Samosir Island (Lake Toba)

Bukit Lawang & Lake Toba, Indonesia

Home to the Ambarita Stone Chairs and Tomok Village, featuring the tomb of King Sidabutar.

Places in Samosir Island (Lake Toba)

Tomok Village food stalls Food stalls near the tomb of King Sidabutar and souvenir stalls offering Batak carvings.
Samosir Island lakeside bars Bars near Tomok Village and the Ambarita Stone Chairs on Lake Toba.

Best time to visit: May to September (dry season) offers the best conditions for jungle trekking and Lake Toba's volcano hiking.
Getting around: Almost all Bukit Lawang accommodation is located on the river, reached only by footpath, while Lake Toba's Ambarita Stone Chairs and Tomok Village are reached by boat around Samosir Island.
Currency: Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)
Language: Indonesian; Batak languages are widely spoken around Lake Toba.
Timezone: WIB (UTC+7)
Current trends: Bukit Lawang and Lake Toba's tourism continues to center on Sumatra's most distinctive natural and cultural draws, with Green Hill Guesthouse & Sustainable Jungle Trekking's eco-focused lodging near Gunung Leuser National Park and the Ambarita Stone Chairs' Batak megalithic heritage reflecting a circuit built around orangutan conservation and deep cultural immersion.

Bukit Lawang riverside — Home to Jungle Inn and Green Hill Guesthouse, almost all accommodation located on the river reached by footpath.
Gunung Leuser National Park district — The peaceful gateway to the national park, home of the endangered Sumatran orangutan.