Lake Toba (Sumatra) > Reviews (5)

and it really is massive. Danau Toba is so vast that it's central island alone is the size of Singapore. It's an utterly beautiful and serene place, where days just drift by in a mix of swimming, canoeing, shopping, generally hanging out and chatting. Its one of the easiest places to do nothing that I've ever been. If it's a bit touristy for you (it's been a backpacker hangout since the 60's) then you could always try the nearby Danau Maninjau (Danau means lake in Indonesian) - if possible even more laid back. I spent a week there doing nothing but swimming and playing cards and drinking beer, for next to no money. A tip worth knowing is that if you're only intending to visit Toba, you can fly into Medan which has an international airport - it's not easy but it's possible. And it's preferable to trekking overland from Jakarta, a bus journey of three days in vehicles driven by the maddest drivers in Indonesia (and that's saying something) through mosquito infested swamps. Yum.