Source : maritim.go.id
Four separate volcanic eruptions actually created the caldera that is Lake Toba but the last one, a super volcanic eruption that occurred around 75,000 years back, was that the mother of all eruptions; the biggest known explosive eruption on Earth at the last 25 million decades ago According to the Toba catastrophe theory, it turned into a climate-changing event that wiped out the majority of the human race except for a small population bottleneck in central east Africa and India. The hereditary make-up of distant ancestors impacts modern humans worldwide.
Along with the volcanic forces which created Toba is still not done. Mount Pusuk Buhit on the south western border of the caldera and Tandukbenua on the north western edge are very current, the latter considered to have formed after an eruption just a couple of hundred decades back. The magma chamber under the lake continues to fill, compelling Samosir Island, the substantial landmass in the middle of the lake and Uluan Peninsular, slowly greater. Unsurprisingly, earthquakes sometimes rock the southern beaches.
It’s tough to reconcile this type of barbarous beginning with the serene setting around Lake Toba nowadays. Yet, individuals come from all over the world to relax in the beautiful natural surroundings, breathe the cool mountain air and revel in the hospitality of the Batak ordinary inhabitants.
There are several access points around Lake Toba however, the main gateway is Parapat, located roughly mid-point on the northwestern border of the lake. Parapat could be retrieved by public or private transport from Medan. The 180km journey takes approximately 4 hours. The city has a good assortment of accommodation, restaurants, and other amenities.
Belige or Muara around the lake’s southern edge is smaller and quieter, with mainly guesthouse style accommodation, but their location is a little bit more central for exploring across the lake. SusiAir operates daily flights from Medan to Silangit, having a flight time of 30min, handy if you’re likely to remain in Belige or Muara but not so convenient if you’re likely to stay at Parapat, which is still a 2 hour transfer by private automobile away.
A favorite solution is to remain on Samosir Island itself, or more precisely in TukTuk, the island’s most important town and the only area with lodging, ranging from guesthouses to lakeside villas. Public ferries between Parapat (Tigaraja or Ajibata Harbours, a short distance south west) and Tomok or TukTuk on Samosir Island each hour from early morning till 7:00 pm. At the time of writing, fares for your 1 hour crossing cost IDR15,000 plus an additional IDR10,000 for motorbikes.
Instead, Samosir is connected to the lake rim via a man made land bridge at Pangururan, approximately halfway along the western shore. It’s steep and twisting and must be approached with care but supplies some fantastic vistas across Lake Toba and Samosir.
Be aware there are no taxis on Samosir which means you’ll want to arrange some transportation to go around. There is limited private rental car with a driver/guide or scooter lease found on the island, but most guesthouses hire bikes. Otherwise, hire a scooter at Parapat and take it over on the ferry with you.
Before you plan a trip to Lake Toba, be sure to read more about Lake Toba and Indonesia by visiting Wonderful Indonesia.
