Lake Toba, The largest volcanic lake in the world

We endured the local bus ride and made it to Prapat, were we caught the ferry to the island in the middle of the lake. We had about an hour to kill so we sat down at an outdoor table. It didn't take long before many of the village children came to greet us. Their parents sell fresh fruits and vegetables at the market nearby and they were extremely curious in us. Of course we couldn't communicate with each other so we had to make do with funny faces and charades.

Lake Toba was a very popular tourist destination about 20 years ago but due to the political unrest of Sumatra in the 90's, tourists stopped coming there. The infrastructure sadly remains; waiting for tourists to return. Guesthouses and restaurants await guests and are extremely grateful for our business. It's now become a great weekend getaway for Sumatrans because of it's sheer beauty and dirt cheap prices.

Lake Toba is recognized to possibly be the largest volcanic eruption of the last 25 million years. To give you an idea of its magnitude, consider that although the eruption took place in Indonesia, it deposited an ash layer approximately 6 inches thick over the entire Indian subcontinent; and at one site in central India, the ash layer remains 20 feet thick today. In addition, it has been calculated that 1,010 metric tons of sulfuric acid was ejected into the atmosphere by the event, causing acid rain fallout. The subsequent collapse formed a caldera that, after filling with water, created Lake Toba. Samosir, the island in the center of the lake, is formed by a resurgent dome. Toba is the largest volcanic lake in the world. Samosir Island formed in the middle of the lake and is the fifth largest volcanic island in the world. The island is approximately 50 km long and 15 km wide, almost as big as Singapore.

The ferry dropped us off at our hotel's pier. We decided to splurge and stay at the "nicest" place on the island. The nightly rate was $6 and that included our own Batak style cottage, gorgeous views of the lake and wildlife outside our front door. The temperature was much cooler there and the locals were extremely welcoming. It was a perfect place to spend a few days relaxing.

Of course we rented a motorbike to explore the island. We passed by Batak homes, all of which have a steep curved roof. The saddle back roof actually represents the shape of two water-buffalo horns. The water-buffalo is the animal that helps the 'spirits' on their journey into the afterlife. No nails are used in the construction that is entirely of wood, rope and wooden pegs. In recent times the cooking area moved from inside the house to an extension that is added to the back of the building. Each 'jabu' will be shared by up to 8 families and there are no interior divides to ensure privacy.

The Batak people are some of the last known cannibalists. Hundreds of years ago humanitarians came to convert them into Christians. The first few were eaten but eventually Christianity caught on. It's very odd to see churches, crosses and graves with pictures of Jesus in this part of the world. We happened to be out on a Sunday morning just as all of the villagers were returning from church. They were dressed in brightly colored clothing and carried Bibles. Music is also a large part of Batack culture and I couldn't help but think that my Grandpa Stuart might enjoy volunteering here.

We rode past water buffalo and children playing on the streets. We were in the mist of local people and they were all friendly and welcoming, each waving and smiling as we rode by. We were so happy to rent a motorbike one last time on our trip. You get to see so much more on the back of a bike and it's something that we'll look forward to in all of our travels.

We curved around the island and came to the Hot Springs. The land is white with sulfuric acid as smoke escapes from the Earth. We took a dip in the Hot Springs which is known to be very healthy for your skin. We swam in the "Foreigner's Pool" which was in great condition because there is no telling when it was last used. (There aren't many tourists anymore.)Children sat under shade trees and watched us from afar.

We passed by a wedding ceremony and peered in to look at the festivities. There was a huge celebration and the entire village was there to honor the bride and groom.

The scenery is surreal. The landscape is lush and green and the water is crystal clear. Children like to throw coins into the water and dive for them. We couldn't help but wonder when the volcano would erupt next. Lake Toba is a special place with magnificent beauty. It's very peaceful, quite and very inexpensive. We're so glad that we came to Sumatra to witness the hospitality of the people and the beautiful scenery of the volcanic lake and it's wildlife.