Photo by Dio Hasibuan on Unsplash

There are many wonderful places to explore in Indonesia, but Lake Toba has been in the spotlight for quite some time. Why? President Jokowi urged various key ministries earlier this year to speed up the development of Lake Toba, believing it has the potential to become the "Monaco of Asia." This project will see the development and improvement of amenities and infrastructure such as access roads, entertainment facilities, and traveler service facilities.

Of course, improved amenities will attract more visitors to Lake Toba, but that doesn't mean the big natural lake doesn't have its own appeal: here are five reasons to go now, before the masses arrive.

The World's Most Massive Volcanic Lake

According to Wikipedia, Lake Toba is the world's largest volcanic lake. That's right, you read that correctly. The lake measures 100 kilometers in length and 300 kilometers in width. According to Michigan Technological University research, Lake Toba was produced by an explosion that happened roughly 73,000 to 75,000 years ago, which, coincidentally, was also the world's largest eruption, resulting in the annihilation of 60% of humanity. This reason alone should entice anyone to pay a visit to the location.

Unparalleled Appeal

If you're looking for natural beauty, Lake Toba is the place to go. Why? The lake is a wonderful body of water surrounded by stunning hills. The lake also boasts an abundance of flora and wildlife, overgrown with pine and palm trees and home to wild animals such as monkeys, orang-utans, langur monkeys, and tapirs.

The Samosir Island

Samosir Island, which is located in the midst of Lake Toba, is also well-known. The island also has a diverse range of arts and traditions, with visitors having the opportunity to tour traditional Batak dwellings and learn how to weave ulos, North Sumatra's native cloth.

The Strange Doll is a doll with a mysterious past.

Meet Sigale-gale, the traditional puppet of Samosir Island. During a Batak performance, the wooden dolls may be seen dancing. Furthermore, Sigale-gale dolls have religious and magical significance; for example, they can be seen dancing at funerals.

Delicious Food

A gourmet's dream, because there are so many Medan delicacies to choose from. We propose sitohap porridge, which is made with ginger, candlenut, and andaliman, as well as sitohap leaves found in the nearby forests, and is a mainstay of the Silalahi community, who have lived on the shores of Lake Toba for centuries. Porridge can be served with chicken slices and crackers. Visitors should enjoy lapet, a typical Batak cake that is normally shaped like a pyramid and covered in banana leaves for dessert. The cake is created with grated coconut and rice flour, then steamed, making it a perfect treat for afternoon tea while staring out over Lake Toba's stunning panorama.