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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
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- Destinations
- Asia
- Indonesia
- Lake Toba
Lake Toba
The holiday paradise of Lake Toba sparkles like a precious
stone, embedded in the northern highlands of Sumatra and surrounded
by steep and fertile mountains. Filling in a giant volcanic crater,
it is the largest lake in South East Asia, with depths of up to
1,680ft (525m) in places. In the middle of Lake Toba sits the
jade-green island of Samosir, which is the origin of the friendly
Batak people. Evidence of their culture and traditions is visible
in the little Batak villages with their characteristic curved
roofs, the traditional dance performances at Simanindo's Batak
Cultural Centre and the distinctive woodcarvings and weavings sold
around the island. There are also a few hot springs near
Pangururan. Numerous holiday resorts and villages are scattered
around Lake Toba's Samosir; the Tuk Tuk peninsula and village of
Ambarita being the most popular places for tourists to linger. The
area was fashionable for holidaymakers a few years ago, but now is
fairly quiet. Despite the amount of guesthouses and restaurants on
Samosir, there is little other tourist infrastructure, but the
variety of activities and the cultural experience makes this
Sumatra's most fascinating and relaxing holiday destination.
Information & Facts
Language
Bahasa Indonesia is the official language, but many
dialects are spoken. English is widely understood in Jakarta and
tourist resorts.
Money
Rupiah (IDR) is the official currency and is divided into 100
sen. Foreign currency can easily be exchanged at banks, hotels and
money changers in major tourist destinations; US dollars is the
most accepted currency. Cash often yields a better exchange rate
than travellers cheques, which are not always accepted. It is
recommended that travellers cheques also be in US dollars. Most
major credit cards are accepted at hotels, restaurants and stores
catering to the tourist trade. ATMs are available in main centres.
Small change is often unavailable so keep small denomination notes
and coins for items like bus fares, temple donations and cool
drinks.
Time
Indonesia spans three time zones. GMT +7 (West, including
Java and Sumatra), GMT +8 (Central, including Bali, Sulawesi and
Lombok), GMT +9 (East, including Irian Jaya).