A merchant's mansion, an old and grand mosque, a sultan's palace in yellow and gold and rich street food are found in Medan, North Sumatra's big city. Wild orangutans are a few hours away, as is a volcano town set in the cool Karo hills, and Medan makes the best base for the whole list.
The palace of the Deli Malay sultans, begun in 1888 and painted in royal yellow. Its look mixes Malay, Islamic and European ideas, and the grand reception hall still holds the throne and family portraits.
Best time: Morning
Tip: Only part of the palace is open to visitors, and it is still used for royal family events, so access can change. Check access for your day. Dress neatly and keep your voice down inside.
Built for the Deli sultan and finished in 1909, with a large dome, tall arches and richly decorated halls in a style that blends Middle Eastern, Indian and European influences. It stands close to the palace, so the two are easy to visit together.
Best time: Morning or late afternoon
Tip: Visitors are welcome outside prayer times; dress modestly and cover shoulders and knees (cover your hair if you are a woman). Some areas may be closed to visitors during prayers.
The old home of Tjong A Fie, a Chinese-Indonesian businessman and community leader of early 1900s Medan. The house blends Chinese, Malay and European styles, with carved wood, tiles and family furniture that show how wealthy families lived then.
Best time: Morning
Tip: Visits are usually done as a short guided tour and the house is now a museum, so opening times and tour rules can vary. Check them for your dates. Combine it with a walk around Kesawan.
The old commercial quarter around Lapangan Merdeka (Merdeka Square), where colonial-era shophouses, banks and the old post office still stand. Nearby Merdeka Walk is a busy open-air eating area at night.
Best time: Late afternoon into evening
Tip: The pavements are narrow and traffic is busy, so walk with care. Go in the cooler late afternoon, and keep your phone and bag close in crowded spots.
A Catholic shrine in the Indian (Tamil) tradition, dedicated to Our Lady of Good Health, with white towers and domes that look more like a temple than a typical church. It reflects the Indian community that has long lived in Medan.
Best time: Morning or late afternoon
Tip: It is a working place of worship: dress modestly, stay quiet during services and ask before photographing people praying. Visiting hours may change around services and feast days.
Medan is a food city that mixes Malay, Batak, Chinese, Indian and Javanese cooking. Try soto Medan (a spiced coconut-milk soup), bika ambon (a springy honeycomb-textured cake), sweet egg tea and local durian, which many people drive out to Pancur Batu to eat.
Best time: Evening; durian in season
Tip: Durian is seasonal and the season varies from year to year, so it may not be available on your dates. Some Batak and Chinese-run eateries serve pork, so look for a halal sign or ask first.
A riverside jungle village at the edge of Gunung Leuser National Park, known for treks in search of Sumatran orangutans in the rainforest, plus gibbons, macaques and tropical birds. The Bohorok river runs through the village.
Best time: Dry months, morning treks
Tip: Orangutan sightings are never guaranteed - they are wild animals. Treks go with a local guide; keep your distance, never feed or touch them, and stay away if you are ill. The river can rise fast after heavy rain.
A cool hill town at roughly 1,300 m, famous for its fruit and vegetable market and views of the volcanoes. Gundaling Hill is an easy viewpoint, while Mount Sibayak (about 2,200 m) is a popular hike. Traditional Karo houses are in villages nearby.
Best time: Morning, dry months
Tip: Volcano areas can be closed when activity rises, so check the status before you go. Start the Sibayak hike early, wear sturdy shoes and bring a jacket - it is much cooler than Medan.
A slender waterfall that drops roughly 120 m from the plateau toward Lake Toba, with viewpoints at the top that look out over the lake and the green valley below. It is often paired with Berastagi on the same trip.
Best time: Morning, clear weather
Tip: Walking down to the base means a long staircase, and the climb back up is tiring; the top viewpoint alone is easy. Mist and rain can hide the view, so go in the morning and keep time spare.
Parapat is the main lakeside town on the way to Lake Toba, the huge volcanic lake with Samosir Island in the middle. It is a long trip from Medan, so it works best as a stay of a few days. See our separate Lake Toba guide for what to see on the lake.
Best time: Dry months
Tip: Do not try it as a rushed day trip from Medan; allow at least one night. Road times vary with traffic and weather, and ferries to Samosir run on their own schedule, so plan around them.
It is about 22 km in a straight line from Medan.
It is about 93 km in a straight line from Medan.
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Indonesia page
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
Driest months: Feb, Apr, Jun. Wettest months: Sep, Oct, Dec.
Prices here are about 29% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Kualanamu International Airport (KNO) is about 45-60 minutes from the city centre by car, and an airport train also links it with the city centre. Flights come from Jakarta and other Indonesian cities, and there are usually regional flights too, so check current routes for your dates.
Medan is hot and humid all year and rain can fall in any month. Roughly the drier months are best for Bukit Lawang treks and the highlands; the rainy months can make roads slippery and rivers rise. The Karo hills are much cooler than the city.
Medan is home to Malay, Batak, Karo, Chinese, Indian and Javanese communities. Cover shoulders and knees at mosques, temples and churches, stay quiet during prayers and ask before photographing people. Most local food is halal, but some Batak and Chinese eateries serve pork, so ask first.
In the city use ride-hailing apps or taxis; the motorised pedicabs called becak motor are a local option for short rides. Traffic can be heavy, so allow extra time. Bukit Lawang, Berastagi, Sipiso-piso and Lake Toba are spread out on winding roads, so a car with driver is the easiest way to combine them.
112 - general emergency (free, works from any phone where the service is live). 110 - police. 118 / 119 - ambulance and medical emergency. 113 - fire. 115 - search and rescue (BASARNAS). English is understood in the main tourist areas; elsewhere ask your hotel to call for you.
Report a lost passport to the nearest police station (get the police report), then contact your embassy or consulate for an emergency travel document. Keep a photo of your passport in your e-mail or phone - it speeds everything up. The official embassy list linked here shows where to find your country's embassy or consulate.
Big cities and Bali have international-standard private hospitals (e.g. Siloam, BIMC in Bali, Mayapada, RS Pondok Indah in Jakarta). Public referral hospitals are cheaper but busier. Ask your hotel or travel insurer for the nearest suitable hospital.
local government
Helps with: Indonesia's national tourism ministry. Its contact page lists a call centre, a WhatsApp contact centre, an email address and its office in Jakarta for tourism enquiries.
Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in Indonesia or planning a trip there.
Phone: 021-3838000
Email: [email protected]
Address: Gedung Sapta Pesona, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No.17, Gambir, Jakarta Pusat, Jakarta 10110
un agency
Helps with: The UN migration agency, operating in Indonesia since 1979. It works with governments and partners on migration management and crisis response.
Who qualifies: Migrants, governments and partners working on migration. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +62 21 57951275
Email: [email protected]
Address: Sampoerna Strategic Square North Tower 10th Floor, Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav 45-46, Jakarta 12930
ngo
Helps with: The ICRC says it works with the society on training first responders in pre-hospital care, reuniting separated families and emergency preparedness. No contact details are given, so use the society's website.
Who qualifies: The page does not say who can use it. It names the society as the ICRC's partner in Indonesia.