Berastagi Things to Do Tips by Bonobo2005

The village of Dokan

The village of Dokan is only recommeded if you're interested to see traditional Karo Longhouses

However picturesque and lively, the people here are not especially friendly or hospitable;
too many tourists, including big groups, already came by, so they are used to (and may be fed up with) visitors.

The only villagers that didn't ignore us were the men in charge of collecting donations.

If you have only time to experience Batak Culture in one area, and you also plan to visit Lake Toba, I would, by far, prefer to visit the Batak Toba villages on Pulau Samosir since they're not affected by masstourism and the people are much more welcoming!

See also my Danau Toba page...

The Traditional Karo Houses (Dokan Village)

The traditional Karo houses are remarkable complex structures that are constructed without the use of any metal.

You may enter such a house if you ask permission and pay a small fee. Typical Karo houses have rarely windows and have no rooms. Traditionally 8 families live here, including the family of the private carpenter.
They all have there own stove, so you can imagine that it can be a bit smoky inside!

In the house we visited, 8 families lived, but they were not related to each other and didn't practise traditions.

It seems living in these houses is not very popular anymore in these times of modernization, and the people usually move in just because they have no money to build anything themselves.

Still, the houses are amazing pieces of ancient architecture!

Wisma Sibayak in Berastagi and the small museum near Lingga have extensive displays and explainations of traditional life in the longhouses.

Men at Work produce baskets for the markets

Around Berastagi there are several bamboo forests. You can see the men cooperating on the spot to create all kinds of bamboo products.

It's amazing how skilled they are. They mostly make baskets for carriying the market trade.

Unlike many other parts of Indonesia, here you rarely see men just hanging around. The area is very fertile and there's a lot of work to do. That makes this area relatively rich, and the people don't seem to bother much about the tourist dollars.

The village of Lingga Julu

This village has the best preserved traditional Karo longhouses, thanks to subsidied conservation and restauration works.

Although the villagers are very much used to visitors and the Lonely Planet writes about busloads of tourists and commercialization , during our visit we were the only tourists and thought Lingga might be avoided now because of LPin favor of other villages.

We were invited in one of the longhouses, where used to live 6 families, but these days only one old man. To my big surprise he sang several chapters of the Dutch anthem completely by head!

Close to Lingga there's a small museum about Karo culture. Recommended before visiting Lingga!

The village asks a small donation for entering the village and for every visit to a longhouse. It's up to you but $1 is quite generous.

You can take Lingga in on a walking tour from either Berastagi or Kabanjahe, or rent a bicycle.

Enjoy the grand views from Gunung Sinabung!

Mt. Sinabung is free standing -part of the "Ring of Fire" - and the craterrim quite accessible, so from the summit you can look all around as far as you can see.

You even might be lucky enough to see as far as Lake Toba over the valley. From another side you'll have a great overview over the rainforests of Gunung Leuser NP and the Karo highlands.

There are perfect views on Mt. Sibayak and other peaks as well, that are dotted in the valley.

We found ourselves a fine picnic spot on the summit and enjoyed lunchbreak there for about an hour and a half, before starting the descent!

We came down on the trail to Lake Kawar, where we jumped in the water and had a refreshing (= understatement) swim, while waiting for the minibus to leave. Here's also a scenic campground with basic supplies.

A brilliant active daytrip!

Go for Gunung Sinabung (2460m) as well!

If you have a change and are reasonably fit, climb to the summit of Mt. Sinabung as well! The view from the top is stunning and the tight trails to the top challenging!

Gunung Sinabung is a different piece of cake than Sibayak. Much more serious, streneous as you regularly have to use both hands and feet.

To get everything out of it, I recommend to bring a guide from Berastagi, who knows the trails and guides you to the best viewpoints and nicest routes. Or hire one at the village at the foot of Mt. Sinabung ( Singgarang Garang )

Directions: It takes 45 minutes by bemo from the centre to the trailhead.

The crater of Gunung Sinabung

Reaching the craterrim of Mt. Sinabung -after 3 or 4 hours of tough hiking up -is unforgettable.

The barren lavastone, the yellowish ash piles and -walls, the strange outcrops and lavatowers, and a moderately smoking crater in the middle to make the experience complete.

The great thing is that you really can explore the crater rim. On the picture you see the white lines; these are all trails!

Hike up the volcano Gunung Sibayak (2212m)

Just north of Berastiagi, the slightly active volcano Gunung Sibayak looms over town.

Several beautiful trails lead to the crater rim. The main trails are heavily used and you won't need a guide, although the local authorities recommend to bring one.

The recommendation is not only because in recent years hikers have disappeared and found dead later, but also because of the increasing number of robberies along the trails.

The easiest trail takes only 2 hours to the rim while more challenging ones, through the rainforest, may take all day (bring a guide).
Going down along the route to the hot springs is tougher, about 2000 steps!

Hot springs and an offer site for Gunung Sibayak

When you come down from the craterrim of Sibayak you would surely love to relax in the natural hot springs in the village of Semangat.

Actually the springs are natural, but the pools around it are not. Locals built different bassins with different temperatures of sulphur smelling water, from very hot to burningly hot! You need to pay a small adm.fee.

Between the base of Mt. Sibayak and the village, there's a dirt track eading to the site of Pertek teken, where locals pay tribute to the mountain spirits, by offering fruits and cigarettes, before they go up.

A girl from the village showed me the site, but when I saw her the next day she told me she'd nightmares last night because we had been there. It's a barren place full of dead trees and ashes. Weird site!

The crater of Gunung Sibayak

The crater of Gunung Subayak is not very active or spectacular, but it's certainly worth exploring for an hour or so. Moreover, the views on clear days are fantastic

The impressive craterrim is partly destoyed, so you cannot encircle it and go to the summit.

The descent to the craterfloor on the other side is easy (if you're not in or just after the raining season), although you should judge the danger of activity carefully. There are steaming, smoky yellowish vents with bad sulphur smell, that your lungs may not like.