Medan Getaway

Assalamualaikum and hello guys,

We met again for my post segment ‘one year one country’. For this year, Alhamdulilah I have un-tick my wish list ‘one year one country’ to Medan, Indonesia. As usual this is my last minute plan to go to Medan. Why Medan?  Because the cheapest flight at that time, yes my definition of travel ‘murah je book terus plan kemudian’ . So for this year, Farah is my travel partner (previous post, my Phuket travel partner) as I can say, my Medan getaway is like my short honeymoon because it was so calm and I do happy for this travel. Alhamdulilah is was great and everything was so smooth. 

So here’s my itinerary;

My recap journey for 4 days 3 nights

Medan - Berastangi – Samosir Island – Medan

DAY 1

02:55 PM    KLIA 2 – KUALANAMU AIRPORT (Medan) * RM 163 (return flight, no luggage)

03:00 PM- Reach Kualanamu Airport (Medan is one hour delay from Malaysia time zone)

*we decided to  stay at Berstangi due to last ferry to Samosir Island at 7:00 PM and the journey from Medan to Samosir is 6 hours journey , definitely we can’t catch the ferry*

03: 15 PM – Journey to Berastangi  for almost 3 hours  * 550K Rupiah per car

Side note: I have already booked driver (help from my Medan friend Anita, thank you I love you, if you want this driver number you can drop the comments below. I will give it) Based on my research mostly drivers will charge you about 700K Rupiah to go to Berastangi but I got this around 550K Rupiah the cheapest among all drivers so yeah. I do suggest you to hire a driver rather than rent a car because the road it is super winding and their driving skills it is super scary. I almost have a heart attack in the car.

07: 15 PM- Reach at Hotel Klang Ulu (Berstangi)- 475K Rupiah per room 

Photos by myself 

Hotel Review:

I love so much from the decor of the hotel, the ambiance, their services, their hospitality I will grade them A++ especially Mr. Agus . He is very helpful even tho he is the one miss out my booking, but is okay we upgraded to suite room. The decor’ of the hotel inspired from Japan decoration, they also provided Halal food. To be honest I love everything about this hotel. You guys can read other reviews on booking.com.  9/10 star. Mostly hotel in Berstangi without air-condition but don’t worry it is already cold here. Bring sweater.

10: 00 PM – Sleep from tiring journey *we bring Maggie cup yes jimat sister

DAY 2

08: 00 AM – Breakfast at the hotel because it halal enjoying around the hotel

11:00 AM- Check out , shoot to Samosir Island ( 4 Hours Journey)

*At first we thought there’s a Grab or Urber  to go to Samosir Island, but guys it doesn’t have , Thank God Mr. Agus help us to find a driver to send us to Samosir Island. The price was okay 600K per car include 3 stops ( Kolam Air Panas, Sipo Piso and Museum not including ticket fee)

Because of our last minute request and want to catch the ferry at Samosir Island so we didn’t go to Kolam Air Panas but we went to Sipo Piso Waterfall 

Sipo Piso Mountain

View of Lake Toba from Sipo Piso Waterfall 

Sipo Piso Waterfall 

Sipo Piso is one of must go attraction place if you in Medan. It was beautiful.

03:30 PM – Reached Tiga Raja Ferry – 15k Rupiah  per person

*There are two types of ferry. 1) You can go with cars & passenger. 2) Passenger only so we decided to take passengers only because it's faster. The ferry will operate every 30 mins

04: 15 PM – Reached at Lekjon Cottage – 300K Rupiah per person

*They will send directly to your hotel if you book the hotel at the Tuk Tuk area, it is more cheaper and if you lucky enough it will come with lake view of Lake Toba like our room. 

Our room facing the lake view 

Hotel Review:

I booked via Booking.com, at first the review was average and I also did not put high hope as my previous hotel but when we reached there, it is beyond my expectations. The room was clean, spacious, we got lake view, our balcony facing the lake view, we got our hang out area in front of lake toba, it was amazing but the Wifi only can reach at their lobby but is okay. I will rate 8.5/10. Halal restaurant only 4 mins walking it called Mami Tempo.

