Guide of Lake Toba

       NINNA.ID -When Miranda, a solo female traveller from France, came to explore Samosir Island with me, I wanted her to experience more than just the beautiful scenery of Lake Toba. For me, travelling is not only about visiting places, taking pictures, and moving to the next destination. It is also about understanding the people, their history, their traditions, and the stories behind the places we visit. I wanted Miranda to know Batak, not only as the name of an ethnic group, but as a people with a long history, strong family ties, rich traditions, and a culture that is still part of everyday life. Our first day started with a visit to Kampung Ulos Hutaraja. In this traditional Batak village, local women continue to weave ulos, the traditional cloth that holds an important place in Batak culture. Miranda from France visited my great-grandmother's traditional Batak house in Samosir — one of the most meaningful moments of our journey together.[/caption] For the Ba...

   When I received the assignment to accompany the Bron family from Switzerland on their journey through North Sumatra, I knew that my responsibility as a Sumatra Tour Guide would be more than taking them from one destination to another. The family consisted of a mother and her two sons. Their journey followed a program that covered Medan, Tangkahan, Bukit Lawang, Berastagi, and Samosir Island on Lake Toba. Each destination offered something different. There were opportunities to explore the jungle, learn about local life, discover the landscapes of North Sumatra, and experience the culture of the Batak people. But what made this journey memorable for me was not only the places we visited. It was the way I learned to communicate with them and understand what they wanted from their trip. The Bron family did not use English very often. Sometimes, I needed to repeat my explanations or find simpler words to help them understand what I was saying. So, I tried to speak more slowly....

   NINNA.ID -There are several ways to get from Kualanamu Airport to  Samosir  Island. But the cheapest one Ninna recommended using a taxi to Kualanamu Airport. There are several taxis served or available at  Kualanamu  Airport. The cost to get into a taxi is IDR 150.000 per person.  The taxi  can load 6 people including the driver. It means for 5 people IDR 750.000. But just say there are only 1-2 people that are ready to go to Samosir Island. You will need another passenger until it loads 5 passengers from Kualanamu Airport to  Samosir  Island. Otherwise, you can book one  taxi  that cost IDR 750.000. If only 2 people that ready to go and you agree to share IDR 750.000 for both of you. Each of you costs IDR 375.000. [caption id="attachment_25974" align="alignnone" width="696"]  Kualanamu Arrivals Area Photo: Damayanti[/caption] The distance between  Kualanamu  to Samosir Island is 120-130 km. It takes approxima...