Medan Local Custom Tips by globetrott Top 5 Page for this destination

How to transport eggs & other goods

Mofas are the main means of transportation of the local merchants and smaller shops in Medan and other towns of Indonesia and this is why you will see many interesting vehicles like the motorbike that is delivering fresh eggs in quite an unusual and funny way at least in the eyes of the tourists.

dress like a sultan in the Maimoon-palace

The Maimoon palace (Sultans Palace) is a great chance to dress like the sultan and/or his wife in authentic costumes. In the back of the palace there is a room with a large selection of costumes and there is a photographer, who will take photos of you dressed in these costumes at whatever place in the palace : in front of the throne or at the terrace etc.
Charges are certainly quite low, but I did not ask for the price.

street-lamps

Watch out for these great street-lamps, you will find them in many parts of the old part of Medan, I saw it for instance in the street, where the Tjong A. Fie Mansion is situated in the old chinese quarters of Medan, they obviously are dating back to the beginning of the 20th century.
Another quite interesting lamp I saw inside of the big mosque, it has the shape of a lotus-flower - see it in my 3rd photo !

All inscriptions are in latin letters

It is really very helpful for the ordinary tourist, that all inscriptions in Indonesia are in latin letters, so you will be able to read street-names and directions etc. easily. In my photos : these seem to be advertisments that we saw, when passing by in the minibus. At first I had the feeling, these are made by colorful flowers, but now I rather think that this is some kind of plastic added that makes a 3-dimensional signpost.