Parapat is the main town on Lake Toba’s eastern shore, in Simalungun Regency, spread over a hilly peninsula where the Trans-Sumatra Highway meets the water. Since Dutch colonial days it has been the lake’s resort town, and it is still where most Indonesian holidaymakers stay. For travellers heading to Samosir it is, above all, the place where you change from wheels to a boat.
There are two harbours. Tigaraja, in the centre of Parapat, has the wooden passenger boats to Tuk Tuk. Ajibata, a kilometre or so to the south and technically in the next regency, has the vehicle ferries to Tomok and Ambarita. Knowing which one you need saves a good deal of confusion on arrival.
Top things to do at Parapat & Ajibata
Stroll the lakefront
The public waterfront known as Pantai Bebas has been rebuilt as a promenade with lawns, steps down to the water and views across to Samosir. It is at its liveliest in the late afternoon and on Saturday evenings.
See where Sukarno was held
A white colonial villa on the tip of the peninsula, the Pesanggrahan Bung Karno, is where the Dutch detained Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno, for a period in early 1949. The house is not always open, but the grounds and the view are worth the short walk.
Take a boat to Batu Gantung
On a cliff along the shore hangs a rock said to be a girl turned to stone — the “hanging stone” of a much-told local legend. Boatmen at Tigaraja offer short trips, and it is the destination of the sunset yacht cruise on GetYourGuide.
Visit the Saturday market
The weekly market by Tigaraja harbour draws traders from villages all around the lake, many arriving by boat. Go early for fruit, dried fish, andaliman and stacks of ulos cloth.
How to get to Parapat & Ajibata
- From Medan: four to five hours by road. Public buses leave from Amplas terminal; shared tourist minibuses and private cars pick up at hotels. See our getting there guide for all the options.
- From Silangit airport: roughly two hours by road via Balige.
- From Berastagi: three to four hours via the rim road, with the option of stopping at Sipiso-piso.
- To Samosir: passenger boats from Tigaraja to Tuk Tuk about hourly in daylight; vehicle ferries from Ajibata to Tomok and Ambarita several times a day.
Insider tips
- If you arrive after the last boat, stay the night in Parapat and cross in the morning — see where to stay.
- Touts at the bus stop will try to sell boat tickets and rooms on Samosir. You do not need them: pay on board and book your own room.
- Vehicle ferries fill up at weekends and on public holidays. Arrive early or expect to wait for the next sailing.
- Parapat has ATMs, minimarkets and pharmacies; do your banking here before crossing.
Best tours & tickets for Parapat & Ajibata
These experiences are the easiest way to see Parapat & Ajibata:
Day trip from €121 Lake Toba Full-Day Tour from Medan
A fourteen-hour day from Medan to Parapat, the main town on the shore of Lake Toba, and back. It is the day trip with the most traveller reviews in GetYourGuide’s Lake Toba listings — check the itinerary on the booking page for what is included on the water.
- Drive from Medan to Parapat on the eastern shore
- A long day built around the lake itself
- The most-reviewed Lake Toba day trip on GetYourGuide
Day trip from €118 Medan: Lake Toba Day Trip with Ferry and Lunch
A full day from Medan that actually sets foot on Samosir: you drive to the lake, take a ferry across to the island, visit historic villages and learn about Batak culture, with lunch included, before returning to Medan the same night.
- Ferry across the lake to Samosir Island
- Historic Batak villages with a guide
- Lunch included
Private boat tour from €259 per group Sumatra: Private Lake Toba Sunset Yacht Experience
A private one-hour sunset cruise on Lake Toba to Batu Gantung, with drinks on board. The price is for the whole boat, for up to nine people, which makes it reasonable for a family or a group of friends. No reviews yet.
- Private one-hour cruise at golden hour
- Drinks on board
- Price is per group of up to nine
