Lake Toba

Lake Toba, in the highlands of North Sumatra, is one of the largest volcanic lakes on earth, an immense sheet of deep blue water filling the caldera left by a colossal eruption tens of thousands of years ago, one of the biggest in the planet's recent geological history. Ringed by steep green shores and sitting at around 900 metres, it has a cool, restful climate, and at its centre lies Samosir, an island almost the size of Singapore that is the homeland of the Toba Batak people. On Samosir you find traditional Batak houses with their distinctive saddle-shaped roofs, old stone royal seats and carved sarcophagi, and a gentle traveller scene of lakeside guesthouses where people come to swim, cycle and slow down. It is one of Sumatra's great destinations, spacious, scenic and culturally rich, and quieter than Java or Bali.

What you actually see

• Samosir island - the vast island at the lake's centre, heartland of Batak culture.
• Traditional Batak houses - the saddle-roofed houses and carved stone seats in the villages.
• The lake itself - swimming, cycling and boating on the cool, deep water.
• The highland setting - the green caldera walls and viewpoints over the lake.

When to go

The lake is pleasant year-round thanks to its altitude; May to September is drier and clearest. It is a place to relax over several days rather than rush. Batak festivals and church services (the Batak are largely Christian) add colour at certain times.

Honest expectations

Getting there is a long haul: four to five hours by road from Medan over sometimes rough roads, then a ferry. The pace is deliberately slow, which suits some and bores others. Facilities on Samosir are simple, and the traveller scene, while charming, is low-key. The water is clean and swimmable in most spots, but check locally. Its remoteness keeps crowds down but also development.

Nearby

The orangutan area of Bukit Lawang and the city of Medan lie to the north; Berastagi's volcanoes are en route.