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Medan City Guide
Indonesia>Medan
Sumatra is the second-largest island in Indonesia, with
its lush forests, simmering volcanoes, massive rivers with
cascading waterfalls. The giant island is four times the
size of Java. One of its fascinating cities, Medan is the
capital of north Sumatra and the third largest city in Indonesia.
It is a huge, sprawling city and a popular entry/exit point
for travelers.
Recapture a historical moment of classic in the local museums,
there are a number of museums, including the Museum of North
Sumatra, which has excellent coverage of the region's culture
and history, and the weaponry-and-warfare-influenced Bukit
Barisan Military Museum.
Get a bird's eye view on the city's two finest buildings,
Istana Maimoon (Maimoun Palace) and the magnificent black-domed
Mesjid Raya. Also on some fine examples of European architecture
along Jalan Sukarno-Hatta, such as Bank Indonesia and the
High Court. It is truly inspiring!
Spend once a lifetime with wildlife, there are many reserves
established to protect the indigenous wildlife from extinction.
Mount Loeser Reserve, Bengkulu and Gedung Wani organise
supervised safaris enabling visitors to see tigers, elephants,
tapirs and rhinos at close hand.
Or, visit the Gunung Lauser Reserve, which straddles the
North Sumatra - Aceh Border, are open to visitor through
rafting expeditions down the Alas River and tours of the
"orangutan" rehabilitation center at Bahorok, where formerly
captive apes are re-introduces to the wild.
Enjoy a moment of tranquility with a volcanic mountain
range, This picturesque hill town in the Karo Highlands,
70km from Medan, is dominated by two volcanoes: Gunung Sinabung
and Gunung Sibayak. Hot springs, unexplored jungle and vast
plantations could also top up your fun for your serene vacation.
Getting There and Moving Around
By air
Medan is served by daily flights from Singapore, Penang,
Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta.
Medan is primary gateway to Sumatra, served by daily direct
flights from Singapore by Garuda Indonesia and Silk Air,
and from Penang by Malaysian Airlines System (MAS). Garuda
Indonesia, Merpati Nusantara, Sempati Air, Bouraq and Mandala
fly daily from Jakarta. A joint service by Garuda Indonesia
and KLM flies weekly to Medan from Amsterdam.
By sea
Ferries ply between Penang and Port of Belawan. A fast,
comfortable passenger liner sails biweekly from Jakarta
to Medan.
By rail
There are nearly 7000km (4350 miles) of track on Sumatra,
Madura and Java. In Sumatra, trains connect Belawan, Medan
and Tanjong Balai/Rantu Prapet (two or three trains daily)
in the north, and Palembang and Panjang (three trains daily)
in the South.
By road
Medan has metered taxis and hire cars are available through
most hotels.
The availability of various transportation mode in Medan
is a convenience of the visitors to move around the captivating
city.
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