Indonesia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 227

on the plateau is usually necessary. Most
begin in Ambarita on the eastern shore,
on the uphill path, from where it's two to
three hours' climb to the tiny hilltop
village of Partukongan - aka Dolok or
“summit” - the highest point on Samosir.
here are a couple of ultra-cheap
homestays here, John's and Jenny's , and
Peter's in the next village on the trail,
Ronggurnihuta . he villagers can be a bit
vague when giving directions, so take care
and check frequently with passers-by that
you're on the right trail.
Ronggurnihuta is a three- or four-hour
walk away, with Pangururan three to
fours hours further on at the end of a
tortuously long downhill track (18km)
that passes Danau Sidihoni on the way.
Arrive in Pangururan before 5pm to
catch the last bus back to the eastern
shore (Rp15,000); otherwise, stay at the
Wisata Samosir ( T 0626 20050) at Jalan
Dr TB Simatupang 42 by the bus stop.

It's an easy swim straight out from here t o a rocky l ittle
island. The attached café is also good value. Rp70,000
Romlan's T 0625 451386, E [e-mail].
A wonderful isolated location gives this scruffy little
guesthouse its charm. The cheapest rooms are in tradi-
tional bungalows overlooking the water to Parapat, all
rooms come with hot water, and there's a pleasant open-
air restaurant with free wi-fi. Rp100,000
Samosir Cottages T 0625 451170, W samosircottages
.com. A long-standing favourite on the peninsula, with
rooms ranging from the basic to luxury bungalows (with
hot water and a bathtub; Rp200,000) overlooking the
lake. It has wi-fi, satellite TV, ping-pong, a pool table and a
good restaurant and bar that hosts regular Batak music
and dance performances (Wed & Sat 8.30pm). Rp80,000

NIGHTLIFE
Brando's Blues Bar Just a 2min walk from Samosir
Cottages , this is Tuk Tuk's most happening nightlife venue,
mixing reggae beats with thumping dance music and
packing its spacious dancefloor with a local crowd at
weekends. Pool tables, cocktails and ice-cold Bintang
(bottle Rp35,000). Daily 8am-2am.
Anju Karaoke T 0813 9797 9757 A pair of sofa-decked
karaoke rooms in a roadside annexe of Anju Cottages ,
next door to Samosir Cottages , along with a simple menu
of bar food and drinks (Bintang Rp30,000). Book ahead
on Sat nights (9am-10pm Rp50,000/hr, 10pm-midnight
Rp70,000/hr). Daily 9am-midnight.

4

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Nearly all accommodation on Samosir is found on the Tuk
Tuk peninsula. Tell the ferryman which hotel you're going
to and he'll drop you off at the nearest quay.
Bagus Bay Homestay T 0625 451287, W bagus-bay
.page.tl. One of the best budget options on Tuk Tuk, with
ultra-cheap boxy rooms sharing a grubby latrine (a bargain
for single travellers at Rp30,000), comfortable deluxe
rooms with cosy terraces and hot water (Rp200,000), and
more options in between. It also has an internet café,
billiards, volleyball, bike rental, in-house massage, a bar
and a lengthy menu in the rest aurant, wh ich hosts Batak
performances (Wed & Sat 8pm). Rp40,000
Carolina's T 0625 451210, E [e-mail].
Classy Batak-style bungalows, each with a lakeside view
and a small slice of beach (Rp120,000), while the cheapest
rooms on the hill are also good value. There's a huge,
breezy restaurant with wi- fi and a ran ge of information on
the island at the reception. Rp75,000
Liberta Homestay T 0625 451035, E liberta
[e-mail]. Cheap, simple rooms in Batak-
style cottages with an attached restaurant and a friendly
owner. Rooms with hot water from Rp65,000. Liberta lies
on the southwest side of the pen insula - get off the ferry
at Bagus Bay harbour. Rp50,000
Merlyn Guesthouse T 0813 6116 9130, E merlyn
[e-mail]. Run by a German-Indonesian
couple, this centrally located little cheapie has a great
backpacker vibe. All of its smart, simple rooms come with
hot water, somewhat dim bathrooms and great lake views.

DIRECTORY
Banks Guesthouses and a handful of moneychangers offer
exchange services at generally poor rates. The nearest ATM
is at the BRI in Ambarita.
Bicycle and motorbike rental Available from almost
all of Tuk Tuk's hotels (bikes/motorbikes Rp25,000/90,000).
Books Penny's Bookstore (daily 8am-10pm) in Tuk Tuk
has a huge range of novels, DVDs, guidebooks and maps
for rent, buy or exchange.
Cooking classes The friendly owner of Juwita Café
( T 0625 451217, E [e-mail]), based just
north of Carolina's , offers Indonesian cooking lessons
(from Rp150,000).
Health centre There's a 24hr health centre near Penny's
Bookstore ( T 0625 451075).
Internet There is wi-fi at most cafés and guesthouses,
and computers at Bagus Bay (Rp10,000/hr).
Massage Bagus Bay Homestay in Tuk Tuk has an on-site
massage therapist (Rp80,000).
Post o ce The nearest post o ce is in Ambarita, but you
can ask to use the postboxes at local shops.
Tours Many of the guesthouses, in particular Samosir
Cottages, Bagus Bay Homestay and Carolina's , have their
own travel agencies, which can book transport and tours.