berastagi, this is a unique Batak Karo village where traditional houses are still well preserved and inhabited today. Five to six families live in each house and a small donation will give you a tout of the house.

Lake Toba is the heart of Batak country, the largest lake in Southeast Asia with a surface area of about 1,145 sg kilometers, and the deepest lake in the world, over 450 meters deep. The town of Parapat is the main tourist resort and lies on the shores of the lake. The Batak Simalungun people of Parapat are happy, easygoing people, known for their lively and sentimental love song

Recreational sports in Parapat include swimming, water skiing , motor boating, canoeing, fishing, and golf. The climate is cool and dry, an ideal place to relax. There is a plenty of hotels, bungalows, villas and guesthouses. Parapat is 176 km from Medan and can be reached in 4 hours by bus.

The island of Samosir, in the middle of the Lake Toba by regular ferries from Parapat. The original home of the fierce Toba Batak, the island has many sites of stone tombs and traditional villages. The villages of Tomok, Tuk-Tuk, Siallagan and Ambarita are noteworthy. Transportation can be arranged through your hotel or rent a motorcycle for a day's adventure on the island. Accommodations of various styles and standards are readily available.

Located Tongkoh, 59 km from Medan. The arboreal was established in 1916, and renovated and renamed Great Bukit Barisan Forest Park 1989.

For the adventurous, a trip to Sumatera's inland wilderness, crossing rivers and climbing steep, jungle-clad hills is a must.The Mount Leuser National Park, the Rehabilitation Centre for Orang Utan at Bohorok is opened to the public.
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