North Sumatra (Sumatera Utara) is a province in the north Indonesia's Sumatra Island.
Cities and towns
Cities
- Medan — the chaotic capital famous for its varieties of local cuisine
- Asahan — a regency in the eastern coast of North Sumatra
- Pematangsiantar — second largest city
- Binjai — small city 22 km east to Medan city and part of Greater Medan, also transit point to Bukit Lawang and Tangkahan
- Tanjungbalai — the only international passenger port to peninsular Malaysia
- Padang Sidempuan — the 'Salak' city and transit point to West Sumatra
- Mandailing Natal — a regency at the south east of North Sumatra
Towns
- Berastagi — the fruits town
- Parapat — gateway to Lake Toba
- Sibolga — major port city in the southwestern part
- Sidikalang — famous for its coffee
Other destinations
- Lake Toba — the largest lake in South East Asia, placed within exceptional volcanic scenery and surrounded by inspiring mountains.
- Bukit Lawang — gateway to the orangutans and the Gunung Leuser National Park
- Tangkahan 📍 — elephant conservation and another gateway to Gunung Leuser National Park
- Gunung Sinabung (Sinabung Volcano) and Gunung Sibayak (Sibayak Volcano)
- Taman Iman Dairi 📍 (Garden of Faith) — in Sidikalang
- Salib Kasih 📍 — in Tarutung, a centre of Christian missionary activity by German Lutheran I.L. Nommensen in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
- Nias island & Batu islands — famous surfing destination
- Bahal temple — ancient Buddhist temple built 11th-13th century
- Batang Gadis National Park and its highest volcano Sorikmarapi
Understand
Indonesian is mostly spoken in the North Sumatra area. People commonly speak their local languages as well. Batak Toba spoken in Tapanuli and Samosir, while Simalungun spoken in Simalungun area (southern Medan), Karo spoken in Tanah Karo (Kabanjahe, Berastagi), and Pakpak spoken in Dairi.
Get in
By plane
Kualanamu International Airport (IATA: KNO) near the provincial capital Medan has direct connections from regional international destinations in Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, as well as frequent flights from all major cities in Western Indonesia.
Another international airport is Sisingamangaraja XII International Airport 📍 (IATA: DTB - formerly Silangit International Airport) that serves Lake Toba.
In addition, there are a few smaller airports in the province. Flights from the national capital Jakarta serve Ferdinand Lumbang Tobing Airport 📍 (IATA: FLZ) near Sibolga on the western coast. The south of the province is served by Aek Godang Airport 📍 (IATA: AEG) with flights from Padang and Medan. The islands on the west of North Sumatra see scheduled flights from Padang to Binaka Airport 📍 (IATA: GNS) on the island of Nias and Lasondre Airport 📍 on the Batu Islands.
By boat
Major port is Belawan (Medan) and Tanjungbalai (formerly Tanjungbalai-Asahan). As of April 2019, Belawan only serves domestic voyages while Tanjungbalai serves domestic voyages and international voyages from/to Port Klang and Hutan Melintang, Perak.
By road
North Sumatra is connected by Trans-Sumatran Highway. Many buses serve Medan to many cities in Sumatra such as Pekanbaru, Padang and Banda Aceh.
Get around
By car
North Sumatra road condition has improved in the mid 2010s, especially around major cities. But 2/3 of the road condition is still bad, with many potholes. Traffic is chaos, with most drivers won't pay attention to traffic signs and lights. Be extra careful especially if driving into rural areas.
There are tollways connecting Belawan - Medan - Tanjung Morawa (Belmera tollway), Medan - Binjai and Lubuk Pakam - Tebing Tinggi.
By bus
The easy way to get around without hassle is by bus. Most cities are served by buses. Some bus drivers may drive recklessly. Road conditions are so-so only for main road, while in rural areas, roads may sometimes unpaved.
By train
Railway service covers only about 1/3 of the province, but are very reliable, cheap and fast. They cover Binjai, Medan, Pematang Siantar, Tanjung Balai and Rantau Prapat.
By plane
There are several airports scattered around North Sumatra. See above.
See
Berastagi is a small town in mountainous region south of Medan is a popular weekend getaway for local, with 2 nearby volcanoes Sibayak and the active Sinabung.
Danau Toba, or Lake Toba, is about 4 hours from Medan by car, and is the world's largest crater lake. Pulau Samosir, in turn, is the largest island-within-an-island. The village of Tuktuk on the island is popular with European tourists, and magic mushrooms are freely available (look for the magic mushroom and laundry service).
Batak Toba Traditional House is a-must-see attraction while visiting North Sumatra. For tourism, it centered in Samosir island, while there are more in Balige, Porsea, and Tarutung.
Gunung Leuser National Park is a very large national park span across 2 province, home to several faunas like elephant, orangutan, and tiger.
Eat
The most notable foods in the area are those of the Batak people. Batak people use either pork or even dog to make saksang. Another Batak pork specialty is babi panggang in which the meat is boiled in vinegar and pig blood before being roasted. Ayam namargota is chicken cooked in spices and blood. A notable fish dish is ikan arsik, carp cooked with spices and herbs. Andaliman is strong pepper used by Bataks, similar to Sichuan pepper in taste.
Stay safe
Sumatra is famous in Indonesia for being "rough", and locals are proud of their roots.
As in any city, be vigilant about your personal property and always be aware of your surroundings. Especially if you're taking the public bus or minivan, those are always filled with pickpockets.
Be careful when crossing the street. Keep an eye on the locals and cross with them if possible.
Emergency telephone numbers: 112.
Connect
There are few expats here, but the Hash House Harriers has a few local chapters in Medan and surrounding areas.