06: 00 PM – Late lunch and early dinner at Mami Tempo -average below 20K

*Then the owner of restaurant offer us to go to Tomok (whereas Batak Museum and Shopping place)

07: 00 PM – Tomok ( Shopping) *100RP for tuk tuk return

For me Tomok is the best place for shopping, to buy songket , if you a big fan of art and craft I guess this place also the best place. The good thing I love shopping here is they will not sell the same things in other places. Which means you can’t find the things that sell in Tomok will be same at Narita either Medan. Best advice if you really love that thing, go grab and try to bid for the lowest price.

08:00 PM – Back to Lekjon Cottage and sleep 

DAY 3

This is my favourite thing

06: 30 AM  – Watching the sunrise at our hotel’s balcony

Sunrise from our balcony 

Photos by myself 

08: 15 AM- Breakfast at Mami Tempo Restaurant  (Halal)  price range -15K Rupiah

*The Mami Tempo Restautant is quite good and reasonable*

09: 00 AM – Went to Narita *50K Rupian (Tuk tuk return)

*To be honest, I prefer shopping at Tomok rather than Narita. However, I do recommend you guys to buy kain harum . The smell was so nice, kain tu gosok2 baru bau. Kind of menyesal tak beli.

Famous with Gale Gale dance which is the Gale Gale is the wooden doll 

Batak's Traditonal House

Photos by myself 

10: 15 AM – Enjoying our self ice cream session

02:15 PM  – Check out , waiting for the ferry to Raja Tiga Ferry – 15K Rupiah per person

*It is super easy , you just wait in front of your hotel , then it will have a ferry (every one hours if I am not mistaken) to fetch you just in front of your room   

02: 30 PM – Reach at Raja Tiga Ferry Terminal, straight away to Bagus Taxi to Medan – 85K Rupiah  per person

*Bagus Taxi is a shared taxi with another person; it will be 6 people per car. For my review it is cheaper compared to the transportation we took for 3 days before. The good thing is they will send you till your destination (accommodation) really recommend eventho their driving skills so scary. You can get this Bagus Taxi counter straight away once you reached at the Raja Tiga Ferry.

From Tiga Raja Ferry to Medan it took 6 hours so good luck

08:00 PM – Reach at Roemah 28 Syariah Hotel – 270K per room

Photos by myself

Hotel Review:

The location is quite isolated because is in the residential area so our taxi driver hard to find, at the end we need to pay due to pay extra  50k Rupiah due to wrong information whereas the hotel location. It is in medan okay  so yeah. The deco and the room it was so nice and comfortable. The decoration of this hotel is more like vintage style. I do love it. It is also a combination of café and rooms concept. The food also good totally recommended. Wifi also have in the room. Overall 9.5/10 star

09:00 PM- Sleep 

DAY 4

09:00 AM- Breakfast at the café – Price range 30K

*Totally recommend their soto menu.*

10:30 AM- Check out , however we put all our stuff in the hotel lobby. The staff also very friendly and helpful . Take a grab to Istana Mimun

10: 50 AM- Istana Maimun – 5K Rupiah

*To be honest, is totally not worth it because the Istana Maimun on renovation , it kind of wasting our time wandering around. But if you guys want to try their royal official traditional dress  , you can rent about- 100K . It was beautiful but I am not interested.

11:00 AM- Went to Masjid Raya *5 Minus walking distance from Maimun Palace

Love the design of this mosque

We just rest and prayer, enjoying our last day in Masjid Raya . To be honest, there’s not much activity we do in Medan, because to go one place to other places is quite far and our timeline also quite limited on that day because we need to catch our flight so yeah.

01:00 PM – Take Tuk Tuk – 20K Rupiah to our hotel

01:30 PM- Lunch at our Hotel because the food was good and halal

02:30 PM- Take Grab to Kuala Namu International Airport (one hour journey)

03: 45 PM- Reach Kualanamu International Airport

07:15 PM  Boarding time, Bye Medan

*The check in process was quite fast maybe during this period there’re not many tourist , however we experience the exceed luggage. I actually  bring my small backpack and my less than 7kg beg  but I guess they are a little bit straight I need to  weight my backpack also even tho the back pack quite small to yeah need to pay another 300K Rupiah *

Overall, everything was smooth and easy . I really do enjoy my duo getaway because the place was good, not many tourists and people, you will really enjoy every moments and nature. I do feel calm and InsyAllah will visit again. The hotel choices are truly great that’s made me happy and the people in Medan are super-duper friendly and helpful.

End of my journey, hope my post will gave you guys as reference or information. Happy travel!

-T H E  E N D-