On the shore of Lake Toba lies the town of Parapat the main tourist resort in North Sumatra. Lake Toba is approximately 50 miles long and 16 miles across with a depth of about 1.400 feet and considered as the largest lake in Southeast Asia and once created by super volcanic eruption less than 100.000 years ago. Lake Toba is located at an altitude of 906 meters above sea level. Parapat on the shore of Lake Toba can be reached in 4 hours by car from Medan 176 km from Medan city. Many recreational sports available in Parapat such as swimming, water skiing, motor boating, canoeing, and fishing. International hotels exist in Parapat such as Patra Jasa Hotel, Nataour Hotel, Niagara Hotel and other small cottages or bungalows with low price. The climate in Parapat is cool and dry that make Parapat as an ideal place to relax. Parapat is the capital city of Batak Toba and Batak Simalungun tribes. The Batak Toba live on the western side of Lake and Batak Simalungun live on the eastern side of Lake Toba. Batak Simalungun have had more influences from Malayu and other peoples than the Batak Toba people. In the center of Lake Toba, there is small island called Samosir island covering an area of 329 square miles. Samosir island is the original home of the fiercest but kind hearted Toba Batak which can be be reached within a half an hour by boat from Parapat. There are 2 main ferry jetty points on Samosir island are Tomok a traditional village with beautiful houses and a stone tombs, and Tuktuk where many hotels and restaurants are found. Tomok is famous for years now as the gateway to Samosir island, the visitors are greeted by rows of stalls selling a bewildering array of Batak calendar and traditional Batak musical instruments. In Tomok village you can find the ancient royal stone tomb of the Sidabutar clan dynasty. Bodies were buried in the stone sarcophaguses under a large banyan tree. Around 4 km north of Tuktuk village is Ambarita an attractive village with ancient stone walls that were once topped with a thick pagar or fence of thorny bamboo. Inside are stone seats and modern statuary the work of the Siallagan clan some 54 years ago. Ambarita is also good base for treks a cross the island.

Simanindo is a picturesque village and has some of the best traditional houses and here you can see the Raja Sidauruuk house and now become a museum. At this museum you can see cultural performances. Pangururan is the proper town on Samosir island and also the administrative center of Samosir island. When visiting Lake Toba don't forget to buy some souvenir such as Ulos weaving common in many villages on the northwestern shore of Samosir island.